Navigating Herpes Cure Claims: Words to Beware of on Instagram

The moment this became a business account, my comments section became inundated with herbalists and doctors claiming to “cure” herpes. Had I not restricted my comments and reported the profiles, I am sure they would still be looming, looking for vulnerable customers. And yes, there are the occasional coaches who comb through my followers (yep, I see you). In any event...

Herpes cures and remedies often become trends on Instagram. By that I mean, since there is no cure, it is simple to use manipulation as a tactic to prey on vulnerable and confused individuals with herpes—especially those who are newly diagnosed or suffer from more frequent outbreaks.

When creating this guide, I focused more on specific words and phrases to be wary of. There are other areas I wanted to discuss, but feel those topics deserve their own posts.

Words to Be Wary of...
📝Cure: if they claim to have a cure, that’s a blatant lie. Goodbye.

📝Kills: the only known way to somewhat (read: 98%) “kill” herpes at this point is through gene editing.. in mice (next is guinea pigs).

📝Lab Tested: This is misleading to many consumers. What lab tested really means is likely not what you think it does. It’s a sneaky way to sound scientific, fool-proof, and legitimate... without peer review.

📝The Fine Print
“Guaranteed relief*” The dreaded *. It’s not always indicative of lying or something “bad,” however, there is likely a caveat that should be investigated. There’s certainly something that isn’t said up front.

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Unpacking the Impact of School, Media, and Religion on Herpes Stigma

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Harmful Phrases After an STI Diagnosis: Why Words Matter