About 30% of people in the U.S. will have shingles at some time in their lives. About half of Americans aged 85 years and older have had at least one case of shingles. People can get shingles more than once.

Shingles (herpes zoster) is caused by the reactivation of the chickenpox virus (varicella zoster) in the body.

Once you have had chickenpox, the virus never leaves your body. The virus hides in the nerves beside the spinal cord. Years later, the virus can become active and move along those nerves to the skin. This causes the painful rash. Where the rash occurs depends on where the virus hides along a person’s spine. If you have never had chickenpox, you can get it from someone with shingles.

Risk Factors

The following factors increase your risk of getting shingles:

• Older age, especially being older than 60 years–the older you are, the higher the risk. This is the primary risk factor.
• A weak immune system
• Physical and mental stress
• A chickenpox infection before reaching one year old

Last Updated October 2022