Yet Another Herpes Inquiry :-)

[m1066]

Greetings. I am seeing a woman who has HSV-2 and IS on suppressive valtrex therapy. Recently (four days ago) I had intercourse with her twice. Each time we carefully used condoms with lubricant. I realize I am likely simply being paranoid but wanted to run this by everyone to make sure. In the last couple days I have developed three very tiny red bumps, like small pimples each with a small pubic hair growing out of their center. They are located in my pubic hair on my groin well above my penis. They are not clustered together but each a few centimeters away from each other. They are not painful, are not hard, do not itch, do not have "whiteheads", and do not seem puss filled or developing cracks, scabs, etc... Just very tiny red bumps each with a hair in the center. If she wasn't positive for HSV-2 I wouldn't think anything of it. They don't look like the severe cases of herpes I have looked at nor the severe cases of folliculities. However, like someone else posted with other websites claiming up to 60% of infected people show no symptoms - it's easy to be paranoid. In a nutshell, does herpes ever really manifest itself like this? Or is this simply something totally normal?

Thanks tremendously for your insight!

[m1066]

Huge thanks to everyone who posted. Take care! m1066

[tx75202]

I once had a cold sore develop on the corner of my mouth after a heavy round of oral sex one weekend with a "newer" girlfriend.  The sexual contact happened on Saturday night/Sunday morning and the cold sore appeared on the following Tuesday.  I had never had a cold sore appear, so I was pretty freaked out about it.  I went to see my Internist about the problem and he basically told me that it would be very unusual for herpes to show so quickly.  He ran a battery of tests, including blood and throat cultures checking for multiple possible exposures.  I was negative on all tests; but, like you, I was very worried for awhile.

Point being... I would be very surprised if it were to show so quickly, as it was explained to me by my primary physician.

Anyway, "I'll hang up and listen" in order to see what the doctor says.

[sparkeler]

Doesn't sound like herpes to me.  You probably are over examining yourself and only now noticed them because your paranoid (about contracting it from your girlfriend.)  Relax, I don't think herpes lesions have hair growing out of them anyway.  I'm sure your fine:)  I'd also like to add that she is on Valtrex and you used condoms.  You can't get any safer than that!

[m1066]

Oops - I forgot to mention. I have also had no fever, illness, leg pains, etc... Perfect health other than paranoia hopefully :-).

Thanks again.

[needitresolved]

No way is that herpes - zero, zilch, nada. Forget abgout it.

You know, if your girl's on valtrex and you use condoms there's a 1-2% chance of transmission for a YEAR of sex (based on empirical studies). Ironically, being with someone who knows they have herpes and takes precautions is actually a pretty effective way of not getting herpes.  

Don't worry about "bumps" especially if they have hairs coming out of them. It's just not how herpes presents and you'll drive yourself and her crazy. Just be on the lookout for blisters, sores and cuts.

I'd recommend reading through the herpes archives on the STD section of this site, if you haven't already. It'll help stem the flood of misinformation that's on the internet. I walked around for a year thinking I had genital herpes becuase I was misinformed.

Good on you for giving the relationship a go.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

You can never say never about anything, but your description sounds nothing like herpes (which, among other things, does not have hairs growing out of the center.)

You will not be able to get a certain diagnosis, however, without seeing a doctor in person.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff