Genital herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus (type 1 or 2). Herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) is the primary cause of oral/facial cold sores but can also be transmitted to the genitals; while HSV-2 is less likely to affect the facial area and more commonly affects the genitals. When active, the virus causes blisters that eventually heal. It then lies dormant in the body, although recurrent outbreaks may occur.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/news-and-features/how-to-cope-with-a-genital-herpes-diagnosis