Best Overall
TypeSelf-collection blood
Test for2 to 5 days
Insurance Accepted?Follow up with nurses available
Who should use itAnyone exposed to a herpes-infected partner, or if you have symptoms.
Let’sGetChecked offers a simple STD test that screens only for chlamydia and gonorrhea for $99. Or you can do the most comprehensive test, which provides a complete STD panel, screening for eight different STDs, including gardnerella and mycoplasma, and costs $249. You can get a 25% off discount here. A subscribe and save option is also available that lets you have kits mailed to you every three, six, or 12 months for a discounted price. Let’sGetChecked accepts FSA and HSA payments.
You get your results on LetsGetChecked’s personalized online dashboard, which highlights any abnormal results and provides a detailed breakdown, including factsheets and next steps. If a result does come back abnormal, you’ll be contacted by a registered nurse who can walk you through next steps and arrange for treatment options, if needed.
See Details
Best for Discreet Shipping
TypeSelf-collection blood
Test for2 to 5 days
Insurance Accepted?Follow up with physician available
Who should use itThose who want to test for herpes discreetly, with an option for physician follow-up if positive.
Let’sGetChecked offers a simple STD test that screens only for chlamydia and gonorrhea for $99. Or you can do the most comprehensive test, which provides a complete STD panel, screening for eight different STDs, including gardnerella and mycoplasma, and costs $249. You can get a 25% off discount here. A subscribe and save option is also available that lets you have kits mailed to you every three, six, or 12 months for a discounted price. Let’sGetChecked accepts FSA and HSA payments.
You get your results on LetsGetChecked’s personalized online dashboard, which highlights any abnormal results and provides a detailed breakdown, including factsheets and next steps. If a result does come back abnormal, you’ll be contacted by a registered nurse who can walk you through next steps and arrange for treatment options, if needed.
See Details
The purpose of at-home testing for genital and oral herpes is to look for evidence of past exposure to HSV and cannot distinguish between past and present HSV infections.
Knowing whether a patient has had an HSV infection can play a role in diagnosis, prevention, and screening for herpes simplex viruses and their potential complications.
There are two types of herpes simplex viruses:
Although HSV-2 is most often associated with genital herpes, both types of HSV can cause an oral or genital infection.
There are different ways that an at-home blood test for oral and gentical herpes may be used:
At-home genital and oral herpes testing detects antibodies to the herpes simplex virus. Antibodies are produced by a person’s immune system to defend the body against a potentially harmful substance, called an antigen.
Antibodies to HSV are only present in patients who have been infected with HSV at some point in their life. At-home genital and oral herpes tests cannot distinguish between a new or recent infection and an infection that occured in the past.
Antibodies to HSV are specific to the type of HSV and develop within a few weeks of being exposed to the virus but may take longer depending on the type of herpes. Antibodies to HSV remain in the body indefinitely. Some at-home kits test for only one type of herpes while others test for both HSV-1 and HSV2.
After a person’s first outbreak of genital or oral herpes, the virus initially infects a person’s skin cells and eventually moves to their nerve cells. The virus may stay inactive in the nerve cells forever without causing another outbreak, or it may become active again in the future.
At-home herpes tests usually just require a couple of drops of blood. You’ll get a test kit in the mail that will have a lancet to do a finger prick, as well as items to collect and protect your sample. Most labs send you detailed instructions and a prepaid shipping package to mail back your sample.
At-home herpes tests can help confirm that you have herpes. Though it may not be as accurate as a full in-person blood test in a lab, it could be a good option for someone who is hesitant or unable to see a doctor or visit a lab in person. In choosing a herpes test, you might want to find one that tests for both HSV-1 and HSV-2, has discreet packaging.
To decide if at-home genital and oral herpes testing is right for you, it’s important to remember that this form of testing has both benefits and downsides.
Benefits of at-home genital and oral herpes testing include:
The downsides of at-home genital and oral herpes testing include:
As you consider the benefits and downsides of at-home genital and oral herpes testing, it may be helpful to talk with a doctor or other health professional about testing for HSV in your specific case. It is especially important to talk with a doctor if you have active symptoms of a herpes infection.
There are many different types of at-home herpes tests available, and it’s important to consider what type of herpes testing you’re looking for when selecting an at-home herpes test. The following sections provide information about top picks for at-home herpes testing:
At-home herpes tests were reviewed based on value, convenience, and availability of tests. These overall factors are based on data including price, insurance acceptance, comprehensiveness of tests, and how quickly you can get results and speak to a doctor. Herpes test selections have been screened by Testing.com’s Medical Review Board.
Best Overall
LGC
At-Home Herpes Test
Price ( Save 25% with code TESTING25 )$119
TypeSelf-collection blood
SampleBlood
Results timeline2 to 5 days
Tests forCLIA approved and CAP-accredited labs are used, and sample collection kits are manufactured in an ISO 13485 accredited facility.
Accepts insuranceFollow up with nurses available
Physician follow upFollow up with nurses available
Prescriptions offeredPossible, depending on your state
LetsGetChecked offers one of the few at-home options to test for two herpes simplex viruses: HSV-1, most often associated with oral herpes, and HSV-2, generally associated with genital herpes. This comprehensive approach, combined with their quick results, makes the Herpes Test from LetsGetChecked our pick for the best overall at-home herpes test.
