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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 and need treatment for outbreaks, you can request a prescription for the antiviral medications Aciclovir, Valaciclovir or Famciclovir using our online service.
If you suffer from six or more outbreaks of herpes a year or find your outbreaks particularly stressful, then you may wish to order herpes suppression therapy. This is a low dose of antiviral genital herpes treatment, taken every day to help prevent future herpes outbreaks.
If you need to confirm if you’re a carrier of herpes, you can order a test online now.
Last reviewed: 21/5/2020 by Dr Simran Deo
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
- Complete a short questionnaire about your health.
- Order and pay for your treatment.
- A Superdrug Online Doctor will check the treatment is appropriate for you.
- Orders received before 4pm will be sent out the same day. Orders received after 4pm will be sent out the next working day.
- Your treatment will be posted to you via your choice of first class or next day delivery.
- This will be contactless delivery. Someone will need to be home to tell the courier that they can sign on your behalf or they won't be able to deliver your parcel.
- The treatment arrives in plain, discreet packaging.
Common side effects from Aciclovir can include:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Feeling sick
- Diarrhoea
- Stomach pain
- Skin rashes or itching
- Tiredness
Common side effects from Valaciclovir can include:
- Headaches
- Feeling sick
The symptoms of herpes outbreaks will usually go away by themselves within 10 days, but they can be very painful during that time.
Alternatives to the antiviral medicines we offer include using an anaesthetic gel to ease the pain or soaking the affected skin with salt water.
If you would like to discuss your condition with one of our doctors, you can book a telephone consultation. Our doctors will be able to provide personalised advice on how to cope with genital herpes.
Treating Genital Herpes
Can I have sex if I am having a herpes outbreak?
The herpes virus is particularly easy to pass on during an active outbreak. You should avoid having sex until all lesions have healed completely. If you do choose to have sex in the meantime, you should use a condom.
Using a condom will help reduce the risk of transmission. As condoms only cover the penis and leave other areas of your and your partner’s skin exposed, there is still a risk that you could transmit the virus, even when using a condom, so experts advise to avoid sexual contact altogether when you are having an outbreak.
Once you carry the virus, there is always a risk that you could pass it on to a partner, regardless of whether you are experiencing symptoms. It is best to continue using a condom once your lesions have healed to reduce the risk of transmission.
For personalised advice, speak to one of our doctors in a telephone consultation.
Herpes treatment options
Herpes is an infection caused by one of two types of herpes simplex virus (HSV-1 or HSV-2). 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 your symptoms are due to herpes, you can take a genital herpes test to confirm your diagnosis.
There are 3 main types of treatment for genital herpes:
Aciclovir tablets
Valaciclovir tablets
Famciclovir tablets
Aciclovir tablets can be used for both outbreaks of genital herpes and cold sores, as well as for suppression. The dose and length of course can vary depending on whether you are using it to treat an outbreak or to prevent future outbreaks from occurring.
Valaciclovir tablets are known as a pro-drug, and become Aciclovir in your body. Like aciclovir tablets they can be used to treat acute outbreaks or for suppression.
Famciclovir tablets can be used if treatment with Aciclovir or Valaciclovir has been unsuccessful.
Can I have sex while taking Aciclovir?
The herpes virus is particularly easy to pass on during an active outbreak even while you are on treatment. The advice is that you should avoid having sex until all lesions have healed completely. If you do decide to have sex anyway it is best to use a condom.
Using a condom and being on treatment will help reduce the risk of transmission, but, as condoms only cover the penis and leave other areas of your and your partner’s skin exposed, there is still a risk that you could transmit the virus, even when using a condom, so experts advise to avoid sexual contact altogether when you are having an outbreak.
Once you carry the virus, there is always a risk that you could pass it on to a partner, regardless of whether you are experiencing symptoms, but suppression treatment has been found to reduce the risk of transmission to your partner. It is best though, to continue using a condom even once your lesions have healed to reduce the risk of transmission.
Can you cure herpes?
Unfortunately herpes can not be cured. The virus stays inactive in your body and activates at different times to cause outbreaks of symptoms. Unlike with bacterial infections that can be fully cured with antibiotics, antiviral medications for herpes can only help manage the outbreaks or suppress the virus.
How is oral herpes treatment different from genital herpes treatment?
Both genital and oral herpes are 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), although HSV-2 is more commonly associated with genital herpes and HSV-1, with oral herpes. Both types of herpes can be treated with antiviral tablets, which you can start as soon as you feel an outbreak coming on. For cold sores you can also use Aciclovir cream, which has the same active ingredient as the Aciclovir tablets, but is put directly onto the cold sore. Aciclovir cream is not a recommended treatment 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 anti-viral tablets cannot be bought over-the-counter. All herpes tablets are prescription-only, so you will need to see your GP or order them from an online doctor service like Superdrug Online Doctor.
You can use painkillers and numbing medications (like lidocaine gel) to help you with any pain or discomfort you may be getting from your genital herpes.
If you are suffering from cold sores you can buy Aciclovir cream over-the-counter which can help with symptom of oral herpes, but will not help with genital herpes.
Sources
Aciclovor Tablets BP 400mg EMC [accessed 18 June 2018]
Famciclovir 125 mg, 250 mg, 500 mg film-coated tablets (2018) EMC [accessed 18 June 2018]
Genital Herpes (2019) NHS [accessed 18 June 2018]
Oral antiviral therapy for prevention of genital herpes outbreaks in immunocompetent and nonpregnant patients (2014) Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews [accessed 18 June 2018]
Valaciclovir 500mg film-coated tablets EMC [accessed 18 June 2018]
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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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
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Very helpful and alleviates symptoms quickly.
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It did what I expected it to do
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Brilliant service save me so much time and all the stress of trying to get s doc app
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Treatment was quick and effective
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Great service, quick and efficient.
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Effective do far excellent service
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It done the job
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Very satisfied with this site safely and quick with delivery
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Fast and efficient help from the doctor when needed