Avoid kissing and oral sex when outbreaks are present. There is no cure for fever blisters and no vaccine to prevent them, although research into preventing and treating them is ongoing. If you do get oral herpes, your doctor may recommend over-the-counter pain medication and topical anesthetics to relieve symptoms.
Some people also choose to take antiviral medication to make cold sores go away faster. Canker sores are not caused by the herpes virus or by any other virus.
In fact, the cause of canker sores is unknown, although they may be triggered by a minor injury in your mouth from dental work or brushing too hard, an allergy, a vitamin B deficiency, stress, or a food intolerance. Some medical conditions, such as celiac disease and inflammatory bowel disease, may also cause canker sores , and they often occur in families, so it's possible genetics or environment play a part, too.
Canker sores typically appear as small, round, or oval whitish sores with a red border, according to the Mayo Clinic. They typically occur on the tongue, inside the cheeks, inside the lips, or on the gums. The medical term for a canker sore is aphthous ulcer. Canker sores can be quite painful, but they usually heal within about two weeks without leaving any scarring.
Unlike cold sores, which usually occur outside the mouth, canker sores occur only inside the mouth. Canker sores occur more often in teenagers and young adults, and they are more common in women than men. A canker sore that is large or particularly painful can make it hard to eat and talk.
In some cases, your doctor may suggest you use an alcohol-free mouth rinse or topical treatment to ease the pain of a canker sore. Gargling salt water may also help. If the sore lasts longer than 10 to 14 days, you should see a doctor or dentist. Contact dermatitis is a skin condition that can cause red, itchy, cracked, dry, or scaly skin, blisters, or a rash.
Like herpes, it recurs, and while it's not an STD, when it appears in the mouth or genital area, it may be mistaken for herpes.
However, unlike herpes, contact dermatitis can happen anywhere on the skin and is caused by direct contact with an irritant or something you're allergic to, per the Mayo Clinic. It's not caused by a virus. Contact dermatitis usually occurs within minutes to hours after touching an irritant.
Common causes include poison ivy and reactions to medication, cosmetics , detergents, and jewelry. The skin rash from contact dermatitis usually clears up in a few weeks. Allergy testing can help identify the cause. While contact dermatitis is generally not a serious condition, it can be itchy and uncomfortable. When the rash is present, try using cool, wet compresses or anti-itch creams to soothe it.
Antihistamine pills can help reduce the itchiness. Avoid scratching the area: Doing so can make symptoms worse and open the door to a bacterial or fungal infection. If your itching is severe, you should see your primary care provider or a dermatologist for topical steroid medication.
It can cause a range of blemishes variously known as blackheads, whiteheads, papules, pustules pimples , cysts, and nodules, according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Acne is sometimes confused with oral herpes because of the way a breakout looks. Although oral herpes sores usually appear as small, clear blisters filled with fluid, in some instances they can look more like the reddened skin and pimples associated with acne.
However, herpes is typically associated with more itchiness and pain than acne. And whereas oral herpes sores are usually found on the mouth, lips, chin, cheeks, or nose, acne can break out on any area of the face as well as on the neck, chest, back, and shoulders.
Acne is caused by excess skin oil, clogged pores, and bacteria — not the herpes virus. Hormones, stress, certain medicines, and sometimes diet can trigger or worsen acne outbreaks. While a single pimple may clear up in a few days, a larger acne outbreak may last for weeks to months. General symptoms The initial herpes infection is sometimes associated with general symptoms of fever, headache, malaise, and muscular aches.
It is not always Herpes It is a sore but not a herpes While genital ulceration is often associated with herpes, it can be the result of several other conditions, including but not limited to, other sexually transmitted diseases, inflammatory conditions, skin irritation, and allergic skin lesions. Syphilis The skin lesion of primary syphilis usually develops about three weeks up to 90 days after contracting the disease through sexual contact.
Both can present with multiple vesicles and get ulcerated Herpes usually presents with multiple fluid-filled vesicles that turn into ulcers over time. Herpes ulcers are shallow, small, and on a red base that is, they are surrounded by red skin. They are painful and may occur with painful lymphadenopathy. Syphilis usually has a solitary sore. A syphilis ulcer is usually deeper and larger and is painless in itself with painless lymphadenopathy.
