Confused about rash, please give me your 2 cents

[RoninMA]

About 1 1/2 weeks ago I developed what appeared to be, and felt like, a single pimple on the base of my penis. Actually, it's about 1 inch up the shaft, from the base of the penis.

I know in my life (and I'm 35 now) that I've had a pimple in my genital area before. It was very sore, so the only thing that I could think of to do was to pop it.  When I popped it of course a little blood and fluid ran out. I didn't wash it at the time (hindsight is 20/20) and basically let it be.

Well, a couple of days later the popped pimple area had got a little bigger and it was painful to the touch. Another small red spot developed right under the glan (I am circumsized) and it too is sore, but nothing that can be popped, nor is there an area of anything that looks like it could be filled with puss or anything.. could be coincidence.

Last year I developed a rash there and it was a little bit different, but the doctor prescribed Elocon and it cleared right up.  This time he refilled that presciption (over the phone without looking at it) and it didn't clear up so fast. So I went in to see him fearing the worst.  He looked at it and didn't think it was Herpes and prescribed Mentax. He said to try that for 5 days and if it didn't clear up that he wanted me to come back in and he'd do a swab that would be sent to the lab.

So, the reason that I'm concerned is that 3 weeks ago I had sex with someone new. I used a condom the first time, but then as we were laying there, she wanted me inside her again without a condom.  So I did it.. but I didn't stay there long, nor did I orgasm. I contacted her this week about this and of course she is freaked out now too. She said that she's had no symptoms of anything that could be herpes although she had a yeast infection the next week. She used her usual medicine for that and it's already cleared up. She is swearing to me that she's never had unprotected sex (in recent years) and that it's been months since she had unprotected sex with her ex-husband. She even offered to show me a copy of her medical records from the last 10 years because she's feeling so defensive.

So right now I'm in the waiting period and it's driving me nuts. The Mentax seems to be helping, but the area is still sore. Around the intial area there are a couple of more sore spots, and they are all right there together. I'm thinking that the stuff that came out of the original, single pimple, infected the skin around it.

I've scoured the interet trying to compare pictures of known herpes patients and myself and I've only found one that slightly resembles it, and I think it's because their sores had already burst, so naturally it kind of looked like mine. But I didn't have that puffy sore looking bumps to begin with like  most of the pictures that I have seen.

I know that without actually seeing me that you can't give a diagnosis, but I'm freaked out of course and would like your honest opinion. Is it hopefully just a pimple that I originally squeezed?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

My honest opinion is that this is not herpes, and that your assessment is correct, namely that this is a pimple you squeezed.  The description and course of events point to that, and not to herpes.  Please have your doctor confirm this, but I frankly think you have nothing to worry about.  The pimple will go away itself over a week or two.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff

[ROAD RUNNER]

Just another comment Doc, the yellow heads on the right side are now gone doc, would that be normal for this condition.  The ones on the left are still there.

[ROAD RUNNER]

Hey Doc Just a quick question i wrote you yesterday regarding the white heads on my lip that you said are probally Fordyce's condition.  Well you are right there yellow but just a quick question.  These yellow things that look almost like a grain of salt under the skin seem to be able to move.  I mean they dont move around like a bug or anything but if i mess with the skin i can move them around.  Also can these things cause a little swelling like a zit or something because i always notice a little swelling but you cant notice unless i press on the inside of my lip with my tounge.  The ones on the left side of my cheek are a little larger then the ones on the right the ones on the left are almost the side of a grain of salt and theres only about 7-8 of them.  The ones on the other side are about 30 there the size of a needle head but really close togeather.  If these things do cause a little swelling that i can ever notice unless i press out on my lip should i have them removed.  When i look at these things for some reason i think of plaque for some reason.  You know like hardened plaque.  Well Doc thanks for your help.

[RoninMA]

Also, it could have been a small boil.

I was relieved to find one article by a doctor that said that the penis is subject to many types of infections and irritations.  However, I've not been able to find any articles or posts, about anyone with the same problem. I've not had any of the accompanying symptoms that come with herpes either like pain urinating, itching, fever, etc.

I imagine that many of the people that read this board are just like me. Uneducated about it and scared. I do not want to go back in to the docs to be "cultured" although that would give me comfort if it wasn't herpes. I read the post by someone else on another thread saying that no one should be afraid to be tested...  yeah.. right!

thanks,
Ron