3 Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Shingles and Its Complications

Shingles itself can be painful, itchy, and uncomfortable. Worse, shingles may cause serious or dangerous complications. A few factors have been shown to help reduce the risk of these shingles complications.

“Most people are eligible to get the vaccine starting at 50 years old,” says Peter DeMarco, MD, Family Medicine Physician at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “If you have a condition that can suppress your immune system, you may be eligible [sooner] starting at 19 years old.”

Keep in mind that the shingles vaccine is still recommended if you can’t remember whether you’ve had chickenpox or if you’ve gotten the chickenpox vaccine. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist to learn more about your eligibility for the shingles vaccine.

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Written by:

Lauren Smith, MA

Lauren Smith, MA, has worked in health journalism since 2017. Before joining GoodRx, she was the senior health editor and writer for HealthiNation.

Reviewed by:

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP, has more than 15 years of experience as an attending pediatrician. She has worked in a large academic center in an urban city, a small community hospital, a private practice, and an urgent care clinic.

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