Overview
Herpes zoster, commonly known as shingles, is caused by the same virus responsible for chicken pox. After the initial exposure, herpes zoster lies dormant in certain nerve fibers. It may become active as a result of many factors such as: aging, stress, suppression of the immune system, and certain medications.
Because of the layout of the nerves that herpes zoster resides in, it only affects one side of the body or face during an outbreak. It begins as a rash that lead