Infection

Medically reviewed by Dr. A.M. van Coevorden, dermatologist, on 12 November 2026

About 6 minutes to read

Shinglesherpes zoster

Learn what shingles is, how to recognise it and which treatments are available. We explain it step by step.

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What is shingles?

Shingles (medical name: herpes zoster) is a skin condition caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. Each year about 3 in 1,000 people get shingles, especially people with a weakened immune system.

How do you get shingles?

After chickenpox, the virus stays in a nerve ganglion next to the spinal cord for the rest of your life, without symptoms. In certain circumstances it becomes active again and grows along the nerve pathways to the skin. Then it is called shingles. Why the virus reactivates is not certain; it probably has to do with reduced resistance, but healthy people can get it too.

People more likely to get shingles are:

older people (their resistance is often already lower)
seriously ill people
people taking immunosuppressant medicines
people receiving radiotherapy

What symptoms does shingles cause?

Shingles can appear anywhere, but is usually on the torso (50%), often in a band that wraps around one side like a belt. It can also appear on the arms (20%) or face (15%). The rash is usually on one side of the body, in the area of a single nerve. The skin can be tender first, and you may feel ill with a headache and fever. After that, red bumps with blisters appear, which dry into crusts after 2 to 4 weeks.

Please note

Are the blisters near the eye or on the nose? Then always have a doctor look at it: inflammation of the eye can develop.

Is shingles contagious?

Yes. Shingles is contagious to anyone who has not yet had chickenpox. Stay away from newborns, pregnant women and people with a weakened immune system.

How does the doctor make the diagnosis?

The doctor recognises shingles from the combination of how your skin looks and your symptoms. To confirm the diagnosis, the blister fluid is sometimes tested for the virus.

What treatments are available?

Usually no treatment needed

In healthy people shingles heals on its own. You can dry out the blisters with zinc oxide oil if you like, which also lowers the chance of a bacterial infection.

Pain relief

For pain you can take paracetamol. If that is not enough, ask your doctor for stronger pain relief.

Antiviral medicines

For shingles on the face or with an immune disorder, treatment is with aciclovir, valaciclovir or famciclovir. These work best when the infection has only just begun.

Does shingles go away?

In healthy people shingles heals on its own; sometimes scars remain. After healing, the skin can stay painful because the virus has affected the nerves, especially in older people and with shingles on the face. Good pain relief is then important. You can get shingles more than once in your life.

Can you prevent shingles?

You cannot always prevent shingles. In the Netherlands, there is a vaccine that lowers your risk of getting shingles. It also lowers the risk of long-lasting pain afterwards. The ages and the information about payment in this section apply to the Netherlands.

Who can have it? In the Netherlands, you can have the vaccine if you are 50 or older. If you are 18 or older and at higher risk of shingles, for example because of HIV, an organ transplant or some cancer treatments, you can have it too.

How does it work? You need 2 doses, 2 to 6 months apart. The vaccine protects for 4 years and probably longer, up to 10 years. In the Netherlands, you can have it at your local public health service (GGD). Some GP practices offer it too.

What does it do? Without the vaccine, 40 in 10,000 people have long-lasting pain after shingles. After the vaccine, 4 in 10,000 do.

What are the downsides? Most people in the Netherlands pay for the vaccine themselves. You may get a fever, muscle pain, tiredness or a headache. The injection site can be sore, itchy and swollen. This usually passes within 3 days.

Have you had shingles before? You usually do not get it a second time. If you do, the vaccine probably lowers the risk of long-lasting pain.

Talk to your GP about whether vaccination is right for you. Call your GP straight away if you have blisters on your face, eye pain or your vision suddenly gets worse. For other symptoms: A dermatologist reviews your photos and symptoms. Choose whether you'd like a response within 12, 24 or 48 hours.

What can you do yourself?

Cover the skin, for example with a dressing, to reduce pain and irritation. Prevent blister fluid from coming into contact with babies, pregnant women and people with a weakened immune system. If the blisters break open, apply zinc oxide oil to prevent bacterial infection.

Frequently asked questions about shingles

Not sure whether this needs a look? Have a dermatologist assess it: you get an answer within 12 to 48 hours, no referral needed. In an emergency, contact your GP straight away or call 112.

Is shingles the same virus as chickenpox?

Yes. Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. After chickenpox the virus stays in the body and can return later as shingles.

Can I infect others?

Yes, people who have not yet had chickenpox can be infected through the blister fluid. Stay away from newborns, pregnant women and people with a weakened immune system.

Why does the pain sometimes last so long?

The virus affects the nerves. As a result the pain (postherpetic neuralgia) can last for months to years, especially in older people and with shingles on the face. Good pain relief is then important.

Do I need antiviral medicines?

In healthy people usually not: shingles heals on its own. For shingles on the face or with reduced immunity, yes, ideally started as early as possible.

Can shingles come back?

Yes, you can get shingles more than once in your life. If it happens often, your doctor may consider giving antiviral tablets daily.

Is there a vaccine for shingles?

Yes. In the Netherlands, you can have the shingles vaccine if you are 50 or older. If you are 18 or older and at higher risk of shingles, you can have it too. These ages apply to the Netherlands. You need 2 doses. In the Netherlands, you can have the vaccine at your local public health service (GGD). Read more under 'Can you prevent shingles?'. Talk to your GP about whether vaccination is right for you.

How long is the incubation period for shingles?

Shingles develops when the virus that causes chickenpox becomes active again. Because the virus is already in your body, there is no incubation period in the usual sense. Most people caught the virus as a child, when they had chickenpox. It stays in the spinal cord and does nothing. Sometimes it becomes active again years later. Doctors do not know why.

If you catch chickenpox, spots appear within 3 weeks.

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If more is needed, the dermatologist refers you to a medical specialist.

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Sources and more information

Sources: Dutch Society of Dermatology and Venereology (NVDV) and Huid Nederland.

Painful blisters in one spot?