Herpes in men can occur in two ways: as an oral herpes infection, or as a genital herpes infection. Oral herpes in men is really no different than oral herpes in women: an oral herpes infection typically involves an outbreak of blisters, often called cold sores, that appear about the mouth and will eventually clear in time, and will clear more quickly with treatment. When cold sores are present, an oral herpes infection is extremely contagious. A genital herpes infection in a man is most likely to involve a periodic outbreak of blisters on the penis. A genital herpes outbreak can be quite uncomfortable, but it will eventually clear on its own and will clear even more quickly when treatment is used. Genital herpes is highly contagious during an outbreak. Genital herpes does not have any effect on the male reproductive system, or on a man's overall health. Genital herpes is, essentially, a benign skin condition that's a nuisance.