What is the Chance of a Man Contracting Herpes?

People want maximum pleasure when they get intimate. Vaginal, anal, oral, fingering, etc., are some of the sexual activities they engage in, unaware of the risk to which they expose themselves.

Engaging in genital or oral sex can cause genital or oral herpes. A person infected with the virus can infect their partner after sexual contact even if they don’t have symptoms. This makes herpes one of the most common sexually transmitted infections worldwide.

Statistics show that 8% of men and 16% of women aged 14 to 49 have genital herpes, which they spread through penile-vaginal sex. Nearly 16% – 18% of gays, 2% – 7% of gay women, and 15%-17% of bisexual women have herpes.

Thankfully, there are many treatment options for herpes simplex virus infections which will aid in controlling the outbreaks. Also, the best men’s over-the-counter genital herpes creams are clinically proven to ease the healing process.

These are natural treatment products, which consist of all-natural and organic ingredients. Hence, you’ll realize that the topical ointment works as a quick reliever. It first eases the symptoms during the herpes outbreak, and then facilitates healing.

So then, what is the chance of a man contracting herpes during sexual activity? Continue reading for more insights.

What is Herpes and How Do Men Contact it?

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) causes genital herpes. Men contract herpes through sexual activity, and an infected person might not experience symptoms. The virus tends to lie dormant in your body after the initial infection. But it may reactivate several times every year.

Genital herpes causes sores, itching, pain, ulcers, scabs, tiny white blisters, or small red bumps in your genital area. Men develop sores on the penis, scrotum, urethra, anus, buttocks, thighs, and mouth when they get the bug. But you can still infect your partner even if you don’t have any visible symptoms.

• • Herpes type 1 virus (HSV-1) causes oral herpes, often known as fever blisters or cold sores, which triggers sores around the gums, mouth, or teeth. Sharing utensils and kissing are some of the ways that men contract herpes type 1.
  • Herpes type 2 virus (HSV-2) causes genital herpes, and men contract it through sexual contact. Genital herpes can also cause oral herpes.

The World Health Organization (WHO) report indicates that approximately 3.7 billion people aged below 50 have type 1 and 491 million aged between 15 and 49 years have herpes type 2. Having genital or oral sex with an infected person is the primary way of transmitting herpes.

Other ways include:

• • Sharing sex toys with an infected person
  • Genitals fluids
  • Saliva
  • Fingering

You can also get the bug when you touch her open sore with your hands which causes herpetic whitlow on fingers or herpetic keratitis when you touch the eyes. Therefore avoid her sores and wash or sanitize your hands when she has an active outbreak.

Herpes has no cure, but there are multiple ways of reducing the risk of getting infected, and over-the-counter genital herpes cream to ease symptoms.

Consistent use of condoms can also reduce the risk of transmitting herpes. However, condoms are prone to use errors and can break. An infected female partner can infect you through skin-to-skin contact in uncovered areas.

Genital Herpes Over-the-Counter Treatments for Men

Lesions or blisters around the genitals are some of the main symptoms of herpes and may occur in cycles. Men have a lower herpes infection rate of 8%, which they treat using over-the-counter genital herpes medications, antiviral medications, home remedies, and alternative therapies. Indeed the risk of infecting your sexual partner or recurrence is greatly reduced when you treat herpes properly.

Here are ways of treating herpes in men.

• Over-the-Counter Herpes Cream

Are you struggling with recurrent genital herpes? There are many treatment options for herpes simplex virus infections which helps control outbreaks and manage symptoms. 

The topical ointment works fast to ease symptoms during a herpes outbreak. Unlike some topical ointments, however,  men’s over-the-counter genital herpes cream does not cause burning, tingling, or itching when you apply it on the skin. They are clinically proven to ease the healing process. 

Therefore generously apply the topical ointment 4 times a day to reduce the painful symptoms that genital herpes sores cause during an outbreak. They will go away quickly and prevent recurrence in the future.

• Antiviral Medications

Antiviral medications can help treat genital herpes but not completely cure it. Genital and oral herpes portray similar symptoms. You can only notice the difference later depending on where they appear on your body, including the mouth, penis, scrotum, rectum, and others.

The FDA-approved medications are usually prescribed to men after the first episode of herpes. But you can use them to treat recurrent episodes. They include:

• • Acyclovir
  • Valacyclovir
  • Famciclovir

The medication helps alleviate blisters (commonly known as an outbreak), fever, swollen lymph nodes, body aches, headaches, and fatigue. Your healthcare provider may recommend these prescription drugs when you experience severe or frequent outbreaks.

These oral antiviral drugs can help reduce pain and shorten the lesion episode duration. But it’s important to talk to a physician when you experience allergic reactions to these medications.

• At-Home Remedies

Home remedies can help relieve pain and make you more comfortable, but they can’t alter the infection course. Some of the effective ways of reducing oral and genital at home include:

• • Apply a cold or warm compress to reduce pain in the sores.
  • Use supplements like zinc and Lysine
  • Apply essentials oils and herbs
  • Avoid kissing or sexual contact during the herpes outbreak
  • Don’t rub your sores to avoid spreading the virus to other parts of the skin or other people
  • Wash your hands before cleaning herpes sores or applying genital herpes cream or other medications
  • Inform your sexual partner when you develop herpes and use barriers during sex

Conclusion

What is the chance of a man contracting herpes? Approximately 8% of men aged 14 to 49 have genital herpes, which they contract and spread through sink-to-skin contact. 

Over-the-counter herpes creams, antiviral medications, and at-home remedies are some common ways of treating genital and oral herpes. Herpes treatment creams made from natural ingredients are the best options for treating genital herpes in men. 

Although they don’t cure herpes, they help reduce outbreak severity. They also don’t have severe side effects when you apply them to the infected areas.