Are herpes blisters always painful or can they be painless?

Question

I had a single blister on the front of my hip a couple years ago and I'm just curious. It was completely painless. Also, I think that herpes blisters usually appear in clusters but can they also appear as single blisters?

Answer 1

herpes blisters can appear in a cluster or just one, usually the first outbreak is the worst, resulting in a cluster of extremely painful blisters, and as time goes on they get less painful and less frequent. It really all depends on the person's ability to control the virus, so everyone reacts to it different. but to answer your question, they can be painless, some people don't even know they have it and mistake a blister for an ingrown hair or a rash, and some people have blisters so painful it is hard to sit down.  

Answer 2

It varies.

You can get a single blister although a small cluster is more common. I usually get between one and four.

For some people outbreaks are very painful, for others no more so than an ingrowing hair or a pimple - or not at all. I really have to look for my outbreaks, because mine are mild and painless and I wouldn't spot them otherwise.

Most cases of herpes are mild, which is why the vast majority of people with it are not aware of their infection. It is often mistaken for a bite, a spot or an ingrowing hair.

If I have one, the area is very slightly tender - like if you had a small pimple - but no pain.