Genital Herpes Health Video

Video Transcript

DR. LORETTA CIRALDO MD, FAAD: Hi. I'm Dr. Loretta Ciraldo, a Voluntary Professor of Dermatology at University of Miami School of Medicine and author of "Six Weeks to Sensational Skin." I also am a parent and adviser to many students and residents and all, and something that I really do like to stress when you talk about genital herpes, is that it is becoming very commonplace among young people in the landscape of America. So I do not want you to feel that there is any kind of stigma to having genital herpes. That being said, the very good news is that although genital herpes is communicable, it is a form of venereal disease, it is something that is very easily treated. And if you're given a diagnosis of genital herpes, you do need to know that there is a wonderful pill called Valtrex which will, first of all, heal you if you're having an outbreak of genital herpes, but it also can be used to suppress genital herpes between outbreaks. And typically, if you're given a Valtrex to take on a daily basis, you can prevent yourself from not only having an outbreak, but from shedding that herpes virus to any sexual partner that you would have. Study showed that many people shed the herpesvirus even if they don't have a lesion of herpes. So, if you're someone who's diagnosed with genital herpes, please ask your doctor about the advisability of being given Valtrex in a suppressive way so that you can prevent yourself from outbreaks and from communicating or spreading the genital herpes to your loved one.