Contradictory herpes information

There seems to be a lot of contradictory herpes information on the web. Many sites suggest that it can look like virtually anything.

Over the past few years, I've driven my family doctor as well as my dermatologist pretty crazy with this. I am a very rational educated professional but I don't seem to be very rational when it comes to this. Every time I get any redness, which is never accompanied by pain or itching, I feel compelled to see the doctor.

Both physicians have told me time and again that herpes = blisters. It can be accompanied by redness, but that, they have said, is not enough in and of itself. Is this basically true?

I feel foolish still worrying when several physicians have told me not to be concerned. But some of the information out there says that herpes can be anything from a mild rash to full-out blistering, and that many times doctors mis-diagnose it. My doctor told me that while reoccurances can be milder, a first occurance will display blistering and possibly other symptoms.

I can tell from reading some of your other posts that you get this question often. My doctor told me to stop self-diagnosing, and redness alone is nothing to worry about. Do you agree with that, and can you tell me why some of the information I've been seeing on the web is so contradictory to what I've been told by physicians?

I've literally had about a dozen diagnoses of dermatitis or folliculitis, never herpes, and I can't keep running back to the doctors all the time. I'm starting to feel silly...

Thanks.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Herpes causes blisters, not redness.

Having said that, there are always atypical presentations of every disease.  Herpes can on rare occasions look different from the classic presentation.  The way to cut through the obsessive worry such uncommon exceptions can generate is to get proper physical diagnosis--you already did that--and to supplement it with herpes blood testing, using one of the newer, glycoprotein-based blood tests.   Do yourself a favor and get one.  And consider getting some counseling as well, to help you (and your family) past this obsessive concern.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff