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A 32-year-old female asked:

Can hsv2 outbreak look like mole/freckles? my ex had what he thought was hsv1(cold sores) but the test came back negative and hsv2 was positive.can hsv2 be oral only or does it mean he also has genital herpes?his dr said his freckles were an outbreak?

2 doctor answers4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Richard Romano
Internal Medicine 11 years experience
Usually, HSV2 does not cause darken lesions, they are usually flesh colored, white, and sometimes red. They usually cause bumps.
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Dr. Hunter Handsfield
Infectious Disease 55 years experience
Herpes never causes mole- or freckle-like skin conditions. Test result meaning depends on whether the test was for the virus itself (e.g. PCR or culture) versus blood test. Positive PCR or culture is conclusive, but oral HSV2 is uncommon. If pos HSV2 blood test, the meaning depends on strength of the positive result. Post new question about lesion location (oral, genital) and test result details.
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Related questions

A 32-year-old male asked:
Is it good idea to get tested for herpes if i never had sore or blister on mouth or genital? If so should I for hsv1 or hsv2? Want to test because I just learnt about herpes transmission with no sores
Dr. Susan Arnoult
Family Medicine 27 years experience
Both : You might as well get tested for both to see if you carry either or both.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
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A 47-year-old member asked:
Can you tell me can I have genital herpes even without outbreaks and tested negative on hsv1 & hsv2 after 6 mos?
Dr. Joel Gallant
Infectious Disease 38 years experience
Unlikely: If you have no outbreaks and have negative antibody tests, then it sounds like you don't have herpes.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 20-year-old male asked:
If I have contracted herpes from oral sex(hsv1) on my genitals, will it be better managable than hsv2 or it will cause the same outbrakes?
Dr. Chevies Newman
Obstetrics and Gynecology 24 years experience
Genital HSV-1: Is generally less bothersome than hsv-2. You can always get on an antiviral such as valacyclover to reduce number and duration of outbreaks as well ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 19-year-old male asked:
Fingered a girl with genital herpes 2 months ago. Washed hands for 5 min right after. Noticed cold sore on lip but do have hsv1. Is it possibly hsv2?
Dr. James Ferguson
Pediatrics 48 years experience
Hard to say: Hsv 1 is more often linked to cold sores at the lip margins while hsv 2 is most often linked with genital lesions. However, both strains are occasiona... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 23-year-old female asked:
Is there a test to detect where herpes came from if you have gential herpes. Can you tell whether its hsv1 or hsv2 in the gential area?
Dr. Rita Corona
Internal Medicine 20 years experience
Herpes: Yes there's test to detect hsv1 or 2. Usually blood tests are run. However u can get herpes 1 or 2 on either genital or mouth and vice versa.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
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Last updated Oct 17, 2021

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