Std? Folliculitis? or different?

[worriedcman]

I am a sexually active 24 year old heterosexual male.  About 3 months ago, I noticed a small, round, red bump that was under the skin about two inches below my navel.  There was no pain associated, but itching and slight tingling did accompany.  There was no visual change for a month or so, but did appear to get larger about 1/8". After approximently 5-6 weeks, a head emerged on the skin that appeared to be filled with pus.  I squeezed it, and stringy white odorful pus, lots of it, came out.  The lesion or pustual got red and somewhat irritted for a few days, but began to go away.  After another week or two, another head emerged with the same result.  Since then, I have had this happen 4-5 times from the same pustule, but now white liquid pus is the only product.  It is still somewhat itchy and irritated and has been here for a few months. I have had this now several times, and it always appears in the same area, around the belly button and on the beltline.  Before, i just wrote it off as an ingrown hair or pimple, but internert research has me worried (herpes). I havent had any signs on the genitals or penis at all. Could this be an STD? Or if not, what is the possible cause? Should I get tested? Why do they keep occuring? Can Herpes be in this location?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

This does not sound like herpes or an STD.  It sounds like an infected cyst or follicle.  I recommend leaving it alone and applying a topical antibiotic like bacitracin.  If it doesn't subside, please show it to a doctor.  But don't squeeze any pus out.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[misterdurden]

sounds like muscollum contagiosum (sp?) but i'm no doctor. i've been researching various skin afflictions and that came up a lot. the more you tinker with it the more it spreads (or so i read). a doc should fix you up pretty easily, i would think.

[worriedcman]

Oh, and it hasn't spread anywhere.  Its just one bump at a time just below or around the navel.  I have had it approximently 3 times all in the same area.