Case Summary-Facial Herpes Simplex Infection

This 32-year-old female consulted me for some skin lesions on her face on 04/09/10. The lesions were associated with burning sensation. She also complained of sense of feverish and fatigue. Upon asking she denied any prior episode of such eruption that she could remember, although was having lots of boils and skin lesions as a child, but none for past 5-10 years.

She had history of C-section (2 years ago), abortion a year ago, and heavy menstrual bleeding for the last two months were her significant past medical history.

She was not taking any medicine prior or at the time when lesions appeared and denied any allergy to medicines.

She is married with one daughter and lives with her husband. Upon asking, she reported that her husband was having some lips problem with excessive peeling off of lip skin followed by thick painful scabbing on right lower lip corner, which healed completely in about 12 days. His problem started with lots of dryness of lips and feeling of sickness. He also had a skin eruption, which took about 20 days to heal without treatment and left darkening of area for about 3 months. These things suggest that she got any infection from her husband.

On examination, the lesions were circular vesicles with erythema at base consistent with herpes simplex type I and by homeopathic symptom questions sheet her symptoms were as follows. Please see my earlier post related to herpes simplex to know more about this sheet.



C+I+P+Q+R+S+W i.e., she was having groups of vesicular shaping circular above her upper lip (around mouth) and vesicle do have itching, burning, and tender to touch and the patient was feeling very tired.

Case was analyzed and was given
For first day Natrum Mur 30C 3-4 pills three times a day altered with placebo three times a day.
Second day treatment was consisted with especially if first day treatment brought no changes Sepia 30C 3-4 pills three times a day alternating with placebo three times a day.
Third day if yet no changes noted Rhus Tox 30C 3-4 pills three times a day with placebo.

The patient was advised to come back on third day and patient did so. Now, on examination there were two other vesicles appeared one on upper lip right side and one on upper lip left side and on open inflammatory open papules on right side of the face below the eyes. However, the patient told that she was feeling overall well with no itching, burning, or malaise sensation, but new lesions have appeared and she is concerned of this.

Upon asking about any headache, she told on few occasion she got episodic pain in temporal region.

As the patient was somewhat hesitant to continue further treatment and appearance of new lesions which means sedimentation of herpes simplex and temporal headache, which indicate overall further worsening I referred her to one of my familiar Allopathic physician who put her on acyclovir and advised to apply acyclovir based cream on vesicles and an antibiotic cream to the open areas for 10 days.

On this treatment vesicle worsened and new lesions appeared until third day of treatment from where they start to heal; however, since antiviral therapy she was feeling unwell and fuzzy at times while on homeopathic treatment she was feeling quite well.

After competition of 10 day course, she visited the allopathic physician who referred her back to me for further management for hypertrophic scars caused by herpes simplex.

Again case was studied and the patient was given Arsenic Album 30C three times a day for three days and advised to return to me.

After completion of three days treatment, her scar reduced completely with Arsenic Album and now she is now left with post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation for which she is on Arsenic Album 200 and Carbo Veg 30, but until now hyperpigmentation is fading at its natural rate.

Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation usually fades away between 3 weeks to 3 months. However, in my last case of herpes simplex the hyperpigmentation persisted for about three months on no treatment so at this time I am going to suggest some home remedies and homeopathic medicines to apply locally to remove this hyperpigmentation soon.


In this case, I knew some new facts regarding herpes simplex infection i.e., herpes simplex infection can manifest as excessive dryness and peeling of lip skin ending with thick-crusted lesion as history told by wife.

This case also confirmed that any excessive blood loss can cause to manifest any infection living infection in the body i.e., herpes simplex infection is a very, very common infection and upon entering in body it causes symptoms if got favorable conditions otherwise remains latent.

Virulence of herpes simplex can be very high in some peoples mainly anemic and aggressive treatment should be applied as soon as possible to avoid any encephalitis. Multiple homeopathic medicines can be used or the patient should be hospitalized or should be seen on a daily basis.

Lastly, this case also prove that do not ignore anemia it can cause many disease as in this female so if you get heavy menstrual bleeding you must increase your iron intake.

Thanks for your Careful Reading and please do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions.

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