Epidemiology
Also called a cold sore, Herpes labialis is a rather common clinical condition, with reports of an annual incidence of 1.6 per 1000 patients per year.1 Classically, herpes labialis is characterised by a superficial rash on the skin or mucus membrane, particularly on the lip. It is considered cosmetically unpleasant but usually resolves itself in around a week to 10 days.

Herpes Labialis is caused by Herpes Simplex Virus 1 and 2, more often though by the former. Studies have shown a higher prevalence of the HSV virus in developing countries when compared to the developed part of the world. 2

Etiology
Herpes labialis is caused by HSV-1 primarily, though in the recent years HSV-2 has also been identified as a common cause. It is usually acquired in childhood or during adolescence through non-sexual contact, such as drinking from the same water bottle as someone who already suffers from herpes labialis.
However, in the recent past, improvement in socio-economic conditions has led to a shift in the time of onset of the disease, and these days patients are usually affected during adolescence rather than at childhood. As a result, it is not uncommon for the primary infection to manifest as genital herpes first due to oro-genital contact.3*

Pathophysiology
When infected by HSV-1 and 2, the virus enters the sensory nerves and migrates up to the sensory ganglion, where it remains dormant for long periods of time. During times of stress such as fever, menstruation, exposure to ultraviolet light (from sunlight), psychological stress and even chest infections, the virus can migrate back through the sensory nerves to the epithelial cells on the skin surface (see table 1).4,5,6 The ganglion that is commonly affected is the trigeminal ganglion, and as a result infection is most often seen on the lip, though they can occur on the hard palate as well.

Triggers of latent Herpes Labialis

• Fever
• Psychological stress
• Menstruation
• Exposure to ultraviolet light
• Fatigue
• Trauma
Clinical features
Classically, patients are unaware of when they might have acquired the virus. Clinical features include a prodromal phase, where patients can experience burning and itching sensations on the lip or hard palate associated with development of erythema and papules along the vermilion border. This is usually a symptom of reactivation of the virus, and can last for 12 to 36 hours. Shortly after, patients will notice a 4-stage process of transformation of the lesion, characterised by vesicle formation, postulation, ulceration on the surface and eventually ending with scab formation. Scarring rarely occurs at the site of the lesion.7
In children, infection can sometimes be a bit more severe, with multiple blister formation around the mouth and on the tongue. However, in adults, features are as described above, and may be associated with cervical lymphadenopathy and a sore throat.

Diagnosis
Diagnosis of herpes labialis is primarily clinical. The lesion has a characteristic appearance and location. Most cases of primary herpes labialis are asymptomatic. However, in some cases, further confirmation of the diagnosis may be required (such as in immunocompromised patients). In such cases, tissue culture may be required, which on microscopy can show ballooning of the cells and apoptosis. HSV 1 and 2 can also be diagnosed and differentiated using immunoflourescence.
Other more advanced techniques such as polymerase chain reaction and Tzank smears may also be performed to confirm the diagnosis.

References
1. Van der Linden MW, Westert GP, De Bakker DH, Schellevis FG. Second national study into diseases and actions in general practice. Utrecht, Bilthoven: Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL), National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM); 2004.
2. Xu F, Sternberg MR, Kottiri BJ, McQuillan GM, Lee FK, Nahmias AJ, et al. Trends in herpes simplex virus type 1 and type 2 seroprevalence in the United States. JAMA. 2006;296:964–73.
3. Scoular A, Norrie J, Gillespie G, Mir N, Carman WF. Longitudinal study of genital infection by herpes simplex virus type 1 in Western Scotland over 15 years. BMJ. 2002;324(7350):1366–7.
4. Stock C, Guillén-Grima F, de Mendoza JH, Marin-Fernandez B, Aguinaga-Ontoso I, Krämer A. Risk factors of herpes simplex type 1 (HSV-1) infection and lifestyle factors associated with HSV-1 manifestations. Eur J Epidemiol. 2001;17:885–90.
5. Spruance SL, Kriesel JD, Evans TG, McKeough MB. Susceptibility to herpes labialis following multiple experimental exposures to ultraviolet radiation. Antiviral Res. 1995;28:57–67.
6. Lorette G, Crochard A, Mimaud V, Wolkenstein P, Stalder J-F,, El Hasnaoui A. A survey on the prevalence of orofacial herpes in France: the INSTANT Study. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2006;55:225–32.
7. Fatahzadeh M, Schwartz RA. Human herpes simplex virus infections: epidemiology, pathogenesis, symptomatology, diagnosis, and management. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2007;57:737–63.

