Rahs on penis head under foreskin

For about 3 years have had a red rash under my foreskin on the head of my penis it starts out as a couple of bumps then spreads across my penis head, it itches and some time looks like small pin head blisters it also is on the foreskin directly behind the rash on the penis head. It will last about 2 weeks then come back in a week or two.  I went for a herpes test but it came back negative. What could this be?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

It could be balanitis, or irritation of the penis.  Yeast or STD seem much less likely.  Unless the bumps bother you, it's most likely not necessary for you to do anything about them.  For definitive diagnosis you show these symptoms to a dermatologist or STD specialist.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[Katherine364]

Dr. Rockoff,

I have a serious problem with some of the advice you are giving people.  Many people on this particular board have concerns about genital Herpes, and yes, many of these concerns appear to stem from paranoia and guilt over sexual encounters.  However, occasionally someone will have symptoms that could very well indicate Herpes, and you dismiss them and tell them that anxiety, friction, folliculitis, etc. is to blame for their condition.  Additionally, you are ill informed about the ways in which Herpes can present itself.  You stated in one post that "occasionally" gential (genital) herpes will appear as the classic blisters that rupture, ulcerate, crust, and heal.  Dr. Rockoff, do you deny the validity of the statistic that indicates 80-90% of those with genital Herpes are undiagnosed and unaware of their condition??  The most reasonable explanation for this statistic is that the 80-90% either have NO symptoms or have symptoms so mild and atypical that they would never suspect Herpes.  

If someone is having unexplained and recurrent genital symptoms, he or she should be tested for a full range of STDs including herpes.  STDs are rampant in America, and the best way to prevent spread is education.  

By the way, be careful with that "anxiety" diagnosis.  Throwing that around too freely can kill someone.  I knew a woman whose doctor told her that her breast cancer concerns were "anxiety" and prescribed Valium.  By the time she was diagnosed, the cancer had spread.  She died, but not before receiving a 1.9 million dollar verdict against the *******.  I hope you don't end up telling someone with Melanoma that his or her concerns about a mole are anxiety...

[Katherine364]

Sorry, in the above post I meant to say that you once wrote that Herpes occasionally does NOT present in classic form, implying that atypical presentations are unusual.

[206GTI]

katherine....

i guess u're question everyone of us wants to ask.  since u "popped the bubble," i'll go ahead and post my thoughts.

frankly i didn't want to ask cause i kinda want to believe i don't have herpes.  i believe so many of the ppl here pay that $19 to recieve relief that a doctor suggested they do no have herpes.  I for one feel good when Dr. Rockoff makes a VERY STRONG statement that "you do NOT have herpes. Period."  It provides closure to the many of us who are oh so scard of herpes.

  i guess Dr. Rockoff sees this too.  he/she knows that those with mild symptoms are BETTER OFF thinking and not knowing they have it?  why?  cause the mental damage and constant stress of thinking u have it can be damn stressful.  its like u feel like a time bomb and that blister can come anytime.  but chances are if u have mild symptoms, u won't be getting any servere recurrences or none at all.  In this case, we're all happy.  AND even if we DO have HERPES, that blister we get will tell us immediately that we do.

  i'm not too good at explaining things.  but lets use another way to explain it.  would you want to know exactly when and where you would die even when its unavoidable?  if i told u when, u'd probably get scared to death and think of it constantly and think of ways to prepare for it.  the thought of, for example, being killed in a car crash would probably scare you enough to not drive at all.  u catch my drift?

  its also just like that show on TV where that guy claims to be a psychic and be able to talk to sost.  ppl probably know deep down its fake.  but we as humans like to believe it gives us an excuse to rationalize ourselves that everything is alright.  as mnetioned..it gives us closure.  and Dr. Rockoff gives us that.

  sorry to be so long winded.  but i do relaize a flaw in this "closure" method.  it exposes others at risk for HSV.  quite a large flaw...and i am NOT suggesting that i do not care about passing this to others.

[t1234]

Katherine,

That's strong language.

Where do you find statistics that 80-90 per cent of people
are subclinical.

I am familiar with studies from Ashly, Wald, or Cole which I believe do indicate large numbers of the population are seropositive. But my information and belief is most of this data comes from STD Clinics and that random tests of Blood Donors don't support this seropositive rate in the general population.

Also my experience has been a more common cause of action
arises from false positives or incorrect diagnosis of HSV infection than false negatives.

In my view, what health risk subclinical seropositive persons
represent to their partners is never going to quantified until a study conforming to FDA standards for drug labeling is peformed.  Otherwise I don't see how in good faith we can go any further than stating "that there are studies indicating subclinical transmission may occur but to what degree in the real world we don't know."

Best Wishes.