No one looks forward to telling a sexual partner, “I have herpes.” But this widespread virus isn’t a life-threatening disease, and you have lots of options for treating it successfully.
“Herpes is so common that most people have been exposed to the virus by the time they’re 8 years old,” says Toni Brayer, M.D., an internal medicine physician with Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation. “It’s annoying, but unless you’re severely ill or immune-compromised it isn’t dangerous.” Get the facts before you freak out.