There is no cure for genital herpes. However, you can control the symptoms and prevent some future outbreaks. Medication that is used to control the symptoms is called outbreak or episodic therapy. Medication that is used to prevent future outbreaks is called suppressive therapy.

Keep in mind that even when you are taking medication, you are still contagious. You can still infect your partner or your baby.

Episodic Therapy

When you begin to experience any early symptoms of a genital herpes outbreak, you can take medication to control the severity and the duration of the symptoms. You take the medication only when you are experiencing the symptoms to make you more comfortable.

Suppressive Therapy

Suppressive therapy is used to prevent future outbreaks of genital herpes. This involves taking the medication every day to help suppress or prevent the outbreaks before they occur. You may want to take suppressive therapy if you tend to have outbreaks frequently.

There are three medications available for episodic and suppressive therapy for genital herpes. All of these are antiviral medications—medicines capable of weakening the virus.

The medications for episodic and suppressive treatment of genital herpes include:

  • Acyclovir (Zovirax) – This medication is available as a cream or as a pill (taken orally). However, studies have found that it is most effective when taken as a pill. It is used to treat herpes simplex virus infections of the skin, including genital herpes. It is also used for the suppression of recurrent herpes.
  • Famciclovir (Famvir) – This medication, available in a pill form, is approved for the treatment of genital herpes when the symptoms occur. It is also used for suppressive treatment of recurrent outbreaks of genital herpes.
  • Valacyclovir (Valtrex) – This medication, available in a pill form, is approved for the episodic treatment and suppression of genital herpes outbreaks. Valacyclovir has also been found to prevent transmission of the virus.