Here's the deal, the herpes test is not included in the STI panel. So even if you’re a responsible sexually active adult and you ask your doctor for every STI test, most likely herpes will not be included in the herpes test. 

Not including the herpes test on the STI panel is part of the problem on why there are so many people getting herpes, why so many people don’t know they have it and why we have a huge ugly stigma around people who have herpes. But…we’re not going to fix this today.

The …

So there are two types of herpes. Well actually there are way more but in this setting we really only care about two types. Herpes type 1 and herpes type 2. 

So what are the differences and why is it important that we talk about it? 

Let’s dig in. 

Herpes or Herpes Simplex Virus is a virus that is broken down into two types. Type 1 is the most common type with 2 out of 3 people globally having it and type 2 is also pretty common with 1 out of 6 people having it. 

So what is oral herpes?

O…

The amount of times that I get asked about having oral herpes down there is astonishing. I mean that not in an ignorant way but in a way that so many people are now getting oral herpes down there.  

Before we go into why that’s happening let’s back up and explain HSV 1 and HSV 2.

HSV or Herpes Simplex Virus was originally thought to just be one type. You either got blisters on your mouth or on your genitals. It wasn’t until we had better technology to be able to tell the difference in the DN…

There are a ton of myths and misinformation out there when it comes to herpes and actually living with herpes. We all have had our preconceived notions and ideas of what someone with herpes looks like, acts like and how he or she got herpes. We all made jokes at it and believed that it would never happen to us. 

Well… let’s fast forward to the majority of the population having herpes. 2 out of 3 have HSV 1 - that’s 3.7 billion people and 1 out of 6 have HSV 2. It’s so unbelievably common and …

So here’s the deal. More women have herpes than men. I know…it is what it is. 

The virus is sexually transmitted more easily from men to women than it is from women to men.source  HSV-2 infection is more common among women than among men; the percentages of those infected during 2015-2016 were 15.9% versus 8.2% respectively, among 14 to 49 year-olds. (Source) This is possibly because genital infection is more easily transmitted from men to women than from women to men during penile-vaginal se…

Before being diagnosed with herpes we have so many misconceptions about who has herpes and what it is like living with herpes. Honestly most of them are myths. I'll go through some myths that I had and I’d love to hear what yours are. 

Let me also say this: I taught sexed when I was in high school. There was this really cool program through Planned Parenthood where high-schoolers who went through Planned Parenthood’s training could go out into San Diego high schools and pier educated other high…

Now that we’ve received the diagnosis we’re living with herpes. There are probably so many questions running through your head and not to mention they are scary.

Some of them might be:
Will I ever date?
Will this outbreak ever go away?
Will I get another one?
What if I get rejected when I disclose?
Will anyone ever love me with herpes?
How do I disclose?
Can I get married?
What will cause outbreaks?
Is there a herpes cure?
Will I be able to have kids?
Who did I get herpes from?
And so many more questions…

There is nothing that prepares you for the phone call you get from your doctor, or the email or even the in visit check up when your doctor says, “you have herpes”. 

Most of us are shocked, deer in the headlights, frozen, and probably end up crying. 

I was there in 2011 when I was diagnosed with genital HSV2 herpes. Today is not the day for my story, you can watch that here but today is talk about what physically is going on and then the emotional trauma we go through. 

Physically:

• Flu-lik…

You’re Friend Will Hate You If You Do This After They Tell You They Have Herpes  

Picture this, your BFF just sat you down and poured her heart out to you telling you that she has genital herpes. 

Of course you’re just as shocked and don’t know what to say. I get it. I can remember my friends didn’t know what to say to me either. I think we just opened a bottle of wine and it made everything feel better. But in all seriousness, wine isn’t the answer and you need to be there for your BFF.

Here…

Your Herpes Diagnosis Can Be Positive

Hearing the words, “You have herpes” is devastating. I remember what it was like when I was there and I got off the phone with my doctor. All your wishes, hopes and dreams flash before your eyes. Then there’s the fear that sets in and leaves you wondering how your life will ever be normal again. 

Does this sound familiar? I bet. 

But here’s the truth getting herpes empowers you to take action. I’m being serious. This is actually good news. With  a herpes …