Genital herpes is a skin disease studied in dermatology; a disease that on contracting once, remains in the body throughout the rest of one's life.
It comes and goes so to speak; its appearance showing up as blisters around the genital area.
The herpes virus is painful and irritable for its sufferers, with both men and women being affected.
It is easily transmitted between humans through many routes - saliva, cervical fluids, semen and from the fluid involved in open wounds.
It is very unlikely transmitted by the touching of epidermis layers of skin - unless there is a lesion.
The herpes simplex virus type II, is more commonly picked up by women - as much as four times more than men.
For example, if both a non-infected male and female had sexual intercourse with someone who was infected - it is much more likely for the woman to pick up the virus than the man.
The question asked within dermatology is why women are more likely to be infected compared to their male counterparts.
There are two main reasons for this that seem to have been agreed on by dermatologists.
The first is perhaps common sense, in that it believes women have a higher chance due to a larger genital area that has mucosal cells (those moist by bodily fluids).
The second reason is that women may have a lower immune system during certain times of the menstrual cycle, in which they are more at risk of picking up a virus - in this case genital herpes as studied in dermatology.
In a majority of cases where the woman is infected by genital herpes, the very first time of infection will have the most painful symptoms and length of infection.
It will also nearly always be worse that the first infection of a man or any reoccurring infections in either men or women.
This first incident of picking up the herpes virus can be found in various area of the genitals - within the vagina itself, the vulva, urethra and the cervix.
Furthermore, it can be found on the buttocks or thigh area in a minority of cases.
It can take some three weeks or more for the first herpes infection to heal.
Aside from the most common symptom, the blisters, there can be others noticeable in women.
The first of these is the swelling of the lymph nodes in the groin.
Second, is a burning sensation when urinating and difficulties to urinate in any case.
Meningitis which is the swelling of brain fluid is another complicated symptom of first time herpes infection.
Through dermatology, a greater understanding of the symptoms of genital herpes has been achieved.
It can be complicated with many symptoms not directly pointing the finger at a possible herpes infection.
Some women with internal herpes may suffer from pain around the pelvis and/or a heavier discharge.
Both of these in which, can be signs of other genital disease such as pelvic inflammatory disease and yeast infections.