Shingles is a painful blistering rash that is most common in older adults. Once you have had chickenpox, you can get shingles because the chickenpox virus stays in the nerve root. Stress, aging, and other immunity weakness are thought to reactivate the virus, causing the painful outbreak. You can receive a vaccine to prevent shingles and dermatologists recommend the vaccine for everyone over 60. A child not yet vaccinated against chicken pox can catch chicken pox (not shingles) by contact with the open sore.