19 Percent Women Are More Vulnerable To Firepox, Why?

Illustration of smallpox (istockphoto)

Firepox or known as herpes zoster is a skin disease caused by the reactivation of the variella-zoster virus, the same virus that causes waterpox. This disease is characterized by a skin rash that is painful and contains lephahan, usually only appears on one side of the body.

Volcano disease is usually experienced by people aged 50 years and over. However, this disease is 19 percent more susceptible to women than men.

"There is research showing that for women, the risk (firepox) is 19 percent higher," said the Country Medical Director of GSK Indonesia, dr. Calvin Kwan, when met in the Thamrin area, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, July 22, 2025.

Firepox is more susceptible to women over the age of 50 due to hormonal imbalance. At that age, women will generally experience menopause that can interfere with their physical and psychological behavior, ending in an increased risk of certain diseases, including smallpox.

One of the reasons is because there is hormonal reliance (horm imbalance). That's usually hormonal reward, when it's premenopause, and so on," he explained.

However, the occurrence of smallpox is not only influenced by gender. This disease generally occurs at the age of 50 and over because at that age the immune system will decrease.

Therefore, it is recommended by everyone to maintain their health, by maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle from an early age in order to reduce the risk of developing smallpox. It is also recommended to get the herpes zoster vaccine for adults, to further reduce the risk of developing smallpox.