HERPES

Can I get Herpes Going Down on Her?

Dear Dr. Tom:

The girl who I’m dating just confronted
me and says she has Herpes. It’s not active and says she received it
orally. We have not had sex, but we do have oral sex, I go down on
her and she goes down on me. Am I at risk?

I really like the girl, but is it worth
the risk. From my understanding there is not a cure. If we did have
sex…would a condom be enough protection?


Thank you for the advice. Darrel

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Dr. Tom’s Response:

Dear Darrel:

If the lady has herpes, she can become
infectious to others. If she contracted herpes orally, she most likely
has acquired type HSV-1. If she performs fellatio upon you, yes, you
are at risk. Once the herpes virus has infected the human body, the
virus will remain even deep within the body, forever. Many herpetic
persons may be asymptomatic but are still capable of transmitting the
virus. Hence, the infectious pathway can follow from her mouth to your
penis. If you have not already acquired your infection, you should
follow barrier protection and use a condom. The primeval mechanism
to prevent transmission from a source to a target is to apply a barrier.
That should apply to the vagina or to the penis.

Learn about dental dams with Dr. Amy.

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