Protect yourself from shingles 

Adults age 50 and older should get the shingles vaccine.

Shingles (also called herpes zoster) affects the nerves and skin. It causes a painful rash with blisters, usually in one area of the body. It is caused by the chickenpox virus (varicella-zoster virus).

If you had chickenpox in the past, the virus stays in your body. It can become active again later in life and cause shingles.

Shingles Vaccine

All adults age 50 and older should get two doses of the shingles vaccine called Shingrix. This vaccine helps prevent shingles and its complications.

Get the second dose 2 to 6 months after the first dose. If you have a weakened immune system, you may get the second dose 1 to 2 months after the first.

You should get Shingrix even if you:

• Have had shingles before
• Got an older shingles vaccine (Zostavax)
• Got the chickenpox vaccine

Shingrix became the preferred shingles vaccine in 2017. The older vaccine, Zostavax, is no longer available in the United States. If you had Zostavax in the past, you should still get Shingrix. Talk with your healthcare provider about the best time to get vaccinated. 

If you have had shingles before, Shingrix can help prevent it from coming back. You do not need to wait a specific amount of time after shingles has healed before getting the vaccine.

Post-Herpetic Neuralgia

The most common complication of shingles is long-lasting nerve pain around the rash. This is called post-herpetic neuralgia. The pain can last for months or even years.

Last Updated May 2026