People often wonder whether it is possible to get chickenpox twice. The answer is yes, although this is rare. For most people, one infection is thought to develop lifelong immunity. Getting chickenpox twice is more common in people who are immunocompromised.
For most people, following chickenpox, the varicella zoster virus moves into nerves located in the spinal cord. Here, the virus rests and, in some cases, causes no symptoms again. In other cases, the varicella virus can reactivate, causing herpes zoster (shingles).
(Click Adult Chickenpox to learn more about chickenpox in adults.)