Herpeses are a common viral infection that causes painful blisters on the skin or mucous membranes. There are various synonyms for the word "herpeses", such as cold sores, fever blisters, genital herpes, oral herpes, and herpes simplex virus infection. While cold sores and fever blisters are usually associated with oral herpes, genital herpes refers to the herpes simplex virus infection that affects the genital area. Some people may also use the terms herpes simplex 1 and herpes simplex 2 to describe oral and genital herpes, respectively. Regardless of the term used, herpeses are highly contagious and can be spread through sexual or close physical contact.