What to know about shingles in young adults

Shingles is an infection caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Shingles, which leads to very painful skin rashes, is more prevalent in older adults — but young people can get it, too.

You can develop shingles at any time if you’ve had chickenpox previously. Shingles is very common, though it is more likely to develop in younger people with a weakened immune system. The symptoms generally remain the same regardless of age.

Causes 

The varicella-zoster virus, also known as the human herpesvirus 3, causes shingles. This virus is the cause of chickenpox as well. After you’ve recovered from chickenpox, which people usually get during childhood, the virus remains dormant in your body’s cells.

The virus can become active again later in life due to a variety of factors, including a weakened immune system. This is usually a result of the natural aging process, and older adults tend to develop shingles more than younger adults.

But younger people can also develop for various reasons. In fact, the rate of shingles among young people has increased in recent years.

Research from 2023 finds that the incidence of shingles among older adults (age 60 years and older) is 3.9–11.8 per 1,000 people, while the incidence among young people is 1.2–3.4 per 1,000 people.

A weakened immune system can contribute to a young adult developing shingles. Various factors can weaken your immune system, such as:

• an illness
• underlying or chronic health conditions like diabetes, cancer, or HIV
• extreme stress
• medications that suppress your immune system, like corticosteroids

Symptoms

The symptoms of shingles are about the same among younger and older adults. They usually appear in stages.

Symptoms include:

• a painful, tingling, and burning sensation in an area of the skin
• headache
• feeling sick
• the appearance of a rash a few days after the symptoms above
• fever
• tiredness and fatigue
• sensitivity to light
• persistent pain

Key features of a shingles rash to look out for include:

• A shingles rash usually appears on the chest and abdomen, but it can also appear on your scalp, face, eyelids, and genitals.
• It’s usually in the form of a stripe.
• A shingles rash usually appears on one side of your body. If there are rashes on either side of your body, then it’s unlikely to be shingles.

Shingles rashes will eventually become blisters. As the disease advances, the blisters will dry out and clear up.

In younger adults, these symptoms may be milder, but this depends on each individual’s situation and conditions.

Some people with shingles will experience persistent pain, known as postherpetic neuralgia (PHN). But the risk of developing PHN increases with age, and it’s very rare in people younger than age 40, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Treatments

There’s no cure for shingles, but you do have options for reducing the pain and clearing the blisters and rashes more quickly. The duration of shingles symptoms depends on how early the disease is detected and how early it’s treated.

If you have shingles, healthcare professionals will prescribe you antiviral medications. These medications can help shorten the duration of shingles and lower the severity of its symptoms.

Some antiviral medications for shingles include:

• acyclovir (Zovirax)
• famciclovir (Famvir)
• valacyclovir (Valtrex)

Need a refill for valacyclovir (Valtrex)? You may be able to get an online prescription through Optum Perks in as little as 15 minutes. Learn more here.

These antiviral medications need to be administered within 3 days of showing symptoms to be effective. 

Healthcare professionals may also recommend other options to manage the pain and discomfort caused by shingles, such as over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers like ibuprofen (Advil) or acetaminophen (Tylenol). For more severe pain, a doctor might prescribe pain relievers like hydrocodone (Vicodin).

You might also try OTC creams, calamine lotion, oatmeal baths, and wet compresses placed on the rash to relieve discomfort.

Shingles can last for around 4 weeks in total, from the start of your symptoms to feeling completely better, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association. The rash itself generally lasts up to 10 days.

If you need help covering the cost of medications, the free Optum Perks Discount Card could help you save up to 80% on prescription drugs. Follow the links on drug names for savings on that medication, or search for a specific drug here.

Prevention 

If you’ve had chickenpox, the best thing to do to prevent the development of shingles is to get the shingles vaccine, known as Shingrix. It is given in two doses with 2–6 months in between, but you need to get each of these doses only once.

This vaccine is recommended for people who are age 50 years and older, but the CDC also recommends it for people starting at 19 years old if they have a weakened immune system. Talk with a healthcare professional about the possibilities, benefits, and risks of getting a shingles vaccine before the recommended age.

If you got the chickenpox vaccine when you were younger and never developed the condition, the likelihood of developing shingles is lower. Talk with a healthcare professional about whether you need to get a shingles vaccine in this case, taking your health history into account. 

Also, for younger adults without chronic underlying conditions, certain lifestyle measures can help promote overall health and keep your immune system strong. These include:

• eating a balanced diet
• exercising regularly, about 30 minutes per day for 5 days a week
• getting quality rest and sleep
• reducing stress

Summary

Shingles is a health condition caused by the same virus as chickenpox. Shingles is more common in older adults, but it can develop in younger people as well. If you’ve had chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in your system and may reactivate when you’re older.

It’s not exactly known what causes the virus to reactivate as you get older. Several factors can contribute to the development of shingles, such as stress or a weakened immune system caused by chronic health conditions or medication.

The symptoms of shingles are almost the same among older and younger adults.

Some of the symptoms include pain and burning in an area of the skin, a blistering rash, and headache and fever. Symptoms in younger adults may be milder and have a shorter duration than in older people, but this depends on the individual.

Treatment for shingles includes antiviral medications to help reduce the severity and duration of the symptoms, as well as pain relievers.

You can help prevent shingles by receiving a vaccine. The vaccine is usually recommended for older people, but young adults can also get it if they have weaker immune systems.

If you experience any of the signs of shingles, no matter your age, talk with a healthcare professional right away. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are key to easing symptoms and shortening the duration of the condition, as well as preventing complications.

Download the free Optum Perks Discount Card to save up to 80% on some prescription medications.