The stages of herpes that develop physically for those who have the condition are, for the most part, the same for all people. The HSV-1 virus and the HSV-2 virus vary slightly in their manifestation areas, but for the most part, even the two different strains of the virus develop identically. This results in the physical characteristics of both oral and genital herpes outbreaks being essentially the same.
The early stages of herpes are characterized by redness in the area that first came in contact with the virus. As the redness begins to settle in the area, a pain or itch may develop. In some cases, the area will begin to swell. The swelling can range from being practically unnoticeable, to very severe.
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