I have experience with it, having had HSV-1 since I was 19. There are two variants (1&2) that course minor pain or irritation in small number of cases that cause an outbreak. Most infections are so minor we don’t recognize it when we see it or they never manifest at all.
The majority of adults carry one of the two versions, many of whom have no idea they have it, because they never have an outbreak. Until that happens we have no reason to be tested for the virus, and this means you likely already have herpes.
If you get an outbreak they’re easily treatable with Acyclovir. It shortens the duration of the outbreak and if you take it daily it supposedly decreases asymptotic shedding.
I’ve known I had this for 13 years(give or take) and have had zero outbreaks in the last decade. So if you peeps on prep want to worry about something you likely already have that you may see once, if ever, then never again that causes no permanent harm…… be free to live your truth there I guess, but I don’t get it.. 🤷🏼♂️
Also, with all the HPV concern: there’s a vaccine for the most common versions transmitted that’s given to kids in middle school. There’s a population of my generation that even got it, so if your in your mid thirties or younger, also not a concern. 😁