We first came across them in 2006 or so.  It worked well on both HSV-1 and HSV-2.  We started promoting the company and their product in 2009.  We love it and want others to get the same relief and healing we got from it.

We’ve just gotten a note about a site where an independent third party collects and posts reviews of products.  WE THINK THIS IS AWESOME!  We often wonder how many reviews we see are complete fakes. This takes the wonder out of it.  Take a look at some of the reviews we found:

3rd Party Collected Reviews of H-Balm

These are awesome and exactly how we feel about these products!  Here’s a special offer we can give to our readers:

Symptoms of Genital Herpes

Initially, the onset of genital herpes is pain and itching in the genital area followed by small red bumps and/or little white blisters in a person’s genital area. After a few days the bumps and blisters begin to rupture, occasionally causing bleeding and oozing. An outbreak of the herpes virus ends when each bump and blister scabs over and heals. During this time it may be painful to use the restroom and a person’s genital area will be sensitive and easily hurt.  Initial outbreaks are often accompanied by flu-like symptoms.

If you think you have genital herpes it is imperative you see your doctor immediately for a proper diagnosis.

Herpes Virus

When a person is diagnosed with the herpes virus, their doctor will prescribe medication for them. There is no cure for genital herpes, but the medications prescribed by a doctor can help to ease symptoms, deter outbreaks and alleviate some of the discomfort that comes with an outbreak of the herpes virus.

Valtrex, Zovirax and Famvir are all medications that doctors prescribe to treat herpes. Some doctors require that their herpes patients take these medications only when experiencing an outbreak of the herpes virus while others want their patients to take the medication every day, even without an outbreak.

Protecting Partners and Preventing Outbreaks

The herpes virus is not life threatening, but it does mean that those with the disease must be extremely careful from this point out. Anyone with herpes is highly contagious during an outbreak, which means that the best means of protecting their sexual partner is to abstain from sexual intercourse during an outbreak. Additionally, it is always a good idea to use a latex condom during intercourse to prevent the transmission of genital herpes.

H-Balm is an all natural, organic product that is certified by the USDA to treat and heal the symptoms of outbreaks from the herpes virus. This is an additional, all natural method of healing outbreaks and protecting your sexual partner. H-Balm is massaged into the skin where the outbreaks occur; the organic ingredients in this formula help to deter future herpes outbreaks and to treat the skin where outbreaks have occurred.

Natural Treatments for Genital Herpes

Genital Herpes are different for everyone. Some may experience frequent outbreaks while others experience them rarely. Life factors such as poor diet, stress, fatigue, surgery, menstruation and illness can all cause outbreaks of herpes. When this occurs, H-Balm Extra Strength works. This all natural organic compound uses homeopathic ingredients to treat herpes outbreaks and essential oils to soothe and promote healthy skin where outbreaks occur.

H-Balm Daily and H-Balm Extra Strength are all natural remedies for preventing and treating herpes. Their all natural ingredients are better for a person’s skin than prescription medications, and there are no negative side effects when using these all natural remedies. Unlike prescription medications, which typically include a plethora of unpleasant side effects. When a person has genital herpes it is imperative that they seek medical advice from their doctor for a proper diagnosis.

If you or your sexual partner has genital herpes it is important to see a doctor and discuss the risk factors associated with this virus. Not only will it protect you both from contracting the disease from the other, seeing a doctor and using all natural remedies to prevent and treat herpes will help you to deal with this STD more comfortably and safely.

Most cases of herpes will present minimal lesions.  Common sense would tell us this very fact is true as herpes is so widespread and is one of the most commonly spread sexually transmitted diseases.  Relying on herpes pictures that are found on the Internet and in books found at the library cannot be discounted, but proper examination from a medical professional is always the most conclusive way of diagnosing any unexplainable condition that may be taking up existence in your life.

