Herpes in the Vagina: Symptoms, Pictures in Words and Testing
Quick answer
Genital herpes can cause tingling, burning, and tender blisters or open sores on the genitals or around the anus, which can include the vulva and the area around the vaginal opening. Many people have mild symptoms or none at all. Looks alone can't confirm it, so a swab of an active sore is the most sensitive test.
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Several of these together can fit herpes, but clinical diagnosis of genital herpes can be difficult. This is not a diagnosis. Only a test can confirm herpes.
Burning, soreness or an odd bump around the vagina can be worrying. Herpes is one possibility among several, and its symptoms are often mild or different from what people expect. This guide explains what genital herpes can feel and look like for people with a vagina, and how to find out.
This page is written for anyone with a vagina, whatever their gender.
What does herpes in the vagina feel like?
Genital herpes is caused by herpes simplex virus (HSV), either type 1 or type 2. Most people have no symptoms or only mild ones. When symptoms occur, they often begin with tingling, itching or burning near where a sore will appear. They can include:
- Tingling, itching or burning in the genital area, before any sore appears.
- Tender blisters or open sores that are painful.
- Swollen glands near the infection.
- During a first infection, fever, headache or body aches.
A first outbreak can bring several symptoms at once. Later outbreaks are usually shorter and less severe, and over time people usually get them less often and the symptoms become milder.
Where can herpes sores appear?
Genital herpes causes bumps, blisters or open sores around the genitals or anus. MedlinePlus notes that sores can appear on the genital or rectal area, the buttocks and the thighs. For people with a vagina, that includes the vulva and the area around the vaginal opening.
Sores can be hard to see, and classic sores are absent in many infected people. That is why a clinician may need to look, rather than relying on what you can see yourself.
What does vaginal herpes look like?
Herpes sores usually follow the stages described in our guide to what herpes looks like: tingling, blisters, open sores that can ooze and crust over, then healing.
Because sores can be hard to see, looks alone can’t confirm herpes. An examination and a test give the most reliable answer.
What if it might not be herpes?
Clinical diagnosis of genital herpes can be difficult, and many people with herpes never see a clear sore. So a clinician who examines you and a test are the most reliable way to know what is going on. Our guide to herpes versus genital warts and yeast infection compares some of the lookalikes.
How do I get tested for herpes in the vagina?
If you have a sore or blister, the most sensitive test is a swab of it (PCR), taken while it is active. A clinician can swab sores on the genitals during an exam. Random swabs taken without any sore should not be used, because a negative result doesn’t rule out herpes.
A type-specific blood test (IgG) can show whether you have been infected at some point. It can’t tell you whether a particular sore is herpes, and it can miss a recent infection, so it may need repeating about 12 weeks after a possible exposure. The CDC does not recommend routine HSV-2 blood screening for the general population, so think about whether a test is useful for you. If you decide to test, you can order a blood test online.
If you want to be tested for herpes, choose the test to match your situation: a swab if you have an active sore, a blood test if you do not.
Can I pass herpes on, and should I tell a partner?
Herpes spreads mainly through skin-to-skin contact during sex, and it spreads most easily when sores are present. It can also spread when there are no symptoms. That is part of why so many people carry it without knowing.
Consistent and correct condom use can decrease, but not eliminate, the risk of HSV-2 transmission. If you have symptoms, avoid sexual activity while they last. For some people, daily antiviral medicine prescribed by a clinician can lower the risk of passing the virus on.
Telling a partner can feel daunting. It helps to keep it factual: herpes is common and treatable, and there are ways to lower the chance of passing it on. A clinician can help you plan the conversation.
What happens if I have herpes?
Herpes is common and treatable, but it can’t be cured. Medicines can help lessen symptoms, decrease outbreaks and lower the risk of passing the virus to others. Many people have fewer outbreaks over time.
Tell a clinician if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy. The risk of neonatal herpes is greatest when a mother first acquires HSV in late pregnancy. Antiviral medicine is believed to be safe during pregnancy, and the care team will advise on the safest way to deliver if you have sores around the time of delivery.
Get care today if
- You have a fever, chills or feel generally unwell along with genital sores
- You can't pass urine, or the pain is severe
- The sores are spreading quickly or cover a large area
- You have a headache with a fever or a stiff neck
- You are pregnant, especially near your due date, and have new genital sores
- Your immune system is weakened, for example from HIV
Call 911 for a medical emergency. Otherwise, urgent care or your doctor can see you today.
When to test
- While a sore or blister is presentSee a doctor or clinician for a swab (PCR) test of the sore. It is the most sensitive herpes test, and a clinician can swab sores on the genitals during an exam.
- If the sore has already healedA swab may not detect the virus once a sore has healed, so have it swabbed at the next outbreak.
- About 12 weeks after a possible exposureA type-specific HSV blood test (IgG) can show whether you have been infected at some point. Testing earlier can miss a recent infection, and a blood test can't tell you whether a particular sore is herpes. You can order a blood test online.
Common questions
Can you have herpes inside the vagina?
The main sources describe sores on the genitals and around the anus. A clinician can examine the area, and if sores are present, take a swab. Sores that are hard to see are a reason to ask for an exam rather than to guess.
Can herpes be mistaken for something else?
Yes. Clinical diagnosis of genital herpes can be difficult, because classic sores are absent in many infected people. A test is the reliable way to find out, and a clinician can help you decide which test fits.
Can I pass herpes on without symptoms?
Yes. Herpes can spread when no symptoms are felt or visible, which is why many people carry it without knowing. Using condoms reduces the risk, but it doesn't eliminate it.
Can herpes affect pregnancy or delivery?
It can. The risk of neonatal herpes is greatest when a mother first acquires HSV in late pregnancy. Tell your clinician if you are pregnant or may become pregnant, so the care team can advise on the safest way to deliver.
Sources
This guide is general information written by a patient advocate using public health sources. It is not a diagnosis. Only a clinician who examines you, or a lab test, can tell you what you have. Read how we write and check our guides.