Can shingles be contagious?

Written by Liu Gang
Dermatology
Updated on March 03, 2025
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Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus infection. It has mild contagiousness, but the contagious period is very short, typically lasting about a week from when blisters appear to when they dry up. During this period, try to avoid contact with very young children or elderly people with low immunity, otherwise, it may be transmitted to them.

Once diagnosed, it must be treated formally. Common antiviral medications can cure it. This disease can also easily leave complications, so it is crucial to detect and treat it early. During treatment, it is advisable to take some neuro-nourishing medications orally, avoid spicy and irritating foods, refrain from staying up late, exercise moderately, rest more, and drink plenty of water.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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How long does it take for shingles to heal?

The recovery time for herpes zoster varies greatly among individuals, and different people heal at different rates. After contracting herpes zoster, the main treatments include antiviral drugs, pain relief, anti-inflammatory medications, as well as supporting nerve nutrition and alleviating pain. Most patients can recover within two weeks to a month, but some who develop complications, such as postherpetic neuralgia or involvement of other organs, may require a longer time for treatment and recovery.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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How is herpes zoster transmitted?

Shingles is caused by the activation of the varicella-zoster virus that lies dormant in the nerve roots, affecting both the skin and nerves. There are several ways shingles can spread, mainly through direct contact or droplet transmission. Direct contact transmission primarily occurs because the blister fluid in shingles blisters contains a high concentration of the virus. Therefore, before the blisters of a person with shingles are completely dry, they are somewhat contagious, primarily affecting those with lower resistance such as the elderly, children, women of childbearing age, pregnant women, and so on.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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What is good to eat for herpes zoster?

Shingles is a common dermatological disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus. After contracting shingles, it is very important to pay attention to one's diet. It is recommended to maintain a light diet and avoid spicy and stimulating foods. Be cautious with dry, hot, and nourishing foods. It is beneficial to consume more porridge-like foods that are warming to the stomach, such as mung bean soup, wheat soup, noodles, etc. Foods that tend to trigger outbreaks, such as seafood and beef or mutton, should be avoided. Instead, it is advisable to eat more vegetables and fruits, like carrots, apples, and pears.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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Is shingles contagious?

Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, which is the same virus that causes chickenpox. Therefore, shingles is contagious to people, especially children, who have never been infected with the virus. The virus is primarily transmitted through the respiratory tract. Thus, it is recommended that if someone in the household contracts shingles, particularly in households with children, it is crucial to avoid close contact and to implement appropriate isolation measures. It is also important to keep windows open for ventilation to prevent transmitting the virus to children, who may develop chickenpox, or to some adults who may also be susceptible to chickenpox if they have never been infected with the virus before.

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Written by Zhu Zhu
Dermatology
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Does shingles leave scars?

After shingles heal, in most cases, there are no scars left. Shingles typically cause symptoms such as blisters or rashes on the skin, which are mostly located in the epidermal layer of the skin and do not infect below the dermis. Therefore, once these blisters heal, they only scab over on the epidermal layer. After the scab falls off, the original skin regrows without any scarring. However, if the patient is prone to scarring, they are generally left with scars.