Super scared!!

[7kunkela]

About 2 months ago I developed a painful deep red rash on the skin between my labia and anus.it happend the day after my period. It seemed almost identical on both sides. After a week or so the rash started to go away but there were little bumps on my right side..all in a straight line. on the left there were 2 bumps one which had to be close to 1 cm in size the other small like the rest. they only hurt to touch and did not itch or anything. also there was one bump on the crease between my leg and vagina about 3 inches up from the other, and no rash. after a few days the larger bump stated to from a white crust in a circular pattern, not like a typical scab. it was like rings of white crust..it was weird. my bf had 3 of these big bumps in his pubic hair region (he shaves, so we assumed nothing, then i got this) the others did not crust like this. and about a week later, the bumps still there i developed a blister like bump right under all the others on the right side (added to the straight line) and it went away within 2 days. i saw a doctor and she said it did not seem like herpes at all to her. but im still freaking out and its all i can think about..hope someone can help!!

[7kunkela]

Thank you for your response. I did see a doctor and although I did not have any symptoms at the time she said the way I described it sounded nothing like herpes to her. She said she can usually tell thats what the person has just by the explanation so no testing was done. I did forget to mention in my last post that this happend several days after my boyfriend had the same type of bumps in his pubic hair region (which he shaves) it was nearly identical the way the bumps healed. the way it crusted was strange. it was like rings on a tree going all the way to the tip. not like a normal scab. we have been together for 2 years now and I just dont see how herpes could be possible but nothing I have read makes it seem like anything else. One other thing that happend shortly after I developed a sore throat which the doctor said was most likely caused by staph and also the corner of my mouth became sore and cracked which was believed also to be caused by staph as soon as I started antibiotics the bumps did start to diminish rather quickly so maybe it could have been bacterial? folliculitis maybe? but i cant explain the rash...

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

I cannot confirm anything without examination,but it can be due to boils or as you are guessing,herpes sores.

Boils are caused by infection of the hair follicle by staph aureus.Bacterial skin infections can be spread by shared cosmetics or washcloths, close human contact, or by contact with pus from a boil or carbuncle.

Apply warm compresses on the boil and keep the area clean.Drainage of the boil is done only when it becomes soft and forms a head.Take some over the counter pain reliever and apply some topical antibiotic like Neosporin or bactroban.

If the lumps persist then pls consult  a dermatologist and get herpes ruled out. When signs do occur, they typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum.It also presents with red itchy blisters which scab over. Herpes simplex is most easily transmitted by direct contact with a lesion or the body fluid of an infected individual. 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.