spreading herpes?

[babybooboo]

Lets say someone does not know they have genital herpes and they touch themselves down there, then they touch another part of their body not knowingly. Can herpes spread throughout your body? I recently researched herpes because I thought I had it. [well I have tiny, white, razorburn-looking bumps that do not itch or burn around my clitoris and inside my vaginal lips. it is red around the bumps though. if you can still help me and tell me what you think it may be, that be great.] anyways, while i was researching i saw pictures of herpes on peoples body parts like elbow and cheeks and places like that. does hepres really spread like that?!

[redorangeyellow]

In case anyone's still confused:  You can absolutely pass the herpes virus from your mouth to your genitals and vice versa.  If you have oral herpes you are not protected from getting herpes in other areas.  You can also pass it to other parts of your body aside from mouth and genitals but that isn't at all common as the virus prefers moist areas like the mouth and genitals.
A good doctor will explain everything to you so it's worth a visit just for the piece of mind.    

[sparkeler]

If you have genital herpes (or virus 2) it is HIGHLY unlikely you can spread it anywhere else on your body.  If you have oral herpes (virus 1) it is HIGHLY unlikely you can spread it to your genitals or anywhere else.  You are pretty much immune to catching the same virus anywhere else on your body.  Don't let the above poster scare you, regardless of her *credentials.*  You can post the question on the STD forum.  Dr. HHH can explain it much better.  But the above poster is wrong.  Herpes 1 & 2 are two separate viruses, as MonkeyFlower stated.  It is possible to have both 1&2, however.  (OR oral and genital herpes.)

[oceans3]

C'mon "dutchchick" what's up with THAT?????

[DutchChick]

Hi Gang

Sorry to burst your bubble, but you can spread genitial herpes to other body parts. Herpes is protected from the immune system since it is dormed and lives in nerve cells. You can spread the virus from one nerve cell to another nerve cell (so from 1 body part to another. The most common places are mucus membranes, such as your mouth, and genital areas. Please be carefull and wash you hands after toughing them. FYI I am an immunologist by training and have done many years of research on herpes. Not sure what the other ladies credentials are.

[sparkeler]

Yes, Monkeyflower explained it perfectly.

[monkeyflower]

Not quite. They're two different viruses, but you can get either one orally or genitally. If you have HSV1 orally, you're extremely well protected against getting it genitally. If you have HSV2 genitally, you're extremely well protected against getting it orally.

The bumps don't particularly sound like herpes. Do you shave? Anyway, I'm with sparkeler. Why not see your doctor?

[babybooboo]

wait so if you have oral herpes, you cannot get genital herpes and visaversea?

[sk2006a]

i don't know.  if you don't get any help here, try posting your question on the "std" forum, or maybe "sexuality and relationships".  i can't remember if the std forum is limited to to posts a day, but sexuality and relationships isn't.

[sparkeler]

If you do in fact have herpes 1 or 2, (oral or genital), you are immune to catching it again anywhere on your body.  So no, you can not spread it from your genitals to lets say your back.  You should find out what the vaginal *bumps* really are, instead of guessing.  (You should have done this with in the first 24 hours of their appearance.) A dermatologyst or OBGYN may be a good place to start.  Good luck!