A typical case of Herpes Simplex 1

Yahoo Images (Absolutely the WORST CASE Scenarios – Do NOT rely on these photos to show exactly what herpes looks like – every case varies). Using herpes pictures found on the Internet and in the various condition related books is fine if it is only being used as an inquiry of what could happen.  Some of the most common cases of herpes cannot be captured by photo to provide herpes pictures, as it most commonly exists.  When taking into consideration some of the most common misdiagnosis’s that occur in the case of herpes, real herpes pictures might be displayed under such topics as yeast infection, insect bites, jock itch, urinary tract infections, abrasions or razor burn, ingrown hair follicles, and even hemorrhoids.

When seeking out herpes pictures, you might take into consideration the descriptions of herpes that people living with the virus are stating on message boards, chat forums an in personal stories.  Rather than seeking out herpes pictures and upon viewing the oftentimes-terrifying herpes pictures you will find then resigning to the after thought “that doesn’t look like me!”  Visit your local Planned Parenthood.  A little known fact is Planned Parenthood diagnosis’s cases of genital herpes on a frequent basis in both situations of male and female patients.

Afraid To Ask – Listing herpes pictures and various other STD’s - If you are a parent of a teenager and are looking to frighten the willies out of them to prevent early sexual activity, you may just get the job done by exposing them to the herpes pictures you find with a single search on the Internet.

Picture of an Oral Herpes Blister.

Herpes can be a stressful condition to have.  It can be painful and debilitating in some cases.  Herpes should not be discounted just because it is a common virus.  The herpes pictures you have or will view are indeed actual cases of herpes and can happen.  Herpes is not a virus that can be explained by a single description, it is a complicated virus that affects the millions who are living with herpes in very different ways.  The worst-case scenarios that are displayed in the herpes pictures provided in the links above are most likely to happen in initial outbreaks or in the cases of those with challenged immune systems.

Common recurring outbreaks are often so minimal that they do go unrecognized or misdiagnosed.  Often blown off as one of the above-mentioned conditions. For anyone who is sexually active, it only takes one partner with either genital herpes or oral herpes to continue the spread of the herpes virus through intimate contact ranging from kissing to sexual intercourse.  Take responsible control of your own life; take the time to get tested properly for sexually transmitted diseases prior to engaging in any intimacies with your partner.

A person living with herpes will not display lesions as they appear in the herpes pictures you will view.  Know that herpes can be in a contagious state even when lesions do to actively appear on your partner.  Easing your own mind and that of your partner can provide a relationship that is free of the questions pertaining to sexually transmitted diseases.

To get a real picture of herpes, look around at your friends, family, neighbors, classmates and any other person you come in contact with.  One in every four people you will see is displaying the truest picture of herpes available in their very existence.

Genital herpes is a contagious viral infection that affects an estimated 45 million Americans. To place this in a broader more mentally visible picture, genital herpes is affecting as many as one in every four people who are sexually active. There are an estimated 1 million new cases each year that are believed to occur. Genital herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV).

There are two types of HSV and both can cause the herpes symptoms. HSV type 1 most commonly causes sores on the lips and is often referred to as fever blisters or cold sores, but it can cause symptoms of genital herpes infections as well. HSV type 2 is most often related to infections and symptoms of genital herpes, but it also can infect the mouth. The virus remains in certain nerve cells of the body for life, causing periodic symptoms of genital herpes in some people. Many people who are infected with HSV never develop any symptoms of genital herpes at all.

The infection is usually acquired by sexual contact with someone who has symptoms of genital herpes. People with oral herpes can transmit the infection to the genital area of a partner during oral-genital sex and result in symptoms of genital herpes. A person who is infected with HSV but has no noticeable symptoms of genital herpes can also transmit herpes infections. Such asymptomatic shedding of the virus may be fairly common, occurring from 5 percent to 20 percent of the time in infected individuals.

Symptoms of genital herpes in a primary episode vary widely from person to person. They usually occur within two to 10 days of exposure. Typically the symptoms associated with genital herpes that are recognizable involve small red bumps that may develop into blisters and open lesions. These “bumps” appear at the site of infection, which may be in or around the vaginal area, the cervix, the penis, urinary tract of both men and women, and around the anal opening, buttocks or thighs. Sores also may appear on other parts of the body where broken skin has come into contact with HSV. Over a period of days, the sores become encrusted and then heal without scarring. Symptoms associated with genital herpes in a primary outbreak tend to take longer to heal because the body has yet to build up an immune system resistance to the viral outbreaks.

