I thought it would be funny if I cut off some of my herpes on my lip and put it in my cousin's soup. What would happen to him if he digested herpes though?

His stomach would explode violently. You would get at least 25 years in jail for that under the Anti-Herpes Law.

Last time I checked having herpes isn't something to laugh and smile about.

they're actors who want you to belive that their magic pill MAKES you happy even though you're living with herpes.. smiling and running off into the sunset with a burny itchy crotch. thats advertising for ya!!

I dont understand that well. Does HIV kills you but in a long time or does STD. And herpes you can live with that disease for all your life?

HIV will kill you.

My fiance and I have decided that we may want to have children in the future. He has been diagnosed with genital herpes but I have avoided contracting the disease. What are the options for me to get pregnant without contracting herpes?

It does NOT affect your abilities when trying to get pregnant. Herpes doesn't mess around with the fertility, hormones, sperm or inside of the penis it's a contagious skin infection. If you don't have herpes he will have to be very careful not to ever have sex when he thinks he is getting or is has an out break in progress.
He should be taking antivirals, natural (ie Lysine) or medical (ie Valtrex) regularly. This will help to reduce his chances of him passing herpes to you, and he should get to know his symptoms so you can abstain from having sex.
If your hormone, fertility and uterus is normal and healthy then you may want to consider telling him to have his sperm levels checked out.

Aloe Gel (Aloe vera)

The succulent, cactus-like Aloe vera plant, one of over 300 Aloe species, was previously known as Aloe barbadensis and Aloe vulgaris. Aloe gel is a clear viscous liquid obtained from the inner portion of the long, fleshy leaves.

Uses:

Topically, aloe gel is commonly used for minor abrasions, burns, wounds, and a variety of dermatologic disorders. Aloe gel is a common household remedy in many cultures, and is an ingredient in numerous commercial skin lotions, sun blocks, and cosmetics. Therapeutic claims also have been made for oral ingestion of the gel, including benefits for diabetes, peptic ulcer, cancer, AIDS, and inflammatory bowel disease, and as a general tonic.

Aloe gel is distinct from, and often confused with, the bitter yellow liquid derived from the outer rind of the leaf. This bitter exudate is variably referred to as aloe juice, sap, latex, or simply aloes; it contains anthraquinone glycosides that have strong laxative properties when taken orally. Dried aloes is a powerful cathartic drug similar to senna and cascara, but has largely been superceded by gentler laxatives.

Pharmacology:

Active chemical constituents from the gel include mucilaginous polysaccharides (e.g., glucomannans, acemannan), beta-sitosterol, lectins, fatty acids, and enzymes. The polysaccharides and high water content make aloe gel an effective moisturizing agent or emolient, which accounts for its use in many cosmetics.

The activity of aloe gel has been investigated in hundreds of in vitro and animal studies. Although not all study results were positive in animal models, topical and injectable aloe gel have been found to inhibit acute inflammation, speed the healing of wounds and burns, increase wound strength, and enhance tissuesurvival in frostbite. The proposed cellular mechanisms for aloe gel’s activity on wound healing are numerous, although the clinical effects are not necessarily correlated with these actions. Studies have demonstrated an increase in fibroblast and collagen proliferation, stimulation of new capillaries, and reduced thromboxane production. Although inflammation is reduced, immune stimulation (increased antigenic, macrophage, and natural killer cell activity) has also been demonstrated in vitro and in animal models, primarily with injectable acemannan, which is also used clinically. In addition, the fresh gel (but not commercial preparations) inhibited tumor cell growth in vitro, and injectable acemannan also reduced tumor growth and mortality in animal models of cancer.

Aloe extracts have in vitro antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral activity, including activity against herpes and HIV viruses. Oral administration of the gel in several animal studies has produced inconsistent results on blood glucose concentrations and gastric ulcers. Hypoglycemic activity may be greater for the bitter aloe juice exudate.

