A pimple and herpes can be easily confused for each other simply because they look very similar. However, there are some differences between the two. A pimple is an inflamed spot on the surface of the skin filled with pus and can be very painful. On the other hand, herpes is a viral infection that causes watery blisters to be formed on the surface of the skin. Although both can be very painful and look very alike, pimples appear as single sores, whereas herpes causes the inflammation of the skin in clusters.
Pimples are mostly formed in the face and can also be noticed at the neck. In contrast, herpes can occur in the skin or mucous membranes or on the genitals. Herpes sores that form in the face or near the mouth are caused by the infection of herpes simplex virus type-1, while the ones that form on the genitals are caused by the infection of herpes simplex virus type-2. With regular washing, pimples can be cured, but herpes will require the use of medication.