Bump on Penis

[leo37]

Doctor, about six weeks ago while training for a half marathon I noticed a small red spot with a hair coming out of it about 1/4 the way up the shaft of my penis. I left it alone, but grew very nervous and pinched it until something came out. It had a little blood and a little clear liquid. This only happend when I pinched it real hard and used a safety pin to open. I went to my GP and he said he wasn't sure what it was, but wanted to treat it like Herpes. I imeediately wanted to vomit, but he said he wasn't sure because I destroyed the evidence. It eventually healed up and went away, but soemtimes it gets a little pink in the spot. I think it might be from anxiety.About two weeks ago I was having a horrible time with dry skin on my penis and shaved away the hair and nicked a penis papule, at least I think I did. This spot is actually at the bottom of the shaft. It bled and has gone through some stages. It doesn't look like the original bump because it never raised up released any kind of fluid, it just had a piece of dried skin over it. I thought it would heal after I went to the dermatologist. He said It didn't look like an STD, but gave me Valtrex. Before my current girlfriend I hadn't had sex since 08/04. I never experienced anything like this and was scared to death. My anxiety has gotten the best of me. I have had penis papules for well over a year and had been examined several times thinking it was something much worse. My gp said it was nothing to be alarmed of. Then I had the problem with these two situations. My question is. Is it possible to have a penis papule become infected for some unknown reason. I am extremely bothered by it because I didn't have sex for so long and my girlfriend said she was clean. I have been tested for everything and it all came back negative. I am trying to figure out what else could it be? I have absolutely no clue how I would have gotten Herpes. I have only been with two girls in four years. Is there anything else it could be besides Herpes? I am real concerned and I am afraid that I might lose my girlfriend if that is the case. Fortunately we have never had unprotected sex. We have been careful every single time. Please help ease my mind.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I don't think you have herpes.  I think you have some blocked follicles that you picked at.  I wish doctors wouldn't do things like, "he wasn't sure what it was, but wanted to treat it like Herpes."  My advice is to ask your doctor to order a type-specific herpes 2 blood test.  If it's negative, and I think it will be, that's pretty conclusive evidence that the bumps never were herpes.  At that point you should forget about herpes and move on.  If in future you get a bump that worries you, please don't pick at it so as to "destroy the evidence," and show it to a doctor who knows what herpes looks like.  In fact, don;t pick at all, and get whatever help and counseling you need to get past your anxiety and not have to put your relationship on indefinite hold.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[leo37]

The second spot seemed to have gone away virtually and it showed a little dry skin and I started messing with it. Now it is a little red around the area. It would remind you of a bee sting. I put Neosporin on it last night twice, but it doesn't seem much better. I am extremely worried because I told my girlfriend everything cleared up and now there is this little area. She was already worried, but after the dermatology appointment I thought it eased her mind. I just don't understand how this happened especially since I hadn't had any sex with anyone for well over a year when this all started to happen. I finished taking a 7 day cycle of Valtrex that was prescribed. Can this still be present based on worrying and anxiety. I tend to worry about everything.