Clinical Trials:

Many potential uses of aloe gel are based on case reports and uncontrolled trials. In a systematic review of the worldwide literature, only 10 controlled clinical trials of aloe vera gel were found; six were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and four were double-blinded.

Topical Use -

Two controlled trials have investigated the effects of aloe gel on wounds and burns; both trials compared aloe and standard dressings on opposite sides of the wound. After fullface dermabrasion of 18 patients for acne vulgaris, healing was reported to occur 72 hours faster on the side of the face with the aloe gel saturated dressing (total healing time in the control group was about 10 days). Similarly, in 27 patients with partial-thickness burns, healing was faster with the aloe dressing than the vaseline dressing (11.9 versus 18.2 days, respectively; P < 0.002). Although both studies showed significant results, neither study was randomized or blinded.

In contrast, acemannan was not effective for open wounds from gynecologic surgery that required healing by secondary intention. In this unblinded RCT, open surgical wounds in 40 patients actually took longer to heal using the aloe gel extract (83 days) compared to standard care (53 days). For prevention of radiation induced skin injury in women receiving radiation for breast cancer, two RCTs from the same investigators (one double-blinded with 194 patients) found that a 98% aloe vera gel was no more effective than placebo or standard care. In two double-blind RCT’s for the treatment of aphthous ulcers, one found no consistent benefits using different gels containing a 0.125% aloe extract, and the other found faster healing times with an acemannan hydro gel product compared to a placebo (5.89 vs. 7.80 days; P = 0.003). In an unblinded RCT of 30 patients with uninfected pressure ulcers, an acemannan hydrogel dressing was equivalent to, but no more effective than, a moist saline gauze applied daily,.

Positive results were best documented in double-blinded RCT’s for seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, and genital herpes. In 44 adult patients with seborrheic dermatitis, clinical resolution or substantial improvement was significantly more frequent with a 30% aloe extract emulsion than a bland aqueous control cream, as assessed by patients (62% vs. 25%; P = 0.03) and dermatologists (58% vs. 15%; P = 0.009).16 In 60 patients with mild-moderate psoriasis, a 0.5% aloe cream helped heal plaques in 83% of patients in 4 weeks, compared to 7% using placebo. In a study of 120 male patients with first-onset genital herpes, mean dura­tion of healing was 4.8 days for a 0.5% aloe extract cream, 7 days for a 0.5% aloe vera gel, and 14 days for a placebo cream. The percentages of “cured” patients were 70%, 45%, and 7.5%, re­spectively, at 2 weeks. A similar study by the same investigators in 60 patients showed almost identical results. Note that the three studies for psoriasis and herpes (with rather remarkable results) were all performed by the same research group.

. Oral Use-Ingesting 10-20 ml of aloe vera daily was reported to reduce triglycerides and total and LDL cholesterol compared to placebo in 60 patients over 3 months. However, it is not clear if this study (published in abstract form) was randomized or blinded.

One tablespoon b.Ld. of aloe vera gel extract was reported to reduce blood glucose levels (from 250 to 141 mg/dl) compared to placebo (unchanged) in 72 new-onset diabetics after 42 days. A similar study by the same group found identical benefits in treated diabetics. Triglyceride levels also decreased significantly, with­out a change in total cholesterol. However, these studies are diffi­cult to accept. Both were single-blinded and not randomized, and

in the treated diabetic control group, glibenclamide (glyburide) 20 mg/day had no effect on blood glucose when used alone.

Although preliminary studies of acemannan initially suggested benefits in AIDS patients, a well-designed double-blind RCT in 63 patients given an oral dose of 1600 mg/day for 1 year found no effects on CD 4 counts or viralloads.

Adverse Effects:

Topically applied aloe gel is generally well tolerated, with occasional reports of stinging sensation, mild itching, or hypersensitivity reactions. There are no reported adverse effects with oral ingestion of the gel.

