follicitus or herpes

for about 3 years i have been getting these bumps on my vagina. they are raised and painful. i normally get one or possibly two. they are hard and are not filled with anything. i dont think that they crust over. normally they just shrink on there own and disappear. sometimes i will not get a bump on my vagina, but i will get it on my pantyline. it starts out as a tiny bump and grows in size. it turns into a huge mound and doesnt begin to hurt until my pants irritate it. it feels more as if its under the skin. im worried about this because a lot of ppl who have herpes say that they have raised bumps that are painful. also they say blisters and i have no clue what blisters are. a doctor told me that it was ingrown hairs, but that was years ago and they are still coming back. im scared everytime i get tested that i dont know the difference between herpers and follicitus, but everytime i get tested for herpes im negative. right now i have 2 bumps and a LARGE one on my pantyline. it doesnt  even look like a bump it looks like a mound. can you please help me.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
If the blood tests for herpes have come out negative then it is unlikely to be herpes. It looks like folliculitis or boils. Apply warm compresses and keep the area clean. Take some over the counter pain reliever and consult a doctor for examination and antibiotics prescription. If it is a cyst then you may need to get it excised.

I hope it helps. It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.