Thank you for visiting HWerks!

HWerks.com is a true Herpes dating, HPV Dating and community site for people with Herpes (HSV) and Human Papillomavirus (HPV). We are one of the fastest growing Herpes Dating and HPV dating sites out there! HWerks was invented out of a need for those of us with HSV and HPV. We went online in September of 2007 so our members are real and active. We are growing more every day!

Many don't consider HWerks.com as just a Herpes dating and HPV dating site...it is much, much more! It is an entire community! We have active forums, video chat, video instant messaging, groups with their own forums, blogs and much more! People come here for various reasons:

• Herpes Dating & HPV Dating

  This is the obvious one. Here you will find people with herpes and HPV looking to date someone that also shares something in common with you! Of course people with Herpes and HPV date people everyday that do not have H. Unfortunately, some are not always honest that they have Herpes or HPV..or they just don't know. Congratulations! If you are reading this, you have taken the time and accepted your responsibility to be honest. Dating with Herpes and HPV can be difficult at times but not impossible! That is why you are here, to meet others with Herpes and HPV. HWerks was started in September of 2007 and already many, many people have met, dated or became good friends! Your special someone could be here looking for you at this very moment!

• Herpes Support & HPV Support

  The first thing to remember is, you are not alone! According to many trusted medical professionals one in four people have herpes and most do not know it. The numbers for HPV may be even higher. Even if you are not interested in Herpes dating or HPV dating it can still be tough out there. We are here for you! Whether you are just diagnosed with Herpes or HPV or have been living with either for a while, sometimes we all just need an ear to bend with people that understand our situation.
  
  We encourage people to go out and date, unfortunately, the stigma of having Herpes or HPV is still out there. We come from all walks of life. We are doctors, lawyers, teachers or any other profession. Herpes and HPV do not ask what you do. We are not "dirty" because we caught a STD such as Herpes or HPV. Many of us caught it because we were not informed that our partner had it or we were informed but dated them anyway because that person was worth it.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Herpes Events & HPV Events
  
  HWerk.com wants to get the word out about Herpes & HPV Events. National Herpes & HPV events as well as local events happen all the time! Not only do we have an events section with a calendar but the forums are also a great place to find out about Herpes events and HPV events in your area. If there is not an event in your area, feel free to start one! We will help you promote it. Hwerks.com is dedicated to event promotion. We also own and maintain Nationalhclub.com for non-members of HWerks.
  
  NationalHClub.com lists Herpes Events and HPV events, both National and Local. Events are great because you are surrounded by people in the same boat as you are. Whether you are there to meet someone or just to hang out with friends, events are a great time! Some local groups have over 100 people attend! National Events are typically multi-day that draw people from all over! Do try to attend a National event if you can....you will be hooked!

• Herpes & HPV Community
  

  We have a LOT going on here at HWerks that not a lot of other sites offer, including other Herpes dating and HPV dating sites. Groups offer a place to share your interests with other that share the same. There are photography groups, book clubs, support groups and many more! If you have a particular interest but do not see a group, start one! Each group gets their own forum also to have conversations that pertain to your group. If you start a group, you are the moderator!
  
  Our forums are very active and a great place to discuss just about anything from silly things, serious discussions to politics. Since we are all adults, you will be treated like adults. Moderation is held to the bare minimum. Unless it is very offensive you are free to speak your mind. This seems to work well for us. The politics board does get a bit heated but it is a wealth of knowledge!
  
  The Video Chat room is the favorite for many of the members. It does get crazy at times! You can watch multiple people at one time on cam as well as be on your cam. Not only that, you can also hear them! Sitting home bored? Check out the chat room and you will be laughing your butt off in no time! Some even play music for all to enjoy! The best thing is that you can see them live on video! Want to talk more privately to a person? No problem! There is a video instant messenger!
  
  Either way, you will be surrounded by some of the best people that you have ever met!

Finding out that you have Herpes or HPV can be very traumatic to say the least. We are here to help. Some may think that they are not ready to join a Herpes Dating/ HPV Dating site but not to worry! You can just hang out and get your feet wet. In the meantime, you are sure to make good friends until you feel the time is right. HWerks is a secure site that only upgraded members can see your profile.

Some may be scared or nervous about joining a Herpes dating or HPV dating site. They may think that they will be "Outed" or somebody they know will see their profile. Don't worry..if you see somebody that you know, they are here for the same reasons that you are and expect the same privacy.

Unlike most sites, where if you do not have a picture up nobody talks to you, there is so much interaction here with chat, forums, blogs, etc. that you almost assured to talk or interact with people. When you feel comfortable, put up a picture or trade them privately. Again, only upgraded members can see your profile.

Membership Cost

Now, you are probably thinking that with all these features that this is going to be expensive. You are wrong. Full access membership is $6/month...that's it! There is not a more expensive membership that you can buy on HWerks! It is only $5 if you upgrade for 6 months!

Wait!! Why do sites with far less features, that are exclusive to Herpes and HPV dating only without anywhere near the features charge $15 to $30 a month? Well, we don't know....

With outrageous prices, brings less upgraded people. As we all know, if you are not upgraded, there isn't much you can do. HWerks has a different philosophy, make the price cheap so more people upgrade. We don't gouge you an insane price if you only want to join for a month. It is much better that way for everyone. HWerks is run on a powerful server and maintains itself. Your membership goes to server fees, development costs and other Herpes & HPV websites, such as NationalHClub.com.
New sites are going up to support the local H groups as well.

