The spead of HSV-1 by Kissing

Hi, I'm 17 and had the HSV-1 (cold sore) for about 2 years now. I just started french kissing my new girlfriend and I really don't want to be the reason for giving it to her. I've heard that when you do not have an outbreak your risks for spreading it are alot lower. There's this spot under my top lip that has a fair concentration of the virus exposed near the surface of the skin. Do you think that would cause a greater risk for spreading it? also, if you have any tips at all to help lower my chances of spreading the virus to become very low, that would be greatly appreciated, thanks alot for your time.

PS: it really ***** that there's no cure for the damn virus.

[gracefromHHP]

When you have oral herpes, you can transmit it thru romantic type kisses with a partner with or without obvious lesions present. You shed the virus from the area of the active cold sore as well as from the entire orolabial area and periodically in between from there too.  there's no one spot that is more contagious than others. does that make sense?

http://www.ashastd.org/herpes/herpes_learn_oralherpes.cfm  is a link for good reading about hsv1 orally.

Should this relationship progress to more than just kissing, discuss together whether using barrier protection when you perform oral sex or not is worthwhile too so that you don't transmit hsv1 to the genital area thru performing oral on your partner.

also discuss with sexual partners if it's worthwhile for them to get tested for herpes too to know their own hsv1 status as well as if they've had other partners before you, their hsv2 status too.   At your age about 1 out of 3 has hsv1 orally and 1 out of 9 or 10 has hsv2.

grace