Interactions:

There are no recognized drug interactions with topical or oral administration of aloe gel.

Cautions:

Unlike pure aloe vera gel, total leaf extracts (sometimes referred to as aloe “juice”) or contaminated gel products may contain anthraquinones from the bitter sap. Excessive oral ingestion of anthraquinones can result in severe intestinal cramping, diarrhea, hypokalemia, and other toxicities of laxative abuse. While topical application by pregnant or lactating women is considered safe, oral consumption should be avoided due to lack of data.

Preparations & Doses:

The gel is usually applied topically 2-4 times daily or as needed. When using the fresh plant, a leaf can be cut and the gel of the inner leaf applied directly to the injury. Pure aloe gel is available commercially for topical use, but more cosmetically acceptable products are also available; these are typically marketed in percentage strengths such as 0.5% (i.e., 0.5 g of 100% gel is contained in 100 ml or g of lotion, cream, or other preparation). Recommended oral doses of aloe gel (in concentrations up to 100%) vary widely; typical oral doses of liquid products are 30 ml 1-3 times daily. The gel is also marketed in solid extract forms. Careful processing of the gel is necessary to avoid contamination with anthraquinones, and stabilization is needed to reduce degradation of the active components, which occurs quickly.

Summary Evaluation

Although widely applied as an easy-to-use household remedy, objective evidence that aloe gel can enhance the healing of abrasions and burns is limited. Nevertheless, simple emollient and occlusive properties may be soothing. Consistent healing benefits were not demonstrated in studies of open surgical wounds and in studies examining prevention of radiation-induced dermatitis, aphthous ulcers, and pressure sores. Benefits have been reported for seborrheic dermatitis, psoriasis, and genital herpes, but these results need verification. Oral administration of acemannan is not effective for AIDS. Benefits have been reported for diabetes, but claims for the oral use of aloe gel for any indication have not been confirmed in reliable, controlled studies.

Peter Thomas
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/aloe-gel-aloe-vera-medicinal-uses-interactions-dosage-97396.html

Cold sores virus infects an incredible 89% of the world population, the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) estimates.

YES - and 67% of those infected with the cold sores virus will have at least one cold sore event in the next 12 months.

And 47.5% of those folks will have multiple cold sores episodes during that period.

Cold sores are one of our most contagious viruses - and one of our oldest. Even in ancient Rome, an epidemic of cold sores caused Emperor Tiberius to outlaw kissing in public ceremonies.

As a global epidemic, or “pandemic”, there is no better example than cold sores.

NO - cold sores, unlike bird flu, aren’t life threatening. But, let’s be frank, cold sores are hideous - and they’re painful. On top of that, cold sores cause flu like symptoms such as fever and swollen lymph glands in a lot of people.

Cold sores last 3 to 4 weeks on average - a long time for you to be socially sidelined! They shout “I HAVE HERPES” to the entire world.

And cold sores cost us money in lost days at work and constant purchase of medications. Always hoping to finally find something - ANYTHING - to stop our cold sores curse.

Check out these little known facts about cold sores - and what you can do right now to get rid of your cold sores problem.

Cold sores are caused by the reproductive cycle of a herpes virus. There are currently 8 known human herpes viruses. Of these, only 2 are a major cause of cold sores.

Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 (HSV1) is responsible for about 80% of facial cold sores - and about 20% of genital herpes lesions. Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 (HSV2) causes about 20% of cold sores and 80% of genital herpes blisters.

HSV1 is most often referred to as the “cold sores virus”, “fever blister virus” and “oral herpes” - and some others that I can’t mention in a public article.

Cold sores virus may be latent (asleep) for weeks or years in the nerve ganglia near the back of the jaw close to the brain stem.

More specifically, the cold sores virus hides inside your cells - making it very difficult for your body defenses to locate and deal with them.

When your body’s defenses weaken, due to physical or emotional stress, the cold sores virus leaves these cells, travel down the nerve fibers, like a super-highway to the lip or nose surface - to create cold sores.