Chancroid Chancroid is less common in the United States. Similarity Difference Herpes vs. Both can present with multiple vesicles and become ulcerated. Herpes starts as vesicles before it ulcerates. Its ulceration is superficial and sometimes appears as an elevation with a hole in the middle. Chancroid starts as an inflamed patch before it ulcerates.
Its ulceration is deep and bleeds easily, and it can release a purulent liquid. Lymphogranuloma Venereum Another sexually transmitted disease that presents with a genital ulcer resembling herpes is lymphogranuloma venereum, which is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis.
Lymphogranuloma Venereum Both can present with an ulceration. In the United States, both are most prevalent in men who have sex with men. Herpes starts as vesicles that can be painful. It is possible to have a painful lymphadenopathy in herpes, but it is unlikely to progress to fistulas, and the main symptom is the skin lesion.
Lymphogranuloma venereum starts as a button that may go unnoticed. The skin lesion is painless. Painful lymphadenopathy is the main symptom and can progress to fistulas. When it is clearly not genital Herpes The following are some conditions that cause skin imperfections around the genital area. Human Papillomavirus HPV HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection that can manifest with warts in different parts of the genital area.
HPV Skin lesion may present as multiple buttons organized in a flower shape. Herpes vesicles sacs full of liquid with thin membranes have a fragile consistency and are likely to ulcerate.
HPV lesions are firm and very unlikely to ulcerate. Molluscum contagiosum Molluscum contagiosum is a highly infectious condition caused by a virus and commonly seen in HIV patients. Molluscum contagiosum Small buttons that can be found grouped. The dimpled aspect of mollusca can look like ulcerated herpes. Herpes lesions are fragile vesicles that ulcerate. They typically around the mouth and in the genital area. Molluscum contagiosum lesions are firm and smooth and only rarely ulcerate, and they are more likely to also be present on other body parts, such as the abdomen, legs, and arms.
Ingrown hair and pseudofolliculitis When the hair is not properly shaved on fragile skin, it can curl inside it, forming a bump, and can progress to pseudofolliculitis or even folliculitis. Herpes has vesicles that ulcerate and a characteristic burning pain. Ingrown hair and pseudofolliculitis have small, firm lesions that do not ulcerate and mild tingling pain and itching. Folliculitis A hair follicle can become infected and form an inflamed button, most commonly because of a superficial bacterial or fungal infection or the progression of ingrown hair toward the infection.
Herpes has vesicles that ulcerate. It has no relationship to hair. Folliculitis presents as pimples that do not ulcerate. Either a hair will top each pimple or an ingrown hair will be seen underneath it. Jock itch Jock itch, or tinea cruris, is a common dermatologic condition, especially in men. Jock itch The delimited red patch of jock itch might look like the inflamed background of herpes.
Jock itch has no buttons or ulcerations. Genital eczema Eczema, or dermatitis, refers to a group of skin diseases that cause skin inflammation. Eczema Both can present with blisters. With herpes, lesions that look like blisters are frequent, very prone to ulceration, and cause a burning sensation. With eczema, blisters are rare, ulceration is exceptional, and itching is the primary symptom. Should I talk to a doctor about it?
References 1. Klausner JD. The Great Imitator Revealed: Syphilis. Top Antivir Med. In: Wikipedia. S Tinea cruris. Have a question? You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Sofie Delauw Getty Images. Elitsa Deykova Getty Images. Cassie Shortsleeve Freelance Writer Cassie Shortsleeve is a skilled freelance writer and editor with almost a decade of experience reporting on all things health, fitness, and travel.
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Advertisement - Continue Reading Below. Your health care provider can talk to you about medicines that treat outbreaks and about ways to reduce the chance of passing the virus on to a sexual partner. For more on how to clean hands, see Clean Hands. Most women get genital herpes through sexual contact with a person who has herpes sores.
You can get the virus without having sex. To avoid infection:. For more information, see Safer Sex. A pregnant woman who has genital herpes can pass the virus to her baby. A baby born with herpes might:. If you are pregnant, you should tell your health care provider if you have herpes.
If you show any signs of herpes during pregnancy, tell your provider. Pregnancy can be managed safely if your health care provider knows about your herpes. Medicines can help babies born with herpes if they are treated right away. Previous: Chlamydia Next: Genital Warts. Download free viewer and reader software to view PDF, video and other file formats. Veterans Crisis Line: Press 1.
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