Shingles is more common among younger people.
Shingles , also known as herpes zoster , is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a localized area . While more common among older people , children may also get the disease . The number of new cases per year ranges from 1.2 -- 3.4 per 1,000 among healthy individuals to 3.9 -- 11.8 per 1,000 among those older than 65 years of age .