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At-Home Herpes Tests: What They Tell You

By Richard D. Porter, Patient Advocate Updated

Quick answer

MedlinePlus says at-home herpes tests usually use a blood sample you collect at home and send to a lab. They look for antibodies, which can come from a current or a past infection, so they can't show whether a sore is herpes or when you were infected. The CDC does not recommend herpes testing for people without symptoms in most situations and says a false positive is much more likely than with chlamydia or gonorrhea tests. If you have a sore, see a clinician for a swab instead.

The test you need

Herpes: Type-specific blood testReliable by day 84

Too earlyMay detect; retest if negativeReliable

Counted from your most recent exposure. Source: CDC. Work out your own dates

Test
At-home (mail-in) herpes antibody blood test
Sample
Blood you collect at home and send to a lab
When
MedlinePlus says the body takes up to three months to make HSV antibodies. The CDC says repeat testing 12 weeks after the presumed time of infection, and that current tests can take up to 16 weeks or more to detect infection.
Results
Depends on the kit, so check with the seller. The CDC says mail-in kits in general take a few days.

An at-home herpes test is convenient and private, but it answers a narrower question than most people expect. Before you buy one, it helps to know what it measures and where it can mislead you.

Can you test for herpes at home?

Yes, in one way. MedlinePlus says at-home tests are available for HSV, and that they usually use a blood sample you collect at home and send to a lab. The CDC describes mail-in kits in general as ones where you collect a sample with a kit and mail it to a lab for results, which can take a few days.

What you can’t do at home, according to the sources we read, is the more accurate swab test. The CDC says clinicians take swabs from blisters or sores that are not crusted over or healing.

How does an at-home herpes test work?

You collect a blood sample at home (MedlinePlus says some at-home STI kits use a finger prick for blood), mail it, and the lab tests it for antibodies to herpes simplex virus, the proteins your immune system makes in response. Kits differ in what they test for and which lab they use, so check the details on the product page. Ask in particular whether the test is type-specific, meaning it reports HSV-1 and HSV-2 separately.

What does an at-home herpes test tell you?

Less than you might expect:

  • Whether antibodies are present. That may mean you were infected at some point.
  • Not whether it is current. MedlinePlus says the antibodies could be from an active infection now or a past infection.
  • Not where on the body. The CDC says HSV-1 blood testing does not distinguish between oral and genital infection.
  • Not whether a particular sore is herpes. For a sore, a swab of the sore is the test.

Are at-home herpes tests accurate?

They carry the same limits as any herpes blood test. The CDC says the chance of a false positive herpes test is much higher than for STIs like chlamydia or gonorrhea. It also says the chance of wrong results is higher for people at low risk of infection. For one commonly used lab test, results at low index values (1.1 to 3.0) are often falsely positive, and a confirmatory test using a second method is advised.

Testing too early causes the opposite error. MedlinePlus says your body takes up to three months to make HSV antibodies, so an early test can be negative when infection is present.

Not every at-home test has been through the same regulatory review. The FDA has authorized a chlamydia and gonorrhea test with at-home sample collection, but we have not verified the FDA status of any at-home herpes test. Check the kit’s own information on whether it is FDA-cleared or authorized, and which lab runs it.

Should I take an at-home test if I have no symptoms?

Think twice. The CDC does not recommend herpes testing for people without symptoms in most situations, and says HSV-2 serologic screening in the general population is not recommended. MedlinePlus says medical experts in general don’t recommend HSV testing for people without symptoms, though it may be considered for higher-risk situations such as multiple partners, other STIs, or sex without condoms.

If you have a partner with genital herpes, the CDC says a blood test may be useful, and a clinician can help you pick the test and timing. MedlinePlus advises talking with your provider about whether an at-home test is right for you.

What are the alternatives to a home kit?

  • A clinician swab, if there is a sore. This is the most sensitive test.
  • A clinician-ordered blood test, if there’s a reason to test and no sore.
  • A lab blood test ordered online. STDCheck’s herpes page describes a type-specific IgG blood test done at a lab, with results ready in 1 to 2 days. It doesn’t mention a swab option. Its page suggests waiting at least four weeks after exposure, while the CDC gives longer timing (12 weeks for a repeat, up to 16 weeks or more to detect infection), so plan around the CDC’s timing.

What if my result is positive?

Don’t panic, and don’t act on it alone. Bring the result to a clinician and ask whether a confirmatory test with a different method is needed. The CDC says herpes is common and that most people with genital herpes have no symptoms or very mild symptoms. If a clinician confirms it, they can talk you through treatment options.

Get care now if

  • You have new painful blisters or sores that are spreading or getting worse quickly, or you have a fever or feel unwell
  • You are pregnant and have genital sores, or tingling or burning that may mean one is starting, especially near your due date
  • You have sores near your eye, or eye pain, redness or blurred vision
  • Your immune system is weakened, for example by HIV or chemotherapy, and you have new sores

Call 911 for a medical emergency. Otherwise, an urgent care clinic, sexual health clinic or your doctor can see you.

When to test

  1. If you have a sore or blister right nowSkip the home kit. Ask a clinician to swab the sore with a NAAT (PCR) test. The CDC says a provider can swab a blister or sore that is not crusted over or healing.
  2. No sore, but a partner has herpes or you had a recent exposureTalk to a clinician about whether a blood test makes sense, and when. A blood test taken too early can be wrong.
  3. 12 weeks after the presumed exposureFor a recent infection, the CDC says repeat type-specific antibody testing 12 weeks after the presumed time of acquisition.
  4. After a positive home resultSee a clinician. The CDC says false positives happen and advises a confirmatory test using a second method before interpreting a result.

Common questions

Can I swab a sore myself with a home kit?

The swab tests described by the CDC and MedlinePlus are taken by a provider from a sore that is not crusted over or healing. MedlinePlus describes at-home herpes tests as blood-based. If you have a sore, a clinician swab is the more reliable route.

Does a positive home herpes test mean I have herpes?

Not necessarily. MedlinePlus says antibodies could be from an active infection now or a past infection, and the CDC says false positives are much more common with herpes tests than with chlamydia or gonorrhea tests. Treat a positive as a reason to talk to a clinician and ask about a confirmatory test.

Can a home test tell oral herpes from genital herpes?

Usually not. The CDC says HSV-1 blood testing does not distinguish between oral and genital infection.

How soon after exposure can I take a home herpes test?

Too early and it can miss infection. MedlinePlus says the body takes up to three months to make HSV antibodies, and the CDC says to repeat testing 12 weeks after the presumed time of acquisition.

Next: At-home (mail-in) herpes antibody blood test.

Blood you collect at home and send to a lab. MedlinePlus says the body takes up to three months to make HSV antibodies. The CDC says repeat testing 12 weeks after the presumed time of infection, and that current tests can take up to 16 weeks or more to detect infection.

Read next

Sources

This guide is general information written by a patient advocate using public health sources. It is not a diagnosis. Only a clinician or a lab test can tell you whether you have an infection. Read how we write and check our guides.