Other herpes symptoms in a primary episode may include fever, headache, muscle aches, and swollen glands in the groin area, painful urination or vaginal discharge.

Some of the most common symptoms of genital herpes that are often misdiagnosed are misdiagnosed as yeast infection, insect bites, jock itch, urinary tract infections, abrasions or razor burn, ingrown hair follicles, and even hemorrhoids. If you suffer from recurring infections or symptoms of any of the listed conditions, it is advised to see a medical professional for observance and testing when symptoms occur. It is quite possible the recurrence of such conditions could actually be symptoms of genital herpes.

It is never safe to assume that condoms will protect you from a herpes infection and prevent you from ever knowing what symptoms of genital herpes really are. Condoms do not cover herpes infected areas in many of those infected with the herpes virus. The best way to protect yourself from every knowing symptoms of genital herpes is to practice abstinence. Getting to know your partner, engaging in proper STD testing prior to intimacies and being as completely honest and forthright as possible is the most assured way to combat a future infection.

With so many people who are infected with the herpes virus never showing any symptoms of genital herpes, the increase for proper testing is recognized and strongly encouraged.

If you are a person that suffers from symptoms of genital herpes, there are a number of treatment options available. Antivirals are available by prescription from your health care provider and a number of over-the-counter treatments are available and are affective in treating symptoms of genital herpes. One such H-Balm . When used as directed, this product can help minimize the duration of symptoms of genital herpes and promote healing.

Although genital herpes is affecting such a large number of the population and it does carry with it the social stigma associated with promiscuity, there is nothing to be ashamed of. Many people from all age groups, social classes, races and both genders are being affected by genital herpes. Taking a proactive approach in caring for your own health will help minimize the number of outbreaks you will actually have. This in turn can contribute to minimizing the risk you will pose to your potential partners.

If you do suffer from symptoms of genital herpes, you must always disclose your infection to your intimate partners regardless of what precautions you believe you are taking to protect them. It has to be their choice to continue the intimate acts – it is the law to inform your partner of any risk of transmission.

Mark of HerpesOnline uses Valtrex and H-Balm as his preferred Herpes Treatment.

A: Most Americans have herpes, either as genital herpes, or as cold sores, the main difference is site of preference and social acceptance. Experts estimate that 60 million Americans have the virus that causes the genital form of herpes. In a recent study conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and The American Social Health Association, there are more than 15 million new cases of sexually transmitted infections each year. That’s 41,095 people, newly infected, every day!

Up to 80 percent of Americans have the most common form of herpes (HSV-1) at some time. It usually appears as oral herpes and is most often spread without sexual contact.

Q: What are the symptoms of Oral Herpes?

A: “Cold sores” or “fever blisters” usually show up on the lips or inside the mouth. They are common in young children. Brief, direct contact is all that’s needed to pass the virus. Cold sores are annoying but harmless in children and adults. But cold sores are very harmful to a newborn. Oral herpes in adults is usually a “flare-up” of a childhood infection.

Q: What are the symptoms of Genital Herpes?

A: Very often there are none. The most common symptom is a cluster of blistery sores — usually but not always on the vagina, vulva, cervix, penis, buttocks, or anus. Symptoms may last several weeks and go away. They may return in weeks, months, or years.

The first episode of symptoms of a genital herpes infection is called “primary herpes.”

Symptoms may include:

• blisters
• open sores
• pain in the infected area
• itching
• burning feelings if urine flows over sores
• inability to urinate if severe swelling of sores blocks the urethra

Very severe first episodes may have symptoms that include:

• swollen, tender lymph glands in the groin, throat, and under the arms
• fever
• chills
• headache
• general run-down feelings
• achy, flu-like feelings

The symptoms of later episodes are usually less severe than the first.

Many people carry the virus in their bodies but do not have their first episode of symptoms until they are infected another time.

Q: What is “tingling”?

A: Many people who are newly infected will hear a common description of “tingling” in connection with outbreaks. Tingling has been described best as a sensation similar to that of a rub burn, scraping of the skin or a feeling that the muscle has gone to sleep.

