

The skin around the fluid-filled blisters appears red and irritated, and blisters usually develop in clusters. These bumps and blisters can be painful and extremely sensitive. The blisters stage is recognized by the formation of small red bumps, which then fill up with clear to whiteish-yellow fluid. If it’s the patient’s first herpes outbreak, these symptoms are typically worse.Īlthough no sores or blisters have developed during this stage of herpes, the skin is still highly contagious and remains so for the entirety of the outbreak. Pain might also emerge in the legs, buttocks, or hips region during the initial onset of herpes. Some people may experience flu-like symptoms, such as fevers, headaches, or even swollen glands. In the case of genital herpes, an outbreak occurring inside the urethra or labia can cause painful urination.ĭuring the prodrome stage, a person will experience an interval of symptoms indicating the onset of an outbreak, which typically lasts several hours. During this initial stage of herpes, the virus progresses to the surface of the skin, which often causes redness, itchiness, tingling, pain, or burning in and around the affected area.

This is the phase where herpes symptoms start showing, indicating the onset of an infection. The first stage of a herpes outbreak is the prodrome. Let’s examine the various herpes outbreak stages and find out what happens during each of them. The typical herpes progression stages are: What are The Herpes Outbreak Stages?Īs mentioned previously, a flare-up of herpes – oral or genital – is often asymptomatic or brings about a progression of stages. Let’s take a closer look at the herpes outbreak stages. However, most herpes infections are asymptomatic.Īccording to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 3.7 billion people under 50 years old (67%) have HSV-1 infection globally, and an estimated 491 million people between the ages of 15-49 (13%) have HSV-2 infection worldwide.Īstonishingly, the virus causing genital herpes or HSV-2 increases the risk of contracting and transmitting HIV, putting millions at greater risk of contracting an HIV infection. Both types of the infection are lifelong.Ī person infected with herpes, whether oral or genital, might show no symptoms or could progress through the different herpes outbreak stages – from blister development to herps healing. While HSV-2 is a sexually transmitted infection that causes genital herpes.

The first is mainly transmitted through oral-to-oral contact causing oral herpes (which includes symptoms known as “cold sores”) but can also cause genital herpes. Herpes, otherwise known as the herpes simplex virus, is categorized into two types: herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2).
