Folliculitis or Something Else?

I have recently had unprotected sex with a woman that I have been monogomous with for about 1 year.  The sexual encounter occured late at night and the morning before I had shaved my pubic region.  During our sexual encounters she likes to be on top of me and press down with force with her pubic bone onto my lower abdomen.  In fact, several days after the encounters I experience soreness on the lower abdominal muscles.  One day after our recent encounter I noticed about 4 red spots that looked like infected hair follicles.  They were around the base of my penis right in the shaven area, but not on the penis.  I tried using neosporin for a couple of days with no real improvement.  After about 4 days it began to spread and look like a rash.  I have not shaved since and underneath the hair there has developed what looks like poisin ivy.  It appears to be spreading and is itching as well.  The blisters look exactly like poison ivy and have actually responded to the use of Diprolene cream.  The spreading seeems to have slowed but not improving.  None of the blisters are on the penis or testicle area.  Are these blisters common of folliculits or could it be HV?  I felt as though the rubbing and irritation of the sexual encounter coupled with the shaving may have caused the irritation.  Should I be tested or continue with the treatment of the area as I have described?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I think you may have a bacterial infection (impetigo), though it may just be folliculitis.  Herpes seems much less likely.  You really ought to see a doctor--a walk-in clinic would be fine if that's all you can access on short notice.  Bacterial infections may need antibiotics, and you could use a definitive diagnosis in any case.  (You don't have to catch bacteria, by the way--they live on the skin sometimes and congregate where there's sweat and trauma.

Not to worry--just get it looked at and treated.  Meantime, apply bacitracin or neosporin.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff