Is this Herpes?

[concerned67]

A few days ago I noticed tiny blisters on the head of my penis. They looked like water blisters. They have now poped and the area has turned black. My penis appears slightly swollen. Could this be herpes?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

It sounds like herpes. Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by the herpes simplex viruses type 1 (HSV-1) and type 2 (HSV-2). Most individuals have no or only minimal signs or symptoms from HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection. When signs do occur, they typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. The blisters break, leaving tender ulcers (sores) that may take two to four weeks to heal the first time they occur. Typically, another outbreak can appear weeks or months after the first, but it almost always is less severe and shorter than the first outbreak.

The only way of ruling it out is by getting yourself tested for genital herpes. Laboratory tests include: culture of the virus, direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) studies to detect virus, skin biopsy, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to test for presence of viral DNA. I sincerely advise you to consult a dermatologist and get it ruled out.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional doubts.