Causes of skin herpes, when are you more at risk of becoming infected?

Skin herpes is a contagious disease that causes a rash and itchy rash on the skin. There are three types of viruses that cause skin herpes, namely herpes simplex type 1, herpes simplex type 2, and varicella zoster. Although they both show symptoms of resilience to the skin, these three viral infections can cause diseases with different disorders.

Types of skin herpes viruses and their diseases

There are eight viruses that are included in the herpes virus group, but not all viruses are the cause of skin herpes disease.

The type of virus in the alpha herpevirus group most often infects and causes skin disorders, such as genital herpes, oral herpes, water readings, and shingles.

1. Causes of oral herpes or herpes labialis

Herpes disease that attacks the skin around the mouth (oral herpes) is caused by infection with the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Once infected, the virus that causes herpes will remain in the body forever.

Initially, HSV-1 infection may not show symptoms of oral herpes at all for a long time, making it difficult to detect. However, ongoing viral infections can cause dry or open sores on the skin around the mouth and face.

The virus that causes skin herpes more often infects children and infants who are infected by infected adults.

The herpes virus is transmitted through close contact with sufferers, such as touching mouth to mouth (kissing), oral sex on the affected genital area, and using the same objects, such as eating utensils, lipstick, and razors, with the sufferer.

HSV-1 can also be transmitted by contact between the mouth and infected skin, even though there are no open sores on the skin.

Some of the factors that make you more at risk of developing herpes include:

Make close contact with people with oral herpes
Have a weak immune system, including due to HIV infection
Undergo chemotherapy treatment
Having unprotected oral sex

2. Causes of genital herpes

Herpes disease, which causes dry sores on the genitals, is caused by infection with the herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). However, the HSV-1 infection that causes oral herpes can also be a cause of genital herpes through oral sex transmission.

As with oral herpes, the virus that causes genital herpes will stay in the body forever and cannot be cured.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the herpes simplex virus that is initially present in skin cells will migrate to nerve cells and remain after the appearance of dry sores on the skin. However, this viral infection can stop (dormant / sleep) and recur at any time.

Both oral herpes and genital herpes are classified as sexually transmitted diseases. However, HSV-2 can only be transmitted through sexual contact unlike genital herpes which can be transmitted by touching the affected facial skin.

The following are risk factors that can cause you to get genital herpes:

Frequently changing sexual partners and not using condoms
Weak immune system
Have a sexually transmitted disease
Are female

3. Varicella zoster causes chicken pox and shingles

Another herpes virus infection that causes skin disorders is varicella zoster (VZV). This virus is the main cause of chicken pox and shingles.

Varicella zoster is a type of herpes virus that is very easily transmitted through droplet (saliva splash) or direct contact with the rash or smallpox boils.

Factors that increase a person's risk of getting chickenpox are:

Make close contact with someone with chickenpox
Are under 12 years of age
Are pregnant and have never been infected
Haven't had the smallpox vaccine yet
Have a weak immune system due to certain diseases and medications

When infected, this virus does not immediately cause symptoms of a rash or an itchy smallpox rash on the skin. The virus that causes herpes will go through an incubation period of 10-21 days. This means that when you are exposed to the virus, it is only about 10-21 days before the first symptoms appear.

An active varicella infection will show initial symptoms in the form of fever and weakness. The symptoms of chickenpox go away on their own in 7-10 days.

Even so, the virus does not just disappear from the body. The virus will stay and sleep (dormant) in nerve cells. This virus can reactivate and there is a secondary infection that causes herpes zoster or shingles.

However, not everyone who has had chickenpox will experience shingles. Reactivation of the virus that causes herpes is more at risk if:

Have a weak immune system due to diseases such as HIV / AIDS
Undergo cancer treatment or an organ transplant
Over 50 years of age
Complications of skin diseases that cause nerve cell damage

How to deal with the causes of skin herpes disease

There is no medicine that can eliminate the virus that causes skin herpes from the body. But basically, herpes simplex and varicella zoster virus infections can subside on their own.

Medical treatment is still needed to relieve symptoms and speed up the recovery of sores on the skin. Most of the treatment for herpes is with antiviral drugs in the form of tablets or ointments.

The types of antiviral drugs for skin herpes that are usually prescribed by doctors are: