Question: how long does an initial oral herpes outbreak last?
Answer: For this reason, people with active herpes lesions on or around the mouth or on the genitals should avoid oral sex. The first symptoms usually appear within 1 or 2 weeks—and as late as 3 weeks—after contact with an infected person. The lesions of herpes labialis usually last for 7 to 10 days, then begin to resolve.