The test kit provides everything you need to collect a small sample of blood at home, place it into a tube, and send it back to a CLIA-approved lab to be analyzed.
Please contact UPS to arrange a pickup before you collect your sample. You should collect your sample on the same day as the pickup is scheduled for. Visit the UPS pickup scheduling page or call 1-800-742-5877 to schedule a pickup to return your sample. You’ll be asked to provide some information including your tracking number, address, and pickup day and time. Please keep your tracking number to help you monitor your package.
Once your sample arrives at one of LetsGetChecked’s partner labs, it’s tested for both HSV-1 and HSV-2. You can view your results in your secure online account within 2 to 5 days, though some users report that they had trouble accessing their results.
If your test results are positive for HSV-1 or HSV-2, you can speak with a nurse at LetsGetChecked 24/7 to answer your questions and provide treatment recommendations.
LetsGetChecked tests for both HSV-1 and HSV-2, and has a good reputation for strong customer service and follow-up support with a nurse. This provides patients with a bit more peace of mind throughout the process.
Anyone who wants to get tested for both HSV-1 and HSV-2 discreetly at home can get it done with this one test.
Best for Discreet Shipping
MLB
At-Home Herpes Test
Price$89 (Save 20% with code Testing20)
TypeSelf-collection blood
SampleBlood
Results timeline2 to 5 days
Tests forCAP and CLIA certified
Accepts insuranceFollow up with physician available
Physician follow upFollow up with physician available
Prescriptions offeredYes
The At-Home Herpes Test from myLAB Box is our top pick for discreet shipping. Test kits are shipped in inconspicuous packaging and include a low-profile return envelope. Shipping is also fast and free in both directions.
Testing for HSV-2 is simple with myLAB Box. Order your test kit online, collect a blood sample at home, and return your sample to the lab. If you test positive, myLAB Box will provide a free phone consultation with a physician to discuss your results. The benefit of this is that they can call in a prescription for you to get you started on treatment.
Testing at myLAB Box is conducted at CLIA-certified laboratories that are qualified to perform high-complexity clinical testing. In 2-5 days, you will receive an email with a link to where you can access your results on myLAB Box’s secure online portal.
Note: These tests are temporarily not available in New York state.
In most cases, if you’re ordering an at-home herpes test, it’s because your privacy is important to you. myLAB Box’s shipping materials did the best job at keeping things discreet.
If you are sexually active, you and a new partner may want to test together.
The results of at-home genital and oral herpes testing detail whether antibodies to HSV were detected in the blood sample used for testing. A patient’s test report may describe results as negative, positive, or inconclusive.
A positive test result means that antibodies to HSV were found in the sample. This result means that a patient was infected with HSV at some point. A test for HSV antibodies cannot tell if they are having a current outbreak or if the virus is dormant. Blood antibody testing also cannot determine if an infection is oral or genital.
A negative result means that antibodies to HSV were not found in the test sample. There are several potential causes of a negative test result:
An inconclusive result may occur if the finger isn’t sufficiently disinfected or if an inadequate amount of blood sample is collected.
An at-home genital and oral herpes test report may also include information about the type of antibodies detected in the blood sample. Determining whether a patient’s infection was caused by HSV-1 or HSV-2 can help guide a patient’s medical care.
Testing is an important step in accurately diagnosing genital and oral herpes, and there are several types of tests that may be used to establish a diagnosis. Although blood antibody testing is appropriate for some patients, it’s not considered the most accurate way of diagnosing a current HSV infection. Experts have several concerns about using blood testing to diagnose genital and oral herpes:
Although there are drawbacks to at-home genital and oral herpes tests, there are situations in which blood antibody testing may be appropriate. Patients interested in at-home genital and oral herpes testing should talk to their doctor about their individual circumstances and the accuracy of test results.
Follow-up testing may be necessary to confirm or rule out a diagnosis of genital or oral herpes. In general, confirmation testing using a different laboratory method than the first test is recommended after HSV antibody testing conducted with a blood sample.
If a patient receives a negative test result but has symptoms that are suggestive of genital or oral herpes, doctors may recommend additional testing. This also applies to patients who may have been exposed to HSV within the previous 12 weeks or before sufficient antibodies can develop in the body.
For patients who receive a positive test result, additional testing may be needed if the original blood antibody test didn’t identify the type of HSV causing a patient’s infection.
If a patient is confirmed to have genital or oral herpes, their doctor may recommend treatment. While there is no cure for an HSV infection, treatment for herpes can reduce outbreaks and decrease the likelihood of spreading HSV to sexual partners. For most, HSV infections may result in only minor health problems, but for some, significant complications may occur.
The following questions about the results of at-home genital and oral herpes testing may be helpful for patients to discuss with their doctor:
There are significant differences between genital and oral herpes tests conducted at-home and those ordered by a doctor.
Several important tests used to diagnose genital and oral herpes are not available as at-home tests. Herpes viral cultures and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, both of which are only conducted in-lab, are the preferred tests for patients during a genital or oral herpes outbreak.
Although in-lab testing is more appropriate for most patients, it can be inconvenient and may cost more than at-home testing.
If you have any questions on herpes rapid test. We will give the professional answers to your questions.