Whether or not there is a cure for herpes is the first thing on people's minds when they hear they have been diagnosed. The herpes simplex virus causes a painful rash. The first outbreak of herpes is the worst, and it can last for 2 to 3 weeks. Later outbreaks are typically not as painful and don't last as long. Taking medication for herpes can help the rash go away faster and can make it less painful, but is there anything that cures herpes so it never comes back?
Unfortunately, there is no cure for herpes. Once someone is infected with the virus, it's always in the body.
After the first infection is over, the virus hasn't been killed. It travels deeper into the body along nerves to important nerve branching points called ganglia.
While the virus is in the ganglia, it's in an inactive (latent) form. It can stay in this latent form for a short or long amount of time. Certain situations or factors can trigger the herpes infection to reactivate, travel back down the nerve to the skin and cause a flare.
