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Help & Contact
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What Is Superdrug Online Doctor?
We're a service that helps you order treatments online from UK-registered doctors with free, discreet, to-your-door deliveries.
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Genital Herpes Treatment
Order antiviral treatments for herpes
If you have genital herpes, you can get an online prescription for antiviral herpes medication discreetly and easily. Our doctor's prescribe aciclovir, valaciclovir or famciclovir via our online service.
Order for a herpes outbreak: if you have a flare-up of symptoms, you can get a short course of medication to help control the outbreak.
Order to prevent outbreaks: if you get outbreaks more than 6 times a year or find your symptoms are hard to deal with, you can have suppressive treatment. This is where you take a low dose of antiviral medication every day to help prevent outbreaks.
Order a herpes test: if you need to check if you’re a carrier of herpes, you can order a herpes test online now.
To place an order, fill in a brief questionnaire. One of our doctors will review your order and prescribe a treatment if suitable. Existing patients should login first.
| Medication | Pack Size | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Aciclovir | 1st outbreak - up to 10 days (30 tablets) | £25.00 |
| Aciclovir | Repeat outbreaks - 5 days each, 1/2/3 courses (15/30/45 tablets) | from £25.00 |
| Aciclovir | Suppression treatment - 3 months (168 tablets) | £49.00 |
| Valaciclovir | 1st outbreak - up to 10 days (20 tablets) | £70.00 |
| Valaciclovir | Repeat outbreaks - 3 to 5 days each, 1/2/3 courses (10/20/30 tablets) | from £40.00 |
| Valaciclovir | Suppression treatment - 3 months (84 tablets) | £220.00 |
| Famciclovir | Outbreak - 1 day each, 1/2/3 courses (4/8/12 tablets) | from £95.00 |
| Herpes Test Kit | 1 test kit | £80.00 |
Click & Collect: free (available for next-day collection in Superdrug Pharmacies)
Next Day Delivery: £3.99
Dispensing and standard delivery included.
How our service works
To get your herpes treatment at home, ordering is simple – just follow the steps below.
- Start an order by selecting the ‘Start order’ button above.
- Fill in a short questionnaire about your health and lifestyle.
- A Superdrug doctor will check your answers and approve the treatment if it’s right for you.
- We’ll then post your order directly to you or you can pick it up the same day at a Superdrug store near you.
If the treatments we offer are not right for you, one of our doctors will send you a message to let you know and give you advice about what to do next.
If you place your order before 4pm, we’ll send it out the same day. Orders received after 4pm will be sent out the next working day.
We’ll post your treatment to you via your choice of first class or next day delivery with Royal Mail.
This will be contactless delivery. You or someone else will need to be home to tell the courier that they can sign on your behalf or we will not be able to deliver your parcel. All our treatments come in plain, discreet packaging.
Click & collect (our same day in-store pick up service) is also available in selected Superdrug stores.
Frequently asked questions
How is genital herpes treated?
Genital herpes is an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). The virus causes an outbreak of blisters which are common herpes symptoms. Treatment is with antiviral medication to help prevent and control outbreaks.
If you’re unsure if you have herpes, you can take a genital herpes test at home.
There are 3 main types of treatment for genital herpes:
Aciclovir tablets are used for outbreaks of genital herpes or cold sores to treat the symptoms. They can also be used to prevent outbreaks from happening if you get them often. How much you take and how long you take them for can vary depending on what you’re using it for – whether you’re using it to treat an outbreak or to prevent future outbreaks.
Valaciclovir tablets are known as a pro-drug, which means your body converts it into aciclovir after you take them. Like aciclovir tablets, they can be used to treat symptoms or to prevent outbreaks.
A doctor may prescribe famciclovir tablets if you find that aciclovir or valaciclovir haven’t worked for you.
Can I have sex if I’m having a herpes outbreak?
The herpes virus is easy to pass on during an active outbreak (when you have symptoms). Avoid having sex until all skin sores have healed completely.
If you do have sex, you should use a condom. Using a condom will help lower the risk of passing the virus on to your sexual partners. But condoms only cover the penis and leave other areas of your and your partner’s skin exposed. This means that there’s still a risk that you could spread the virus. This is why you should avoid having sex altogether (including anal or oral sex) when you’re having an outbreak.
Once you carry the virus, you can still pass it on to a partner even if you’re not having symptoms. So it may be best to carry on using condoms once you’ve healed to prevent the virus from spreading. You should also have an open and honest chat about your diagnosis with any sexual partners before having sex.
For more advice, you can speak to one of our doctors in a telephone consultation.
Can you cure herpes?
Unfortunately, there’s no cure for herpes. The virus stays inactive (dormant) in your body and activates from time to time to cause outbreaks, months or even years after you’re first infected. This is when you get symptoms. Antiviral medication for herpes can only help control the outbreaks or suppress the virus.
