Developmental stages of genital herpes

This article was professionally consulted with Specialist Doctor I Truong Nghia Binh - Obstetrician - Gynecology Department - Vinmec Da Nang International General Hospital.

Genital herpes is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases, caused by the herpes simplex virus (abbreviated HSV). Most patients do not know they have it because genital herpes often has mild symptoms or no signs at all.

Primary Infection: Infected by sexual intercourse, causing fever and severe pain in the genital area. Lesions consist of succulent clusters that, when ruptured, form round sores. Progression lasts from 2 to 6 weeks then it goes away.
Recurrence The rash is usually followed by a burning, itchy sensation consisting of small blisters containing clear fluid, clustered on an erythematous background, after a few hours turning cloudy, broken, closed, and arranged in clusters. Progression after 1 week disappears without leaving scars. Factors that cause recurrence include: fever, cold, sunlight shock, emotions, mechanical trauma, menstruation, intercourse...
How long does genital herpes incubate? Genital herpes requires an incubation period of 2–20 days after infection with the virus to start showing symptoms, but it can also take years for the first symptoms to appear.
When the sores heal again within a few weeks of the outbreak, the herpes virus remains in the patient's body and can cause sores again. The only way to confirm that you have genital herpes is to see your doctor. If you have symptoms, your doctor can diagnose the disease by examining the sores. If there are no symptoms, the patient needs to have a blood test to confirm the disease.

More than 10% of patients have HSV virus in their body but do not manifest into disease, only when they meet favorable conditions such as illness, reduced resistance, physical weakness, depression, surgery, important rough sex or with high frequency, allergies... then these viruses will break out and cause disease.
The most common genital herpes symptoms are sores on the genitals or in the mouth. However, most cases of genital herpes do not have any symptoms.

Small red bumps resembling blisters or red bumps will appear on the foreskin, foreskin, urethral opening or along the body of the penis after the infection period is about 2-7 days (or more).
In the areas infected with genital herpes, the infected person will have a burning sensation, even in some cases, some accompanying symptoms such as headache, fever, painful urination or pain in the muscles and bones. . If not treated, over time, red acne spots will form clusters or patches of round or spherical shape. The color of the notes also gradually changes from red to white or yellow.
After a few days, these pimples will burst, causing scaly sores, making the infected person feel pain. These sores will dry up and scab over on their own over a period of 5 days to 2 weeks. The sores can heal on their own but are very likely to recur.

Just like men, after 2-7 days (or more) in women will appear small red spots along with pain and itching in the genitals such as vagina, vulva, small lips, urethra, cervix...
At first, sores are just small red blisters. Infected people feel pain at the sites of nodules. But after a few days these pimples will develop into pus. These pustules will then burst to form ulcers, thereby causing pain to the infected person. After a few days, these sores will scab over and clear up on their own, but symptoms may recur when the disease recurs.
In addition to the appearance of sores, women with genital herpes may also experience accompanying symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, headache, and low-grade fever.