WHAT IS THIS?

[PLEASE HELP ME!!!!]

Where do I begin?  Alright, about a year ago I started noticing small little papercut like cuts right at the entrance of my vaginal opening, but the only time I get these cuts is during intercourse, it feels like my skin tears it's very painful, and then when I urinate it burns, but they heal over night and then they are gone, I have also had some white discharge every so often, but I just figure that was part of my cycle, but now my fiance is experiencing dry peeling skin on his penis and also getting the cuts, on him they are a little larger and only seem to come when he gets an erection, and they just look like cuts no blood or ozzing anything just cuts, he deicided to go to the doctor to get it checked out, the doctor said it just seems to be a lesion, to just put some antibiotic cream on it, and vasaline, and that it was not herpes or genital warts, but why won't they go away then and why do we both have it?  I have also just noticed I have bump on side of my vagina, but it's not red or any color, a bump like a bug bite, it just looks like rasied skin, there's no sore or anything just raised skin, so now I'm scared of what that is...I guess what my biggest question is, does this sound like genital herepes or what is it, I'm going crazy, I need to get my yearly exam but I'm scared to death to go, I've only slept with 3 people and two of the three were virgins and I know that forsure and the other slept with one other person, of which I have just recently found out was a little more "open" with many other people, this I don't know forsure but is making nervous, please help, please tell me what this sounds, like it's horrible, I just want to be able to enjoy sex again it just stings so bad, it feels like my skin is tearing.  Please Help.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

It does not sound like herpes.  It does sound like cracking and fissuring of the skin, aggravated by the friction of sex.  You should not be afraid of seeing your doctor and asking for an evaluation.  A dermatology consultation may be in order too.  But I don't think that you need to be worried that you will get bad news.  And you should look forward to a normal sex life, once you get proper treatment.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff

[loganville]

This is in response to "Please help me".  I have almost the same problem.  I had gastric bypass surgery and lost 100 lbs.  A few months later I noticed I had white patches around my vaginal area and had to have a biopsy done.  I was told I had lichen schlerosis.  The doctor perscribed a cream called Temovate.  After several months of use, the white went away and all was pink again.  Well, I noticed that the area was extremely dry and every time I had sex I would get that tear that you described, and only on one side.  I used to be able to go several rounds, but I'm only good once now, and it takes me several days to heal.  And yes, urinating stings like crazy.  My doctor gave me a perscription for an estrogen cream to help return the skin to its original resiliency.  I admit I don't use it faithfully.  But I also have a couple of those bumps you described and only on one side.  I've had them for years.  And not to be gross, but I decided to squeeze them one day and a creamy-like puss came out.  But the bumps are gone!  Anyway, because I now drink a ton of diet soda, I have problems with bladder infections and I wondered if that had any connection with my tearing problem.  I also wondered if not drinking enough water was making me dry and thus the tearing.  But now after reading some things on the internet, I'm wondering if, even though I don't see any white patches or have itching, if I still have some underlying LS which is causing the tearing.  I would appreciate any response back about what you have done to keep from tearing.  It IS very painful and causing my honey and I a great deal of stress.  We both enjoy being active and this has put a damper on things for quite some time now.