Herpes simplex virus infections do not get completely ridden off from the body, and the sores tend to appear on and off due to the recurrence of the infection. While the main medication is focussed on providing comfort from the symptoms, the medication associated with genital herpes, in particular, also focuses on limiting the spread of the disease between sexual partners or transmitting it to new-born children through the mother.

Cold sores
In the case of oral herpes, or cold sores as it is commonly called, they usually go away by themselves within a period of 7-10 days, and the most common mode of treatment for this type is the use of either topical or oral specific antiviral medication. There is no need to actually take medication unless the pain is bad and you need something to make it go away quickly while decreasing the pain. In most of the cases, the initial course of action for herpes treatment the first time is to use oral antiviral medication and then for each recurrence topical antiviral medication should be sufficient. However, if the symptoms appear to be severe then the topical medication would simply not be enough. Some of the most common medicines prescribed for oral herpes include Zovirax (acyclovir), Abreva (benzalkonium), Valtrex (valacyclovir), and Famvir (famciclovir).

Genital herpes
The most common treatment option for genital herpes is antiviral therapy, and this is the same for those who are experiencing the treatment for the first time or any number of recurrent times. The medicines for this type too is as same as the ones prescribed for oral herpes Zovirax (acyclovir), Abreva (benzalkonium), Valtrex (valacyclovir), and Famvir (famciclovir). However, the frequency of the dose depends on the severity of the outbreak and only on doctor’s prescription.

Preventive measures
There are ways by which you can prevent both oral and genital herpes, but the strategy to prevent either type is more different than similar. The very first step is to make sure you do not exchange any form of skin to skin contact or the sharing of items with individuals you known to be possibly infected with the herpes simplex virus. The same applies for you too, you need to be aware of and refrain from contact if you think that you are affected by the herpes virus, and this applies to interaction with kids as well as new-born babies. One needs to ensure that you wash your hands every single time that you touch or even brace the sores.

One of the most important points to remember is to use safety precautions during sex, especially when you are using condoms. Always having a talk with your sexual partner and being aware of their hygiene along with awareness of sexually transmitted diseases is essential. It is also important to stay healthy to avoid fever or any other forms of skin irritation that could possibly spark up the dormant herpes infection.