Management of Herpes on Finger
You must cover the infection with light dressing so that it does not spread any further. Do not
wear contact lenses until the whitlow has healed to prevent the virus from spreading to your
eyes.
You can purchase an OTC painkiller like ibuprofen or paracetamol for pain relief. Never try to
drain the fluid because this could cause HSV to spread or result in a bacterial infection.
Recurrence
The herpes virus stays inactive (dormant) within nerve cells and could reactivate later in life, at
times following an illness or stress. This can give rise to another herpetic whitlow at the same
area as the initial one.
If a herpetic whitlow does reappear, it can be managed and treated in the same manner, with
antiviral medication.
If the whitlow reappears frequently, the antiviral medication can be provided for extended
periods (years usually) to diminish the number of recurrences. This suppressive antiviral
medication will also cut both the whitlow’s severity and the period it takes to heal.