“Tingling” sensations associated with Genital Herpes have been most common in the calf, thigh, buttocks or lower back. “Tingling” sensations associated with Oral Herpes have been most common in the neck, jaw-line or muscles surrounding the mouth.

Q: Who is most susceptible to herpes?

A: Anyone who has sex; this includes vaginal, oral, or anal contact. But most people with genital herpes never recognize the signs of infection. So there are lots of people who have herpes and don’t even know it.

Q: Can I spread Herpes even when I am not having an outbreak?

A: Yes. The genital herpes virus can still be spread through the skin although there are no visible signs of an outbreak. This is called asymptomatic viral shedding. Up to 70% of people catch genital herpes from an infected partner who has no signs or symptoms. And since the symptoms are not always obvious, nine out of ten people who have genital herpes don’t even know they’re having an outbreak.

Q: I have Herpes, am I at risk of contracting another sexually transmitted infection?

A: Studies suggest that being infected with genital herpes may increase the likelihood of contracting other STDs while open sores are present. You and your partner should get tested for all types of STDs and continue practicing safe sex.

Q: How can my partner find out if he or she has genital herpes?

A: You should be open to the possibility that your partner may also have Genital Herpes. Nearly 85% of people who are infected with HSV-2 are unaware, because symptoms can be so subtle. Try to encourage your partner to speak to his or her healthcare provider. It’s far better to know what you’re dealing with so you can reduce the risk of spreading the herpes virus to others.

Q: What could happen if I have genital herpes and don’t know it?

A: You could pass it on to a partner. Or, if your partner has herpes and doesn’t know it, he or she could pass it to you. You could also spread herpes to another part of your body, like your mouth or your finger.

Q: If I am pregnant and have genital herpes, will I pass it on to my baby?

A: Women with genital herpes can have healthy babies. However, it is possible, if you become infected during pregnancy or you have an outbreak at the time of delivery, to transmit the infection to your baby. Therefore, it is particularly important to take appropriate precautions to prevent becoming infected during pregnancy, particularly if your partner has genital herpes and you don’t. It is strongly recommended that pregnant women who suspect that they may have genital herpes discuss this with their doctor or healthcare provider because there are precautions that can be taken to help protect the baby from infection.

Q: I think I may have genital herpes, what should I do?

A: With the help of your doctor or healthcare provider, genital herpes can be managed. Don’t take a chance. If you think you or your partner might have genital herpes, see your doctor or healthcare provider right away. Ask your doctor for a type-specific blood test. There are only two FDA-approved type-specific tests on the market. Herpes Select 1 and 2 ELISA produced by Focus Technologies and POCkit HSV-2 rapid point of care produced by Diagnology. Remember, herpes thrives on ignorance.

Q: How long does it take for sores to appear after infection?

A: In most “textbook” cases, primary herpes usually begins from two to three weeks after the virus enters the body. In some cases it has taken only a couple of days, while in others it can take much longer.

Q: What causes recurring outbreaks?

A: No one can be certain, however, in many cases recurrent outbreaks have been associated with other infections, stress, surgery, menstruation, sexual intercourse, and skin irritations like sunburn may bring on recurrences. A good diet, enough rest and sleep, and peace of mind may prevent recurrences.

Q: How can symptoms be relieved?

A: Warm baths or wet tea bags (not herbal) may give relief. Loose cotton clothes will help prevent chafing. Keep the sores dry by sprinkling cornstarch in undergarments — moisture can slow healing. Holding cool compresses or ice packs to the sores may be soothing. Aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen may help relieve pain and fever.

A clinician may prescribe acyclovir, famiciclovir, or valacyclovir. They may speed up the healing of sores and weaken the virus. Using these medicines during outbreaks themselves is called episodic therapy.

We personally recommend trying a natural and organic treatment like H-Balm to reduce pain while prescribed antiviral medications do their job. H-Balm is an FDA registered homeopathic herpes medicine that eases pain and discomfort while helping to heal damaged skin. It also has a one year money back guarantee which makes it perfect for anyone not satisfied with their current herpes treatment.

Q: Is there a cure for Herpes?

A: NO! However, in most cases outbreaks become fewer and weaker over the course of a few years. They usually end within five or six years. Though it is very important to always remember that just because you do not have outbreaks does not mean you cannot pass on the virus. You are required by law in most states to disclose this information to your partner. Knowingly infecting a partner is against the law!

