HSV1 is more commonly known as herpes, or herpes simplex virus one, and is generally seen as what is known as a cold sore, an unsightly and often embarrassing lesion that tends to appear on the lips and face during stressful times.

There are two different types of herpes viruses that people can get. The herpes simplex virus one generally involves sores and lesions on the mouth and is generally first experienced during childhood, although it can occur at any time during a person’s life. The other kind of herpes is herpes simplex virus two, which is typically seen on the genitals and is generally spread through sexual contact.

When a person contracts herpes simplex one, the initial outbreak is usually the worst one that they ever experience, but after that outbreak disappears, the virus never really goes away – it resides on the cells in the nervous system and can be reactivated by any number of stimuli, including stress, fever, or menstruation. A person whose herpes simplex virus one is reactivated is actually contagious from a few days before
the lesions erupt until the lesions heal, which is what makes it so difficult to contain and so wide spread all around the world.

Herpes simplex virus one is generally experienced as cold sores on the lips and mouth and around the nose, and those who have the virus and who have experienced several outbreaks become extremely familiar with the sensation that they get right before an outbreak is about to appear. Herpes simplex virus is unsightly and often very embarrassing to those who suffer from the condition.

How Do You Get Herpes Simplex Virus One?

There are number of very innocuous ways that you can catch herpes simplex virus one. It is usually spread during childhood, and you can catch it by kissing somebody who has an active case, sharing a toothbrush or drinking glass or eating utensils with somebody who has an active case. Although it is most commonly first experienced during childhood, the virus can be caught at any time during your life. The thing that makes the disease so insidious is that you can catch it from somebody whose infection is not apparent, either because it has already healed up or hasn’t appeared yet, which is one of the reasons that it is most commonly spread during childhood.

Symptoms

Herpes simplex virus one is usually seen as a crusty yellow lesion on the lip or around the nose. Prior to the unattractive lesion appearing, herpes simplex virus one sufferers often report a tingling sensation on their skin – this is generally a sign that the virus is coming out of its dormancy stage and the herpes sufferer is about to go through an outbreak. The lesions are much more likely to appear during times of illness, menstruation, times of stress or when any traumatic injury or exhaustion is present, although it can often appear for no apparent reason.

Treatments

There are a variety of treatments available for herpes simplex virus one, but there is no cure. All of the treatments available are designed to treat the symptoms, either by minimizing the impact of an outbreak of preventing it from spreading to nearby cells. At this time there is nothing that can kill the virus, which means that once it has appeared, even though it might be contained the cells that have been impacted have to go through the entire course of the disease state.

Common Topical Creams

Topical creams for the treatment of herpes simplex virus are often the first line of defense. They include both prescription and nonprescription varieties. The most popular over the counter treatment is a product called Docosanol, which is applied several times over the course of the day. It is said to reduce the spread and speed up the healing time of the sores.  There are also a couple of prescription strength
medications that are available that are said to be particularly effective at both speeding up healing and containing the virus to the cells that it has already infiltrated. They are Alacyclovir and Valacyclovir, both of which are said to contain the virus to the cells that it has already infected. None of the medications are able to kill the virus – it has to run its course.

Prevention

Herpes simplex virus is one of the most widespread chronic conditions on the planet. It is nearly impossible to prevent a child from being exposed to it because the virus is alive and contagious even when it is not visible, and because children tend to be much more intimately involved with each other, and more likely to share utensils and food. People who have been exposed to the herpes simplex virus one may not even be aware that they are a carrier of this highly infectious disease, as it is entirely possible to have been exposed and yet never have suffered any kind of outbreak.