There are 8 cold sore stages. The first is the latent inactive stage. The next 7 cold sore stages are the ACTIVE stages. From the first tingle to the last red spot, your cold sores are extremely contagious.

Cold sores are most often spread by physical contact - but can even be transmitted by coughing or sneezing during the active stages of your cold sores.

Medical science is working around-the-clock to find a cure for common cold sores. They’ve had a few minor breakthroughs that may lead to some real solutions in the next couple of years.

Basically medical scientists are approaching the cold sores virus on 2 levels.

1. A VACCINE preventing you from actually contracting the cold sores virus in the first place. One such vaccine is currently being moved into human testing. Downside is - it only works on people who have never been exposed to cold sores virus. Since nearly everyone on the planet has been exposed, it seems of very little value even if approved. But it’s an encouraging move forward.

2. AN ANTI-VIRAL to kill the cold sore virus already in our body. This is difficult since it has to find and kill the virus without damaging the nerve cells they are hiding in. The prescription anti-viral medications scientists have come up with so far have not worked very well at all - at least on cold sores virus.

Acyclovir, for example, is an anti-viral that’s being promoted as a cold sores wonder drug. In real life studies, however, a course of acyclovir only reduced cold sores by 2 days. And it only worked for 47.8% in the trials. No big deal here.

Acyclovir topical cream came in even worse - no noticeable help at all. Medical scientists agree and have publicly stated that the actives in acyclovir don’t get through the skin to the infection. Don’t waste your money on this.

COLD SORES NATURAL SCIENCE TO THE RESCUE!

Did you know - medical knowledge has more than doubled in the past 5 years alone? Worldwide internet communication has made it possible.

More important - natural home remedies, such as effective cold sores treatments, are coming in from all corners of the globe.

In fact, many doctors are now advising their patients to check out these natural remedies for cold sores.

Data studies have shown these natural remedies to reduce suffering time of cold sores by an incredible 79% - plus actually PREVENTING future cold sores from happening altogether (they don’t kill the cold sores virus - but they do keep it inactive indefinitely).

If you’re a cold sores victim, your best choice - fact is, your ONLY choice today - is to buy and apply one of these excellent natural remedies.

There are several solidly proven remedies for you to look into on this site or other sites - and the best news is they’re available right now for your cold sores.

Denny Bodoh
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-and-family-articles/cold-sores-a-pandemic-6890.html

Preventing cold sores (fever blisters - oral herpes) was once nearly impossible, but now quite simple. If you will let me explain in this article, you will quickly realize how easily you can be preventing cold sores.

Preventing cold sores (fever blisters, oral herpes) can often be done with nothing more than a daily intake of premium-quality vitamin supplements.

I know this may sound just too simple. Yes - you may be wondering why so many people suffer from these outbreaks when preventing cold sores can be achieved with such little effort.

Before I explain, let us review what actually causes a cold sore.

If you have oral herpes, fever blister or cold sore outbreaks, you were infected by the herpes simplex virus at some earlier point in your life. 89% of the world population is infected with this virus. Usually this happens before our tenth birthday.

The herpes virus is - most of the time - in a latent state. It hides deep below the surface in the facial nerve roots. Should it feel a drop in your immunity, it will move to the surface. If not stopped, it will then replicate and create a new sore.

When any virus infects us, our body creates anti-bodies against that particular virus strain. Every time you get an oral herpes sore, your body creates more anti-bodies to replenish the existing troops.

When the needed nutrients are present, and in the proper quantity, your anti-bodies will be a powerful defense in preventing cold sores. Without these nutrient building-blocks, your defenses will be weak and more sores will be the result.

A top-quality vitamin and mineral supplement will provide most of the nutrients you will need for preventing cold sores. All the vitamins will have a big impact on oral herpes, plus minerals zinc, magnesium and calcium.

