Mucocutaneous herpes simplex infection Lesions may appear anywhere on the skin or mucosa but are most frequent in the following locations: Mouth or lips (perioral infection) Genitals Conjunctiva and cornea Generally, after a prodromal period (typically < 6 hours in recurrent HSV-1) of tingling discomfort or itching, clusters of small, tense vesicles appear on an erythematous base.