Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Chance of Transmission - hsv1, kissing -cold sore scab

Hello, so I'm 31, male, negative for hsv.  Long story short, met a girl, second date she had a cold sore in the final/healing stage. It wasn't weeping/wet, had a scab on it, pinkish/redish skin, looked like a cut. Had a great time, some alcohol, we end up kissing a lot. Scab fell of easily.
My question is this. At the healing stage, the spot not wet, how likely is transmission of hsv-1 to me?  If after I washed the areas she contacted would that have done anything?  Also question if immune system factors in to transmission, as I have been taking immune system boosting supplements. Know getting hsv-1 isn't the end of the world and most of the population has it, just if I had a chance to avoid it I'd like to. Know we shouldn't of kissed with a mark present but it didn't look bad and she's really an awesome girl so wasn't really thinking I guess.  Thank you.
7 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
did you ever end up getting an outbreak?
Helpful - 0
19796956 tn?1543330575
i would choose to kiss my partner even if she has herpes and get herpes rather than to abstain because of herpes fear ..... now if you get herpes reaaly what should  happen after? nothing just few days and your lips will look great again .... let you immune system works if our immune system dosen't find somthing to fight he will fight our own body then. you should have concern of herpes only if you are immunocompromised




Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hsv2 doesn’t like the mouth. It’s not where it thrives.. so odds of transmission would have been just as low.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Follow up question, what if it was HSV-2?  Know that's rare on the mouth, but IF it was that could it just as easily take hold from romantic kissing?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
The odds you were infected are very low, like probably 1 in 1,000. The reason? When a cold sore is healing there is very little if any virus near the skin surface that would be available to infected another person. Washing yourself has no affect; transmission happens instantaneously.

I am negative for hsv1 and I have dated lots of people that had oral herpes from hsv1. I don't worry about it. I would never let a very impersonal virus get in the way of meeting and having a very rewarding relationship with a great person. But, five days is probably enough. Incubation lasts up to 20 days in very rare circumstances. In the vast majority of newly infected people, symptoms will show up in 3-5 days.
Helpful - 0
4 Comments
Okay, thank you.  I mean I'm no expert, it looked like it was healing, but what if it wasn't at that stage?  I saw a small scab at the top and a rough line of intented red skin below, like a shallow cut I guess, assumed the scab meant healing stage.  What if it was an earlier stage?  Do I have a higher chance?  Trying not to worry about it.  Just the stigma that comes from having a herpes sore on your face is messing with me.
If there was a scab, the healing process was well underway making the odds of transmission quite low.

You may not realize it, but at least 50% of the people in your age group are infected with hsv1 and most do NOT know it because they were infected early in childhood and do not get recurrent outbreaks or very infrequent outbreaks. In fact, many (most?) people that test positive on an hsv1 antibody test are very surprised by the results.  So, even if you did get infected, the odds are low that you would experience frequent outbreaks.

In addition, if you limit your romantic interests to hsv1 negative partners, you will cut the your dating pool of available people in half and that number will dwindle with age. My advice to you: Stop  worrying. In the vast, vast majority of cases, it is a harmless virus. If you've kissed other women in your life, you can assume that at least half of them were infected with hsv1 and probably had no idea.
Thank you. I'll try to stop worrying about it. Know those statistics and yes, I have a higher chance of getting it than not in the dating world, so best not to focus on it.  I've assumed I've never had it before, never had anything show up, never have been tested for it though, and in my area doctors are usually against even doing a test for it because of those statistics.  So for all I know I could already have it and be asymptomatic. I know deep down it's no big deal, guess just a little ocd about it lol.  Thanks again.
If you've never been tested, then yes, you could already be infected and not know it. One qualifier: the IgG test for hsv1 misses up to 30% of infections.

The odds your partner had oral hsv2 is very very low. The odds your partner had recurrent oral hsv2 is even lower.
Avatar universal
Also, don't know if this is a factor, probably not but trying to be concise with info, but it was on the corner of her mouth at the lower lip, so don't know how much I would have contacted that spot.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Anyone?  I'm jumping from not worrying to slightly freaking out about it.  In addition to the above questions, if I don't see anything by 20 days after exposure, should I just stop worrying about it? It's been almost two days and nothing so far.
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community

Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.