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Dermatology (Expert Forum)
Could this be Herpes?
Answered by
Alan Rockoff, MD - dermatology, Child Skin Problems
The Rockoff Dermatology Center
Brookline - MA
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Could this be Herpes?
by Fegnomashic, Nov 20, 2003 12:00AM
Approx 12 hours after having sex I developed about 6-10 red bumps around the base of my penis. Every one had a hair in the center and not one was above my hair line. I had no lesions on my glans or shaft and all of the bumps were scattered and not clusteres. I had shaved about 8 hours before sex that day too.
Well my girlfriend also developed about 3 bumps around her groin that looked exactly the same. She waxes her mons and was letting it grow out for the next wax. Well that morning (12 hours after) she decided to pick at them and pull the hair out. About a day later she noticed a few more around her groin and near her anus. At that point she decided to shave the whole area again.
About a day or two after that she developed more of a rash around her anus and along the labia major. She didn't have any lesions on her labia mainor or clitoris and had no internal vaginal syptoms (symptoms) or lesions. Also all the bumps on her were scattered and had hair in the center.
About another day or two later she and I went swimming. I was fine and everything was pretty much better. I could still see some redness around the hair follicles but no more zit like areas. Well after we went swimming she developed more pus like bumps around the rash she had. On her labia major she had a cluster of pus-filled whitish bumps and a large pus filled one her buttock on the opposite side (It looked like that impetigo kids get).
The next morning she went to the doctor. The doctor took one look at her and told her she had herpes and had just got it about a week or two ago. The doctor didn't ask any history or anything. She just said she had herpes, gave her an antiviral and took a blood test and viral culture.
This is freaking me out. I have never had an STD and have been with one other person. She has also never had an STD. Neither of us had any flu like syptoms (symptoms) and she swears up and down she has never had anything like this. Also I didn't have any clustered "blister-like" lesions only the red bumps surrounding hair.
Did we somehow get herpes at the same time?
Please give me some information.
Well my girlfriend also developed about 3 bumps around her groin that looked exactly the same. She waxes her mons and was letting it grow out for the next wax. Well that morning (12 hours after) she decided to pick at them and pull the hair out. About a day later she noticed a few more around her groin and near her anus. At that point she decided to shave the whole area again.
About a day or two after that she developed more of a rash around her anus and along the labia major. She didn't have any lesions on her labia mainor or clitoris and had no internal vaginal syptoms (symptoms) or lesions. Also all the bumps on her were scattered and had hair in the center.
About another day or two later she and I went swimming. I was fine and everything was pretty much better. I could still see some redness around the hair follicles but no more zit like areas. Well after we went swimming she developed more pus like bumps around the rash she had. On her labia major she had a cluster of pus-filled whitish bumps and a large pus filled one her buttock on the opposite side (It looked like that impetigo kids get).
The next morning she went to the doctor. The doctor took one look at her and told her she had herpes and had just got it about a week or two ago. The doctor didn't ask any history or anything. She just said she had herpes, gave her an antiviral and took a blood test and viral culture.
This is freaking me out. I have never had an STD and have been with one other person. She has also never had an STD. Neither of us had any flu like syptoms (symptoms) and she swears up and down she has never had anything like this. Also I didn't have any clustered "blister-like" lesions only the red bumps surrounding hair.
Did we somehow get herpes at the same time?
Please give me some information.
Doctor's Answer
by Alan Rockoff, MD, Nov 20, 2003 12:00AM
, Nov 20, 2003 12:00AM
The story doesn't fit herpes very well. The description of both your condition matches folliculitis, not herpes. The fact that both of you got it at the same time also points to folliculitis. If your girlfriend's doctor took a culture at a time when there were active lesions, then the culture should likely be positive--if it isn't, then that would argue against herpes as well.
I think you need another opinion. If both of you are clear and there's nothing to see, then you may want to wait 6-8 weeks and have herpes blood tests, just for reassurance. (There really isn't a better way to rule it out if there's nothing to see, even though the doctor's diagnosis may have been hasty and perhaps in error.)
Best.
Dr. Rockoff
I think you need another opinion. If both of you are clear and there's nothing to see, then you may want to wait 6-8 weeks and have herpes blood tests, just for reassurance. (There really isn't a better way to rule it out if there's nothing to see, even though the doctor's diagnosis may have been hasty and perhaps in error.)
Best.
Dr. Rockoff