Q: Does Herpes cause cancer of the cervix?

A: No. Cervical cancer is associated with certain types of human papilloma viruses — but not the ones that cause genital warts. Pap tests can detect very early precancerous changes in the cervix. All women should have a Pap test at least once a year.

The hope here is to get customers to speak about their experiences with herpes treatments they have used; alongside what doctors and the producers of these herpes treatments have to say. Everyone will have their preferences, everyone will have a bias. The fact that HerpesOnline.org does have sponsors in itself automatically creates a bias. The impact of that bias is a) that sponsors will be covered first, b) sponsors will be at the top of the list.

At the same time, having done more than a fair bit of research and product testing myself, I can say that the sponsors for herpesonline.org would not have been approached by myself or the previous administrator of this site if they didn’t live up to their claims. Anyone who knows me also knows that I’m not very keen on “companies too big to fail” – companies that treat the environment like their toxic waste dump – or that apply unfair business practices against smaller companies, etc. Monsanto and British Petroleum come to mind, but there’s really such a long list that we must be fair.

That is to say that if a company can’t produce a good product in an ethical and responsible way – do we really need your product? We’ll be getting into a fair amount of depth with all of this – we’ll compare, we’ll keep it civil and as objective as possible.

An independent laboratory analysis of herpes treatments and “100% all natural” products on the market to treat herpes was recently conducted. The following findings were indicated. Please review the findings and take those into consideration before purchasing herpes treatment products for personal use.

Other products

The analysis indicates that Tea Tree oil is a main ingredient in many of these products. The test established that the tea tree used in all products tested was “lower than average quality, except for H-Balm for Herpes, The tea tree had a high sesquiterpene content relative to their terpinol content.” This is significant as Dr. Penoel, MD, states that the imbalance in these tea tree oils further negates the quality of these herpes treatment products and will not provide adequate therapeutic value and should not be used in medicinal therapeutic formulas. This inferior quality makes these products suitable for the perfume or petrochemical industry. These products use oils produced on plantations using petro-chemical agriculture such as pesticides sprayed in abundance on their crops. As a result, these products will not only be of inferior quality but also cause skin irritation and negative side effects. This confirms why we have received numerous reports from people who have indicated derma caustic results from these products tested, while reports of use of H-Balm continue to receive good to excellent reviews.

We have also found sabinyl acetate in high amounts in other herpes treatment products touting themselves as being “100% pure and natural essential oils.” The addition this substance indicates probable addition of chemicals or synthetics to the product. Additionally, sabinyl acetate is found to have damaging abortive effects on laboratory animals and is a dangerous compound. This is a high-risk compound with severe negative side effects caused in laboratory studies, worse than just about any natural compound found.

Various doctors contacted who have worked with essential oils for over 20 years have never seen sabinyl acetate in such extreme quantities in an essential oil product. They find this disturbing and dangerous, thereby terming it “a high risk product.” These doctors cite this compound to cause unwanted and forced miscarriages (abortive effect) in laboratory animals.

Forces of Nature USA’s H-Balm showed no traces of sabinyl acetate.

Tea tree oil is also found to be one of several ingredients in the Forces of Nature H-Balm herpes treatment product. This oil was tested and found to be of exceptional quality and Dr. Penoel rates the characteristics of the tea tree in H-Balm to have the highest therapeutic value for medicinal formulas.

This product further showed that the oils were extremely anti viral as claimed and of the highest quality. One could therefore expect to achieve excellent results when using this product for therapeutic use. The tea tree in H-Balm was also found to have 9% 1.8 cineole that Dr. Penoel finds to be optimum for therapeutic value. This concentration is approximately 450% higher than that found in the other herpes treatment products.

Interesting facts:

The increased use of plants in France is part of a larger movement of development of so called non-conventional medicines and self-management of the health of an individual.

However, France is also very careful to ensure safety and make certain extracts illegal for use as they have caused toxicity. Cedarleaf is among some of these oils banned due to toxicity. This banned oil, cedarleaf, we have found in the other all natural essential oil products treating viruses, but not in the Forces of Nature product line.

