The symptoms of a herpes infection tend to be different for different people and depend on the site of the infection along with its severity. However herpes simplex can be seen in areas where the skin is thin such as the mucous membranes and includes sites like vaginal lips or labia along with lips of mouth. Herpes sores are usually observed in the external region of the genitals.

Herpes sores usually include a cluster of blisters that are small in size and these are filled with whitish and clear fluid. These sores are basically groups of blisters based on a red patch of skin that is inflamed. So classically these sores include vesicles found in clusters on a region like the thigh on a base of red swollen skin.

In multiple cases the first indication of such an infection is appearance of small erosions called ulcers. These may look like chafing of skin and irritation may be felt. In some cases the genital herpes sores may not be very severe and may consist of even a single small sore in the region of the labia or around the anus and the foreskin. Such a sore may not be painful and itching may also not be experienced in some cases.

Among women the herpes sores are seen either on the labia or the area that is covered with pubic hair. Among men the sores may be seen on the foreskin region of the penis or its shaft and the pubic area. The glans or tip of the penis may also be a possible area. These sores may be as small as 1mm to 2 mm in size or as large as 1 cm to 2 cm. Sores may also been seen in other areas such as the mouth and some areas where infection may be rarely observed include the fingers, eyes and the breasts.

The herpes sores may be followed with some other symptoms like muscle aches, fever and headaches along with swelling in the lymph nodes particularly in the groin areas. These symptoms may not exist in all cases and in some individuals the signs may be atypical. Normally the symptoms disappear in a period of 2 to 3 weeks and the sores scab over and then the crusts that become dry fall off. With this the primary infection ends.

Herpes sores caused by herpes simplex virus are called cold sores. After the HSV-1 enters the body it does not leave and the virus remains latent in the central nervous system. Once the reactivation happens the virus travels to the skin and this causes blisters or cold sores in the region surrounding the lips or in the mouth. People may experience burning feeling, itching, pain or redness in the region of the lips and the mouth when the cold sores are breaking out. Such a break out may also result from stress, sunburn, menstruation and fever.

Normally the symptoms following a recurrent episode of outbreak may be milder as compared to the symptoms observed during the first episode. Such symptoms may last for a week. In some cases the blisters or herpes sores may break in open sores and then crust over and disappear.