Abstinence
The surest way to avoid transmission of sexually transmitted diseases, including genital herpes, is to abstain from sexual contact, or to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has been tested and is known to be uninfected.
Persons with herpes should abstain from sexual activity with uninfected partners when lesions or other symptoms of herpes are present. It is important to know that even if a person does not have any symptoms he or she can still infect sex partners.
Condoms
Using condoms reduces herpes transmission by only 30 percent because, unlike other STDs, herpes is transmitted by skin-to-skin contact. Transmission has a lot to do with where the virus is being shed at the time. If someone with herpes is shedding virus for an area that is not covered by a condom, the virus will spread whether or not they are using a condom.
Medications
Valtrex is an antiviral drug. It slows the growth and spread of the herpes virus so that the body can fight off the infection. Valtrex will not cure herpes, but it can lessen the symptoms of the infection.
Acyclovir is a prescription medication which is used primarily to treat outbreaks of the herpes simplex virus in patients. It is also commonly used to treat both outbreaks of chickenpox and shingles.
Famvir is a prescription medication that is used to treat outbreaks of the herpes simplex virus as well as outbreaks of shingles.
Spermicidal Foams and Jellies
Spermicidal foams and jellies may offer additional protection. Spermicides used in contraceptive foams, film and gels kill or neutralize HSV in laboratory tests and may provide some protection when used in the vagina. Some contraceptive foams contain ingredients (such as nonoxynol-9) that kill the herpes virus and other STD’s in test tubes
Avoid The Live Virus
Direct contact with the live virus include -
• Any direct contact with an herpes infection
• Kissing, touching or caressing actively infected areas
• Sexual contact (vaginal, oral, or anal sex)
• Cold sores or mouth herpes can be spread by sharing the same drinking glass, lipstick, cigarette, etc.
Herpes can be spread by any of the following -
• Kissing someone if you have a cold sore can transfer the virus to any part of the body that you kiss them (including inside of the mouth and throat, or the genitals)
• The virus can be transmitted to your partner if you have active genital herpes and have vaginal or anal intercourse
• If you have a cold sore and put your mouth on your partner’s genitals (oral sex), your partner can be infected with genital herpes.
• People who experience an episode of herpes, either facial or genital, should consider themselves infectious from the first sign of an outbreak to the healing of the last ulcer.
• One kind of complication involves spreading the virus from the location of an outbreak to other places on the body by touching the sore(s). The fingers, eyes, and other body areas can accidentally become infected in this way. Do not touch the area during an outbreak. If you do, wash your hands as soon as possible with soap and warm water.
• It is generally considered that the spreading of genital herpes through inanimate objects, such as soap, towels, clothing, bed sheets, and toilet seats, is highly unlikely because the herpes virus cannot live very long outside of the body.