Herpes prevention is best achieved by avoiding direct contact with active herpes symptoms. Herpes symptoms, whether in cases of oral herpes or genital herpes, typically present as an outbreak of blisters. During a herpes outbreak, herpes is highly infectious and is most likely to be spread. Avoiding an active herpes outbreak does not necessarily provide full assurance of preventing a herpes infection however, as the herpes virus can be on the skin surface, and can thus be transmitted, even when an outbreak is not occurring. The presence of herpes virus on the skin surface in the absence of an outbreak happens through viral shedding. Viral shedding means that, potentially, a herpes infection can be spread any time, though again herpes is most likely to be spread during an active outbreak of symptoms. Herpes is spread through skin-to-skin contact, and avoiding skin-to-skin contact with a herpes infection, outbreak or no outbreak, will prevent a herpes infection from occurring. As a side note, having a reasonable desire to avoid herpes is sensible: being paranoid about or greatly afraid of contracting herpes is overreaction. Herpes is a nuisance skin condition that does not cause a threat to overall health except in the rare cases of infant infection and infection in someone who has a seriously compromised immune system.