Painful bump under arm

[S.B.]

I had a blistery type bump in my underarm that was a little    painful and caused my arm to ache. A few days later my  child who used deoderant behind me complained of the same problem but it was a bump under the childs arm that felt like a small knot and arm was hurting also. The bump under my arm looked like a herpes blister in which I am still trying to figure out how it could have gotten there. Both of our blisters or bumps are gone,mine left a peeling of skin where the blister was and the childs left nothing. I do have HSV-2 and is there anyway this could have gotten near my armpits and transferred to my child through the use of deoderant?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

S.B.



No.



You can't transmit herpes from one part of the body to another.  The reason is that you have antibodies in your bloodstream which prevent the virus from "setting up shop" elsewhere.  If that weren't so, everyone with herpes would spread it all over their body every time they wash.   And while you can spread herpes by shared objects, at least in theory, it rarely happens.



A painful lump like the one you describe sounds more like a clogged pore or perhaps a localized bacterial matter than virus.



If the lumps just go away, I'd forget about 'em.  if they persist or spread, check 'em out.  But I bet you won't have to.  And you don't need to worry aboput spreading your herpes 2 to your kid.



Best.



Dr. Rockoff

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