Activated Herpes Years after exposure?

[FaithfulPath]

H,

I’m so confused and anxious. I’m in a long term (3 years) monogamous relationship w/ no infidelity. Prior to that, my last sexual encounter was 4 years ago (hsv status unknown)

I’ve never had an outbreak or symptom of what could be considered HSV 1/2. Neither has my boyfriend. But recently I had what looked like textbook symptoms of a primary genital herpes outbreak which was triggered by Brazilian laser hair removal.

Ie:

11/2: laser treatment (not the first session, 3rd session same place but higher voltage)
11/5: felt fatigue
11/6: feel tingly sensations and burning/stinging at night in vagina area, but no visible sores or marks. Swollen groin + lower back pain on right side
11/7-11/8: i saw 2-3 tiny black blisters on my right inner vaginal lip that I thought were blood blisters or ingrown hairs. I popped them.
11/10: I start seeing white/yellow blister/ ulcer like sores and small brown marks on my inner lip. And 2 Small (nickel & penny size) pimple like clusters toward my thigh (3-4 inches away from my inner lip outbreak). Painful and irritating w/o touching.
11/11-11/20: no blisters or bump cluster ever popped, crusted over and dried out (light brown/yellow)
-12/15: took HSV 1/2 IGG, w/ REFL HSV2 Inhibition at Quest labs. Negative for both. Boyfriend took IGG test at Kaiser and was negative for both.
-I have also been feeling dull groin/pelvic ache and tingling on my right thigh for weeks

I was unable to get swabbed because I was on a work trip. My OB saw pics and heard my story and told me not to worry and just keep an eye out for any future OBs – although it’s unlikely herpes was not activated / latent for that long. However, I read that UV/sun can be a trigger for herpes and saw a case where laser activated someone’s dormant herpes.

I’m at a loss. I’m so confused on how this appeared out of no where in my life, since it’s been so long since my last potential exposure. I’m unsure what to do. Do I retake IGG at 12 weeks? Can I share pics?

[FaithfulPath]

Photos here for reference: https://imgur.com/a/d3aFZUW

[Terri Warren]

Your description sounds classically herpetic but the negative igG tests are really confusing. Certainly we see people get their herpes triggered by laser or waxing treatment. But with both of you negative, it really is a puzzle. the IgG test misses 30% of HSV 1 infections so this could be the case for both of you. You may wish to consider getting the herpes western blot for greater clarity. I have trouble thinking what else this could be/

Terri

[FaithfulPath]

Thank you for your response. As you can imagine, I’m just as confused. I’ve gotten several waxing and laser treatments in the last few years so I’m confused why it would manifest during this session.

1. Do you think I wouldn’t have enough antibodies produced to show in IGG if it was deeply dormant and this was my first time showing a physical symptom?

2. Do you think taking another IGG in a few weeks could show a more accurate result since I finally had an immune response to physical symptoms (never had physical symptoms before). Or, is the western blot the path that makes the most sense?

3. My OBGYN said brown tissue (marks on my skin) wouldn’t be from herpes and thinks it could be a burn / follicle irritation. Could that be it?

4. If it is HSV1, and it’s been dormant. Could there be a possibility I just never transmitted it to my bf?

5. If it is HSV1 and it was dormant and triggered by laser, do you think it will go back to being dormant as long as I stay away from laser? Or once you have a primary outbreak does it initiate recurrent outbreaks?

6. Is it possible for the virus to remain in the latent stage for years before ever activating?

7. What are the steps to getting the western blot and how long is the overall process until you get results? I would like to start the process asap. I made a video appointment with you for next week – but if there is anything I can do before then, please do let me know. I’m located in CA.

[Terri Warren]

1. Do you think I wouldn’t have enough antibodies produced to show in IGG if it was deeply dormant and this was my first time showing a physical symptom?
It doesn’t work that way

2. Do you think taking another IGG in a few weeks could show a more accurate result since I finally had an immune response to physical symptoms (never had physical symptoms before). Or, is the western blot the path that makes the most sense?
I think in the end, the blot will be your best answer

3. My OBGYN said brown tissue (marks on my skin) wouldn’t be from herpes and thinks it could be a burn / follicle irritation. Could that be it?
I actually agree with that but I think there were other things that looked a lot more like herpes.

4. If it is HSV1, and it’s been dormant. Could there be a possibility I just never transmitted it to my bf?
Yes!

5. If it is HSV1 and it was dormant and triggered by laser, do you think it will go back to being dormant as long as I stay away from laser? Or once you have a primary outbreak does it initiate recurrent outbreaks?
I honestly don’t know, sorry

6. Is it possible for the virus to remain in the latent stage for years before ever activating?
Yes

7. What are the steps to getting the western blot and how long is the overall process until you get results? I would like to start the process asap. I made a video appointment with you for next week – but if there is anything I can do before then, please do let me know. I’m located in CA.
You can work with your own doctor on this or me. You’ll order the kit from UW at 206-685-6066, you can do this now to speed things up.

Terri

[FaithfulPath]

Thank your answering my questions! I have some I forgot to ask:

1. If I were to have HSV1 and it had been dormant. Now that I’ve had what seemed to be a primary outbreak, does that make it active and am I now more at risk to transmit (ie contagious) than I was before the outbreak? Sorry, I’m just so confused by how this virus works.

2. Is there a possibility that I was infected by the laser device touching my skin?

As for the WB test. I would like to work with you.

[Terri Warren]

1. If I were to have HSV1 and it had been dormant. Now that I’ve had what seemed to be a primary outbreak, does that make it active and am I now more at risk to transmit (ie contagious) than I was before the outbreak? Sorry, I’m just so confused by how this virus works.

If this is genital HSV 1, what you had is not a primary (if your partner is HSV 1 negative), It is a recurrence triggered by the laser treatment.

2. Is there a possibility that I was infected by the laser device touching my skin?
NO!

I would be happy to work with you on the blot.

Terri

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