Recent studies now show that calcium deficiency is common for those who have frequent cold sores.

Calcium is big against oral herpes, cold sores and fever blisters. Calcium keeps the body alkaline. No virus can get a foothold in an alkaline environment.

The anti-stress vitamins B and C are very important in reducing the effects of daily stress on our bodies. Stress weakens the immune system and is the primary cause of cold sore episodes.

The main vitamins for healthy, radiant skin are the oily vitamins E, D and A. Your body can store these longer than B and C.

Not only do they help against herpes simplex infections, but the help speed knitting of the skin.

Is it not possible to get all the vitamins we need from a good diet?

Food source nutrients are, without a doubt, the best quality and most effective. Many years ago our farm fields were rich with nutrients - and so was the food grown on them.

Today our soils are very depleted of nutrients. Depleted, also, are the foods we harvest from these fields. The plants may look the same. But they simply do not contain the nutrition they once did.

Studies show you have to eat 50 ounces of spinach today to get the same nutrients as one ounce of spinach grown 48 years ago. We simply are not getting the nutrition from our food we once did.

Researchers have come to the conclusion we are dramatically lacking proper quantities of important nutrients for disease prevention and a strong immune system. The herpes simplex virus, as well as other viruses, are rampant today.

Preventing cold sores requires us to provide our system the nutrients it needs to form powerful antibodies.

Organically grown foods are usually much higher in nutrients. But this, too, will not provide the actual quantity your body needs.

A daily vitamin regimen, as many have found, is a simple, powerful way of preventing cold sores. It gives your body the building blocks it needs for a strong immunity against herpes simplex and other viruses.

If you suffer a lot of cold sore events, than give this a try. There are other things you can be doing, but this should be the first method you use for preventing cold sores.

Denny Bodoh
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/preventing-cold-sores-without-expensive-cold-sore-remedies-424582.html

Okay, I'm not quite sure if I have herpes or not, I've never done anything sexual, I've kissed one girl on the lips once. Never done anything else. And I recently started to shave my pubic hairs and after I started getting these red bumps were the hair grows. Please help, I'm so stressed out about this. I'm only fourteen and haven't done anything, could these just be ingrown hairs? And if it helps, I only have a few bumps.

It's definitely ingrown hairs. I promise you. I get those all the time. Next time, don't shave. Use a beard trimmer to trim the hair instead.

Herpes sores caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) type I and II. HSV I causes cold sores while type II causes genital herpes.
Although these infections are as old as mankind, there is no known cure. It takes up to 14 days to heal.

Once the virus enters your body, it remains there until it is triggered by either, sunlight, emotional stress, fatigue, menstruation, foods rich in acid such as pineapple and lemons,.

Herpes sores could be caused by having too much  amino acids arginine in your diet. These may include, chocolates, peanuts, cashew nuts., beer, cereals, gelatin etc. It is therefore advisable to avoid the above foods.
However, having a diet rich in lysine (which is good for healthy tissue in your mouth) could help prevent these sores. These may include, meat, fish, brewer’s yeast, legumes, dairy products and wheat germ.

Herpes sores are very contagious and you should take care not to be infected or infect others if you have it. When you get infected with a cold sore, you can apply lip balm on the sore to keep it soft and quicken the healing process. You can also apply sunscreen on your lips to protect them from sun exposure.

It does not mean that your social life has stopped because you have a herpes sore. However, it is advisable to  avoid kissing and oral sex. Oral sex could give your partner genital herpes. This is because the virus in your cold sore is highly contagious. You might also want to avoid sharing of utensils, lip balm and facial towels.

Herpes sores really love those with a weak immune system. Those suffering from AIDS are at a high risk of contracting this contagious infection.
Eating a healthy diet should ensure that your immune system is at its best.

Mercy Maranga
http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/sores-herpes-600834.html

How long after sexual intercourse do you experience symptoms of herpes?

It could be a matter of days or some lucky people never have symptoms.