Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Question
Published: April 22, 2009
Dear TeenHealthFX,
hello teenhealthFX, my boyfriend and i are sexually active. once, we had sex inside an attic and after 2 days or so, i start having these red bumps that will later on became white and is very painful. my gyne told me that i have viral infection in the genital area, i searched it on the internet and found out that it was herpes. i asked my boyfriend if he had sexual intercourse with other people before we did and he said no. i was just wondering where i got my sickness if it was not passed onto me by my boyfriend. because it only happened after sometime. he told me that his niece also had it because of having sex in a dirty area. pls help. im 16 and im paranoid right now if i'll still stay with him or not. pls help!
Signed: Did I Get Herpes From My Boyfriend?
Dear Did I Get Herpes From My Boyfriend?,
Unfortunately TeenHealthFX cannot diagnose you over the internet. It is very good that you made the first step to see your gynecologist about this, but we think that it is important for you to follow-up with your gynecologist with a second visit and/or phone call to discuss your concerns.
To answer your question about herpes, genital herpes comes in two types, Herpes Simplex Type I and Herpes Simplex Type II – both of which are viral infections spread through direct skin to skin contact and sexual contact (oral, anal or vaginal). Herpes II virus is generally found in the genital area. Both Herpes I and Herpes II can cause either genital and/or oral outbreaks, and the virus remains in the body for the person's entire life. The initial outbreak of herpes usually occurs within two weeks of the initial infection and can last up to four weeks. Also, during the initial outbreak stage of Herpes II, an infected person usually gets sores or blisters in the genital area, and this can be extremely painful. The initial outbreak is usually the worst episode. After the initial outbreak, both Herpes I and II can go into a dormant stage in the body, where it may seem that you the disease is not present. This is a time when the infected person may have absolutely no symptoms and no sores, but they still can transmit the virus to other people and have other outbreaks throughout their life.
There is no cure for Herpes, but there are treatments that can shorten and prevent future outbreaks. There is also currently a vaccine available for Herpes. This vaccine is called Gardisil and it is currently approved as a routine vaccine for females ages 9-26 years old. It is given over 3 separate doses, over a 6 month period. The vaccine is approved by the FDA against the four of the most common strains of HPV, types 6, 11, 16 and 18. Current studies have shown that the vaccine is able to prevent cervical cancer and pre-cancerous lesions of the cervix and genitals.
Weather you have the herpes virus or not it is best that you try to protect yourself in safe sex practices. Try to limit the number of partners you have since if you have herpes you may be transmitting the virus to other partners. Also, always use a condom with another form of protection if you do decide to have sex.
Again, it is important that you continue your care with a healthcare provider. Only they can give you and accurate diagnosis in terms of what you are dealing with, help you with obtaining medications and vaccines for herpes if that is what you have, and provide further education about preventing the spread of herpes and managing this virus.
If you don't have a doctor and live in northern
Signed: TeenHealthFX
The highest Chlamydia rates occurred among women ages 15 to 19 and 20 to 24.
