psoriasis or herpes

I really need to know if I have Genital psoriasis or genital herpes. I currently have psoriasis and developed some red bumps on my genital area. It looks like psoriasis but it also looks similar to herpes. How do I know the difference? I used my cream for psoriasis and it made it go away but it acts the same as psoriasis. The bumps aren't patched together but can be but can appear just one at a time. :( please help! I'd much rather just have psoriasis.

[Notmeyou]

    What possible exposure(s) to HSV-1 or 2 have you had?  The severity of a Herpes outbreak varies from person to person, as does the way the virus manifests itself externally.
    Typically, Genital Herpes (HSV-2) symptoms will appear within 10 days post exposure.  However, it may be possible to have no symptoms during a primary outbreak, and have more characteristic symptoms during a second outbreak.
    It is important to know that 1 out of 4 people will have been exposed to some strain of herpes by the age of 24.  
    Your symptoms do not sound like Herpes.  However, I believe it to be impossible to diagnose a person with Herpes without actually seeing the areas in question.  
    Affected areas would most likely have a red circular base with a cluster of blisters that eventually will turn yellow, scab, and heal.  Outbreaks tend to reoccur in the same general areas.
    As I said though, Herpes manifestations vary from person to person with at least 20% of people never having any idea that they are infected.

    Symptoms can be an indication that something is wrong, but for now dismiss them and schedule an appointment to get tested.

Stephen
  

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Most individuals have no or only minimal signs or symptoms from HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection. When signs do occur, they typically appear as one or more blisters on or around the genitals or rectum. The blisters break, leaving tender ulcers (sores) that may take two to four weeks to heal the first time they occur. Typically, another outbreak can appear weeks or months after the first, but it almost always is less severe and shorter than the first outbreak.

Herpes 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. Transmission may also occur through skin-to-skin contact during periods of asymptomatic shedding.

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 queries.Kind regards.

[L211]

I have psoriasis on my vagina, and have outbreaks now and again. I stupidly cut myself shaving once and went to the doctors for some pain relief. She promptly told me it was herpes. I knew for a fact it wasn't herpes as i have had this condition since i was 11. As you can imagine the doctors comments irritated quite a lot as she'd obviously assumed that as a young girl i probably had picked up this sexually transmitted infection somewhere. Psoriasis can often appear as if it's herpes during a particularly bad flare up, especially after a bath when all the scales have been softened or washed away. I use Trimovate cream for my psoriasis, it works like a dream.