Herpes

[vagabondprince]

I read a statistic that says 90% of americans don't know if they have herpes.

Is this because they don't know that cold sores are a herpes virus related to genital herpes? or is it kind of difficult to tell if you have genital herpes?

[demonbuttercup]

i saw that too...it was in Maxim right?
what else did it say?
that 80 was the percentage of women who wouldn't tell their b/fs something embarrassing like the fact they have an STD or something?
how scary is that?
i think i would be more embarrassed after he came to me and said "what the hell is this on my dick?" than i would be of just telling him before he got anything.

to answer the herpes thing, yeah maybe it is the coldsore thing. i think genital herpes are pretty well able to see once you have a break out. its pretty bad. maybe its that none of these people get tested for anything.
i dunno

[Brandye]

Genital herpes has active and dormant periods. Too many people ignore the first few outbreaks and, when they go away, think they are all right. Theoretically it is "safe"during the dormant stages. The problem is that unnoticed sores may have broken out without being immediately noticed.

Anything strange that seems painful or was not there yesterday should be checked. We have great techniques to control herpes (mostly) but still no cure.

[vagabondprince]

yes, it was maxim; you are right buttercup. and that stat that 86% of women wouldn't tell their intimate partners is a bit scary to me. i'm sure the stat for the other way around is at least that bad too though.