Both can cause painful and often recurrent outbreaks of tiny blisters and sores on the genitals or rectum.
Condoms and Other Barrier Methods
Herpes is most efficiently passed through direct contact with a herpes sore.
Moreover, they tend to work better for women than men.
Verywell / Ellen Lindner
These not only includeexternal (male) condomsbut alsointernal (female) condoms.
Herpes can also be passed through oral sex.
If a dental dam is not available, a condom can be cut open as an alternative.
Verywell / Emily Roberts
Even before a herpes outbreak occurs, it will often be preceded by so-calledprodromal symptoms.
These are “pre-event” symptoms that hint that an outbreak is about to occur.
With genital herpes, these can develop anywhere from hours to days in advance.
Even if there are no blisters or sores, transmission can still occur.
Preventing Oral Herpes
It’s very easy to pass oral herpes from one person to the next.
Even if an outbreak is averted with antivirals, there can still be asymptomatic shedding of the virus.
HSV-2 can cause mouth lesions (sores) following oral sex with someone who has genital herpes.
This, in turn, is thought to reduce the risk of asymptomatic shedding.
While suppressive therapy may reduce the risk of HSV transmission, it doesn’t erase it.
Neonatal herpes mainly occurs during childbirth as the baby comes into contact with lesions in the birth canal.
(Herpes is not passed through breastmilk.)
Doing so can greatly reduce, but not entirely eliminate, the risk of infection.
After childbirth, mothers may need to limit contact with a newborn if an outbreak occurs.
They also need to take extra care to wash their hands and any touched objects thoroughly and frequently.
The consistent use of condoms can also help.
During an outbreak, an effort must be made to avoid contact with sores.
When symptoms are not present, HSV-1 is less likely to spread.
However, asymptomatic transmission is still possible, often in the hours or days leading up to an outbreak.
Condoms provide some protection against herpes, but they dont offer total prevention.
It is possible, but you shouldnt take a chance.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Genital herpes CDC detailed fact sheet.
How can I have sex and not spread it?
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Genital herpes.
World Health Organization.Herpes simplex virus.
Planned Parenthood.Oral & Genital Herpes.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Sexually transmitted infections treatment guidelines (2021).
2014 Sep;3(Suppl 1):S19S23.
2016;62(4):456-61. doi:10.1093/cid/civ908