Here is the breakdown:

1 month $6
3 Months $18
6 Months $30
1 Year $60

If we could run the site for free, we would! Unfortunately, it does cost money to run a site like this, especially without ads. Not only that, but it also adds another layer of protection over the "free" sites where anybody can see your profile.

Herpes Facts

At least 45 million American adults have genital herpes, that's 1 out of very 4 or 5 people, making it one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases.

1. Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV1) and 2 (HSV2) are just two of 8 known human herpes viruses. Believe it or not, chicken pox is also a herpes virus.

2. The terms "genital herpes" and "oral herpes" describe where the infection is occurring, not necessarily which herpes virus is causing it.

3. HSV 1 is the virus that typically causes cold sores or fever blisters on the lips and mouth.

4. Most cases of genital herpes are caused by HSV2.

5. Because HSV 1 usually causes cold sores, it is usually passed from person to person by kissing. It can also spread from the mouth to the genitals during oral sex. If this happens, it causes genital herpes - or herpes in the genital area. If a person HAS genital herpes due to HSV 1 , it can also be transmitted during sexual intercourse.

6. HSV 2 is usually transmitted by vaginal or anal sex. Theoretically, HSV2 can pass from a person's genitals to a partner's mouth during receptive oral sex causing oral herpes, but that is not commonly seen. Experts aren't sure why.

7. While the genitals and mouth - mucous membrane areas - are the usual target of the HSV1 and 2 infection, the infection can also target the cervix and urethra. Also susceptible are warm, moist areas such as the upper thighs, hairline, underarms, lower back, scrotum and buttocks.

8. Historically, it was thought that herpes could only be spread if you had sex with a person with an outbreak - with open lesions. However, that theory was blown out of the water several years ago with the discovery of a phenomenon called viral shedding.

Researchers found that many people with a herpes infection "shed" virus in their secretions -- saliva, vaginal fluids, semen or even tears -- even when they don't have an active outbreak.

9. Treatment with anti-virals may not always eliminate viral shedding. The drugs do reduce the severity and duration of an outbreak if taken right away and they DO REDUCE viral shedding. But they don't always eliminate it.

10. A person with active herpes can spread the infection to another part of their body by masturbation, or even the use of a vibrator

There currently is no cure for genital herpes. A vaccine is being tested. However, genital herpes treatment includes oral prescription antiviral medications, including acyclovir (Zovirax), famciclovir (Famvir) and valacyclovir (Valtrex), to help heal the sores sooner and reduce the frequency of relapses. If taken daily, these medications may also reduce the chance you'll infect your partner with the herpes virus.

Treatment Options:

Treatment with antiviral drugs can help people who are bothered by genital herpes outbreaks stay symptom-free longer. These drugs can also reduce the severity and duration of symptoms when they flare up. Drug therapy is not a cure, but it can make living with the condition easier.

There are three major drugs commonly used to treat genital herpes symptoms: acyclovir (Zovirax), famciclovir (Famvir), and valacyclovir (Valtrex). These are all taken in pill form. Severe cases may be treated with intravenous (IV) acyclovir.

Formulas applied to the surface of the skin provide little benefit, and doctors don't usually recommend them.

Initial treatment. If you have symptoms such as sores when you're first diagnosed with genital herpes, your doctor will usually give you a brief course (seven to 10 days) of antiviral therapy to relieve them or prevent them from getting worse. Your doctor may keep you on the drugs longer if your sores don't heal in that time.

After the first treatment, work with your doctor to come up with the best way to take antiviral therapies. There are two options:

Intermittent treatment. Your doctor may prescribe an antiviral drug for you to keep on hand in case you have another flare-up; this is called intermittent therapy. You can take the pills for two to five days as soon as you notice sores or when you feel an outbreak coming on. Sores will heal and disappear on their own, but taking the drugs can make the symptoms less severe and make them go away faster.

Suppressive treatment. If you have outbreaks often, you may want to consider taking an antiviral drug every day. Doctors call this suppressive therapy. For someone who has more than six outbreaks a year, suppressive therapy can reduce the number of outbreaks by 70% to 80%. Many people who take the antiviral drugs daily have no outbreaks at all.

There is no set number of outbreaks per year that doctors use to decide when someone should start suppressive therapy. Rather, more important factors are how often the outbreaks happen and if they are severe enough to interfere with your life.

Taking daily suppressive therapy may also reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to a sex partner. Antiviral drugs reduce viral shedding, when the virus makes new copies of itself on the skin's surface.

A recent study of people taking daily doses of valacyclovir shows the drug may help protect sex partners from being infected, although you should still use a condom. Half the partners of people taking daily valacyclovir became infected with the virus, and half did not. Moreover, 75% of the partners did not show any symptoms of genital herpes, even if they had acquired the virus.

Side Effects and Follow up:

Side effects with these drugs are considered mild, and health experts believe these drugs are safe in the long term. Acyclovir is the oldest of the three, and its safety has been documented in people taking suppressive therapy for several years.

People taking suppressive therapy should see their doctor at least once a year to decide if they should continue. You may find taking the pills every day to be inconvenient, the drugs may not work for you, or you may naturally have fewer outbreaks as time goes on. Your doctor can help you make treatment choices to suit your needs.

Provided by Webmd.com

Information on this site should not substitute for medical care, advice, or medical intervention. You are urged to seek out consultation from your own physician for any medical or mental health concerns you may have. In addition HWerks.com does not endorse any particular product that may be found on this or any other website.

Other Great H Related Info Sites!

Datingwithherpes.org