In France, plant legislation is based on a 1979 decree legalizing 34 plants for medicinal use. As a result of side effects and toxicity of a very select few oils, including cedarleaf which these essential oil products use, a second decree was passed in 1986, establishing the sale and use for only about 5 very select oils, including cedarleaf, as ILLEGAL.

Concurrently, a positive decree earlier in the century has a positive list of substances approved for dietary use of about 196 plants; It appears that Forces of Nature religiously adheres to this list of positive extracts. The makers who go outside this list are liable to criminal falsification charges. It is illegal to support dietary products with therapeutic claims. Increasingly common charges are: illegal practice of pharmacy, falsification and false advertising.

This is most certainly why the other all natural and essential oil herpes treatment products we tested were only offered for sale over the internet and certainly not found in pharmacies and not approved for over the counter sales. These products have caused derma caustic effects, whereas the products manufactured by Forces of Nature are found in pharmacies and approved for over the counter sales.

Summation:

In my opinion, a herpes treatment such as H Balm that is medically endorsed, available “over the counter”, carried in pharmacies and retail outlets throughout the U.S., offers a great deal of credibility and reassurance of true benefit versus that of one that is obviously avoiding true therapeutic intent at the expense of it’s customer’s.

This analysis showed striking differences in the quality of these herpes treatment products, yet some similarities in the ingredients. It seems that either other products are an inferior attempt to copy H-Balm or H-Balm copied other products and made it significantly better.

I felt “red flags” go up when I realized the manufacturing and distribution of other products is based out of a residential area (as listed on one manufacturers site). Does this mean this product and others distributed by this company are being manufactured in someone’s kitchen, basement or garage? One can only imagine.

Lastly, the manufacturer of one particular herpes treatment product appears to be supporting the efforts of one STD Dating site that has a reputation of stealing email addresses, continuous spamming and numerous reports of alleged harassment of those living with herpes. As can be imagined, this is also the same company which has sabinyl acetate in its products as well as other substances banned in Europe due to toxicity.

Forces of Nature USA takes a very scientific approach to treating herpes and the fact that their herpes treatment product is again proven to be of the highest quality and safe for use is also very appealing. This seems to be the only herpes treatment product available that promotes itself as “100% pure and natural” and really is.

National STD Hotline
(800) 227-8922 or
(800) 342-2437
En Español (800) 344-7432

Other Sites to Consider

ASHA
Herpes Network
Herpes & HPV
STD’s
Planned Parenthood

In a previous relationship with someone I cared for very much, I discovered the relationship wasn’t as important to them as it was to me. Unfortunately, being monogamous was not as important to them as it was to me. And even more unfortunate was that during that time, this person contracted herpes and passed it on to me.

I am not sure how familiar you are with this particular virus, but I need you to be fully aware of the ramifications of this. The fact that it is a virus means it will always be with me and a part of who I am, although I can take medications to suppress it to the point where I don’t even know or feel like it’s there, there is no way to totally get rid of it. By controlling it as much as I can, I have the ability to reduce the risk of transmitting it, but I can never reduce that risk to zero.

Recent research indicates that with the use of an antiviral and with proper precautions, the risk can be as small as 3 to 4 percent, but it is still a risk. Much of the same research shows that as much as 1 in 4 adults have this and 90% of those don’t know it. I suppose in a way I feel fortunate enough to know what I have so I can deal with it.

What I would like for you to do is to have a clear understanding of this issue and to be able to make an informed decision that I promise to respect whether it’s good or bad. I won’t be angry if you should decide this is something you can’t deal with because honestly, I wish someone would have given me a decision. I suppose that’s the reason I feel strongly about giving you the choice.

If you would like to do more research before making your decision, I can provide you with websites to look at or even people to email that can answer any questions you may have. I don’t expect you to take my word for it since I am the one who would have too much to gain.

Points to Consider

The most important message for anyone who does not have herpes and is considering dating someone who does is that at least with the person who has herpes and knows it, you know the risk and can take preventative actions. Should you walk away from this possibility and go back into the dating scene, there are 60 million people out there, in America alone, who can also give you herpes infection and don’t have the reason to warn you because they are completely unaware they have it.

So in the overall scheme of things, you might just be more safe with the person who has had this talk with you than you are in the general dating market.