How is oral herpes treatment different from genital herpes treatment?
Both genital and oral herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are 2 types of HSV: HSV-1 and HSV-2. These are both known to cause genital herpes and cold sores (oral herpes). HSV-2 is more commonly associated with genital herpes. HSV-1 is usually linked with cold sores.
You can treat both types of herpes with antiviral medications. They work best if you start taking them as soon as you feel an outbreak coming on. For cold sores, you can also use aciclovir cream. This has the same active ingredient as aciclovir tablets but you put it directly onto the cold sore. Aciclovir cream is not recommended for genital herpes.
Before starting any treatment for a herpes outbreak, or if you have any new symptoms, you should always check with a doctor to make sure you’re using the right treatment.
Can you get genital herpes treatment over the counter?
No. The antiviral tablets cannot be bought over-the-counter. All herpes tablets are prescription-only. You’ll need to see your GP or order them from an online pharmacy or doctor service like Superdrug Online Doctor.
You can use painkillers and a numbing cream for genital herpes to help you with any pain or discomfort you may be getting.
What else can I do to help with a genital herpes outbreak?
As well as taking medication to help with symptoms, you can also try:
- using an anaesthetic gel to numb your skin and ease any pain
- soaking the affected area with plain or salt water
- applying Vaseline to the affected area
- drinking plenty of fluids
- wearing loose clothing
- taking pain relief medications, like paracetamol or ibuprofen
The symptoms of herpes outbreaks will usually go away by themselves within 10 days as your immune system fights the infection on its own. You might find the sores painful during that time, so medication can help you by clearing up the infection more quickly.
If you’d like to speak to one of our doctors about your symptoms, you can book a telephone consultation. They’ll be able to provide personalised advice on how to cope with genital herpes.
What are the side effects of genital herpes treatments?
The common treatments of genital herpes are aciclovir, valaciclovir and famciclovir. Common side effects from aciclovir or valaciclovir can include:
- diarrhoea
- feeling dizzy or tired
- feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting)
- stomach pain
- headaches
- skin rashes, itching or feeling hot
Common famciclovir side effects include headache and feeling sick (nausea) but they’re usually mild.
Sources
Michael Stewart (2020). Aciclovir for viral infections. Patient. [online] Available at: https://patient.info/medicine/aciclovir-for-viral-infections-zovirax [accessed 19 May 2021]
Michael Stewart (2019). Famciclovir for viral infections. Patient. [online] Available at: https://patient.info/medicine/famciclovir-for-viral-infections [accessed 19 May 2021]
Michael Stewart (2019). Valaciclovir for viral infections. Patient. [online] Available at: https://patient.info/medicine/valaciclovir-for-viral-infections-valtrex [accessed 19 May 2021]
NHS (2019) Aciclovir (including Zovirax). NHS. [online] Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/aciclovir [accessed 7 May 2021]
NICE (2021) Aciclovir. BNF. [online] Available at: https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drug/aciclovir.html [accessed 7 May 2021]
To place an order, fill in a brief questionnaire. One of our doctors will review your order and prescribe a treatment if suitable. Existing patients should login first.
Customer reviews
Filter:
Overall:
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Excellent product...with prompt delivery
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Always a simple buying experience. Never had any issues at all...
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Quick service Quick delivery Good all round 👍👍
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Very good service easy to use
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Aclovir tablets for coldsores. Quicker healing than the cream.
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Fast end efficient
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Very quick and convenient when I was in a lot of pain and my fiancé was also able to pick up .
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Arrived quickly, faultless service
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Great service and product as ask for
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Great service and quick delivery
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Quick and easy service
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This is medicine purchased normally with a prescription so was happy to be able to buy it after a lot of questions from the doctor, but worth it.
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Great product, great quick service 100% happy
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Excellent!!!!!
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Always good to have on hand. Before this product I was getting coldsores nearly every month. It was such an annoyance. My doctor recommended me buying this product. I'll never look back. I havent had a coldsore in two years! I take this when I feel a tingle, if I'm getting run down with a cold/ill or the weather is chaning as that normally triggers them. And amazingly it stops them from forming. Best thing I have ever purchased
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It’s good
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quick and painless thank you very much
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Excellent service. Very quick and a decent price
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So far seems to have worked but only time will tell
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Super quick service. I've used the Superdrug online doctor several times when i can't get a GP appointment and they are SO helpful and reply promptly. I'd definitely recommend this service.
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Excellent service, very quick delivery.
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Very good always there to help
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Fab service when you cannot get to the doctors, fast and efficient.
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Perfect just what I needed
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Very good service
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I used the Online Doctor Service to order medication for shingles (Acyclovir). I have an account with Superdrug and was able to request a repeat of a previous order for Aciclovir. I received an email to say I could collection my medication the following day!! Superb service!!
