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Dermatology (Expert Forum)
Red dots on penis and Patch of dry skin (fungus?)_
Answered by
Alan Rockoff, MD - dermatology, Child Skin Problems
The Rockoff Dermatology Center
Brookline - MA
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Red dots on penis and Patch of dry skin (fungus?)_
by iluvninjas, Dec 04, 2006 12:00AM
1) 2.5 months ago I noticed a few white raised bumps forming on the top of the shaft of my penis, which were eventually diagnosed as warts and removed. 2 weeks after noticing the warts, I noticed the area beneath the top part of my penis (the glans?), on the upper part of my shaft, started to sting as I masturbated, which had never happened to me before. The next day, the skin felt irritated and started to become dry – not flakey. It was more like the skin began to tighten up and prune. It was also itchy in that area for a few hours. I also noticed a few small red dots that were raised and resembled tiny red pimples more so than warts, which appearead off to the side, away from the more whitish looking warts. I feel like the red dots and dryness are a separate issue from the warts. The red dots did not hurt, nor did they itch.
My urologist suspected it was herpes and put me on daily Valtrex (500mg). He said if it clears up, it’s herpes, if not it’s warts. I did not masturbate for about 12 days while it healed and I waited for the Valtrex to do its work. Eventually, the reddish dots did go away and there was no itching. The area appeared to have recovered. However, the white dots (warts)did not go away. Upon revisiting the doctor he told me they were warts and burned them off. He explained that he believes I have both herpes and warts. I asked if we could find some way to conclusively determine if I have herpes or not and he said he could give me a test, but it won’t tell me if I have it – I can only know if I was ever exposed to it.
At present, I feel like the herpes was misdiagnosed and that I most likely just have HPV, but I feel like the doctor doesn’t know for sure or jumped to a herpes diagnosis. Right now, the red dots still come and go in different locations. I may have had 3 at on time, but they are usually pretty far apart on my penis (definitely not clusters). They appear to occur when I masturbate or irritate the skin down there in other ways like being masturbated by my girlfriend. I'm not positive irritation causes them, but when I did not touch that area for a while it cleared up. They last for two or three days, dry up like a pimple, and go away. The area on my shaft, below the tip of my penis is still somewhat dry. I do not get herpes tingles at their onset and they do not scab or form ugly lesions. I don’t think I have herpes because I’m still on the Valtrex and these little red dots have persisted.
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/medhelpstd/photo/294928803838398400/3
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/medhelpstd/photo/294928803854050448/2
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/medhelpstd/photo/294928803853615679/0
2) Lastly, I have a patch of a rash or fungus that is pretty dry. This I believe to be a separate issue. No itch or feeling or anything. It's been there for over a year and seems to have gotten bigger. Goes from dark skin color to almost dark pink red sometimes.
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/medhelpstd/photo/294928803853902442/1
Doctor's Answer
by Alan Rockoff, MD, Dec 05, 2006 12:00AM
, Dec 05, 2006 12:00AM
I don't think you have herpes. There is a blood test for herpes 2 that will indeed tell you with great accuracy whether you have it--your urologist has old information. So get the test if you want reassurance, but what I advise is for you to consult a skin doctor about whether you have anything at ll. The one spot that I can see clearly on your photos looks like a cyst.
I think you do have a little penis skin irritation. Just avoid friction and moisturize. And the groin rash may be fungal. Try an OTC product like Lamisil or Lotrimin and show it to the skin doctor if it's still there when you go.
Take care.
Dr. Rockoff
I think you do have a little penis skin irritation. Just avoid friction and moisturize. And the groin rash may be fungal. Try an OTC product like Lamisil or Lotrimin and show it to the skin doctor if it's still there when you go.
Take care.
Dr. Rockoff
Member Comments (4)
by iluvninjas, Dec 04, 2006 12:00AM
The red one in the picture looks to have formed what looks like a little white head, but I tried to pop it/push it out with my fingernails and it wouldn't come off. Don't know if that helps.
by iluvninjas, Dec 04, 2006 12:00AM
Another note, aftef looking at some pictures of molluscum online, it appears that the white/flesh colored dots that were considered warts by my urologist look very similar to flesh colored molluscum.
by iluvninjas, Dec 04, 2006 12:00AM
One final note: the "warts" (if they were in fact warts) were in a cluster of 8 and all very small. There was one other one about an inch away on the other side of my penis.
