Herpes or cold sore?

[Worried980]

Hi,

I am a very paranoid person all the time, but I had a question.  In March I was with a person, and we never had sex, I am still a virgin.  But we did have skin to skin contact.  So of course I am paranoid about having herpes, but am not sure.  About in May I noticed a red bump on my bikini line.  I am prone to skin irritations and razor burn, infected hair follicles, etc.  And I do shave my bikini area.  But the hair was growing back when this occurred.  It was only one red bump that looked like a pimple or something and when I tried to release it only blood came out and then there was like no more bump.  It went flat.  Could this be a sign of herpes or is it possibly not?  I also had a question about a cold sore.  It is in the corner of my mouth where the lower lip meets the upper lip and it is just a slightly reddened area barely raised above the skin.  It never blistered or developed into an ulcer or crusted over.  Of course I irritated it trying to pick at it and whatnot, but it never developed into a blister.

Thanks

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Neither sounds like herpes.  The bump down below is most likely a blocked follicle.  Just leave it alone and it should go away.

Herpes of the mouth generally affects the skin at the lip margin, but not at that corner of the mouth--that's just an irritation known as angular stomatitis.  Saliva builds up there at night, etc.  Yours sounds too mild to bother treating at this point.  If it gets unpleasant--red, irritated -- show a doctor.

And work on that paranoia . . .

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[Lgurl]

Hi, I have a pimple right above the center of my lip. Is that herpes simplex-1? Is herpes that contagious? I don't have any other lesions and i've only kissed my boyfriend, but that's it. Is it just a pimple or what? If you could answer my questions, that would be so great.

-confused and oblivious

[Worried980]

Just to add, as in several other responses and posts...I am extremely paranoid and often think the worst of things.  I also wanted to add, the red bump on my bikini line never became a blister and it never hurt.

[CHADDY]

I get those kinds of bumps all the time on my lips ever since I was a child.  I don't think they are anything to worry about.  About the bump in your bikini area, to me, it sounds like an ingrown hair, and if it didn't blister and it went flat after you released it, I would certainly not think that it's herpes.  For the bump on your lip, if it's a cold sore, then you might want to get some abreva and put on it and it will help it heal up quicker, atleast it does with mine.  
I'm not a doctor, but that's what I've been through with those sorts of things.  Mine have went away and have never been any big deal at all.  I hope your's isn't either.  Wishing you the best.  Take care.  Chad