Shingles or Herpes is it contagious

Hi

I met a man where we both fell in love and have been together..as we grew more together he told me about shingles..a form of herpes that he has or gets on his back. I was not too comfortable for i didnt know much about it and yes i was wondering if having sex with him is contagious..He had told me that he doesnt get the rash below on his private parts but only on his back ..not much but still a few ..I am a little concerned about the sex part with him..I havent had sex yet with him due to that..I am very uncomfortable and yes afraid to get herpes..Can you pls help me out and tell me if its contagious..and also oral sex can i get it..

I ve tried to read upon it but ..still worried..

M

[petal130]

You're confusing different viruses.  

Shingles is a skin rash caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox.  This virus is called the Varicella zoster virus (VZV)  - also referred to as herpes zoster, and is in the herpes family of viruses. So it's the reactivation of the chickenpox virus that causes shingles. You can't catch shingles from someone else who has shingles. But a person with a shingles rash can spread chickenpox to another person who hasn't had chickenpox and who hasn't gotten the chickenpox vaccine.

Herpes Simplex Virus, or HSV, is what causes oral herpes (cold sores) or genital herpes.

[gracefromHHP]

this man will not get shingles reoccuring on his lower back. if he's had this more than once, he needs to pursue a further work up.

Herpes on the lower back is still genital herpes and is just as contagious to you as if he had herpes lesions on his actual genitals. this is well worth further evaluation for better answers.

grace