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Great service! Will be ordering again.
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Good does the job
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Fast and professional
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Product never received.
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Great tablets . As soon as the first two days pass then the cold sore starts to disappear !
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Easy to use and listens to your problem
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Brilliant service, lots of advice and messages. Thank you
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Speedy and reliable service.
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Quick delivery ,very helpful...product ..very good
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Excellent service, super fast and efficient delivery
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So handy to be able to order my medicine without needing a doctor's appointment. Arrived promptly and did the job!
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Ordered some tablet for cold sore and that was with me in a few days but hate to email the dr to hurry it up
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Satisfied with it
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The product had work really well. Very happy with the results
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Good, easy to use service
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Excellent way to access non emergency medication without having to take up valuable GP surgery time . Easy to use . Fast and efficient
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Quick and easy
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Thank you came quickly when needed :)
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Good quality tablets, the identical type that you would get from Doctor/pharmacy.
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Great service very quick delivery
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Great service and on time
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excellent service thank you
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Superdrug’s online prescription service for Acyclovir for cold sores is fast, efficient and excellent
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Quick no fuss excellent
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Easy and quick
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Fabulous service
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This is a brilliant service.. Better than my doctors who made it darn near impossible for me to get the help and medication I needed thank you super drug doctors highly recommend
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Very good fast delivery thank you
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Having suffered with cold sores, what seemed like every other week, for several years and with the normal creams etc never working, a friend recommended this product. I have to say I cant remember, since taking these, ever having a cold sore. As a preventative product they have been perfect.
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It did its job ,bit expensive but arrived discreet packaging
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..........
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Quick, easy and efficient service. Simple procedure. Very happy
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Excellent service
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Quick and easy to order - I placed the order at 7am and collected after 12pm on the same day. It helped that I had ordered this item before. Price was a bit expensive, but I suppose you pay for the convenience of being able to collect almost ASAP.
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Not applicable
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Super quick and easy process, order was approved straight away and I was informed that I can contact the online doctor at anytime for advice. I have been trying for months to get the medication I need via a GP and with no success so I 100% recommend this service!
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Quick and easy to use website and fast delivery would definitely use again very happy customer
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Great service .... quick prompt , hassle free . wish it had been available years ago .
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Good product, quick delivery. Only problem I have, for some reason, is that I can't order on my phone, iPad or laptop so have to get my sister to order them for me.
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Swift and discrete service
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No issues at all, completed the form, very confidential, the doctor reviewed my form swiftly. The medication arrived the next day. Can’t ask for more.
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Quick and easy
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I have not received notification on the delivery of the product. It has been a week. Expensive service and worse than my GP.
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Good service
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Using the Superdrug online doctor was a brilliant help in COVID-19 times, as I did not want to be sitting round a busy doctors or waiting room I just emailed them spoke to them online got my medication sent to my door it might be a tad pricey though I felt it was worth paying the extra cost for my safety and others
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I can't account for the product I am not a pharmacy, but the service was excellent received in a couple of days thank you.
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Very happy with my purchase.
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It is wonderful to be able to get my cold sore tablets this way, quick easy safe and saves me wasting my time, the local pharmacy and gps time. Can’t praise this service enough.
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My life was miserable with painful, ugly cold sores, these tablets are incredible!! Just wish doctors would prescribe them! Thank you superdrug!
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Works but overpriced
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Easy and quick to order prescription and a speedy delivery time. Brilliant!
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Quick and easy
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superfast delivery and no hassle ordering. Recommended.
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Preventative medication very good service
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Very easy and efficient process. Fast delivery too
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This is a quick and easy way to order a prescription, you receive your product within days of placing your order, to reorder is very simple. Excellent service 😀
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It does the job it's supposed to. The service is excellent with orders processed and delivered quickly.
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Vert happy tganks
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Great discrete service
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Efficient service,saves on a lot of time waiting in ques!
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From my limited experience, I cant rate this company highly enough. Their prescription service process is first rate with the necessary checks carried out, and their follow up service is impressive. Highly recommend.
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Excellent communication
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Very good product
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value for money is a three just because if i had been more organised i would have gone to the docs and got it for free but was a super handy service when i was in a pickle so overall very happy :-)
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Absolutely fantastic, worked a treat. Would definitely use this product again!
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Product was as I expected, good. Service was great and I picked them up in no time at all. Good aftercare if needed
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Very good service and customer care is superb. I received my medicine before the day I expected. I would always use their service in future and will recommend every one to also try. I am very grateful for their team attention to execute my order so speadily without any hassles.
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Quick prompt service - thank you
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Good product and service
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very speedy delivery, no problems. thanks
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It worked as I was told
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Very helpful and such an easy process
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Exactly what I ordered