red rash on penis

[guywithquestions]

Hi I am a 20 year old male and have a question about my little man.  For the past few months i have had a patch of red skin that pops up every so often.  It is located on my foreskin and is about a 1cm by 1cm big.  It also pops up in the same exact spot every time and has a few very very small (almost not seeable) bumps.  I also went to an STD clinic a week ago and got tested and came back negative for HIV and the STDs that they test for.  However i am aware that they dont test for HPV.  I did a lot of research online and have come to the conclusion that the spot is either genital warts from HPV or a yeast infection.  I have no discharge and it doesnt really itch.  I also read online that doctors sometimes use avinegar test to see if it is genital warts and that the warts will turn white.  So i tried this once and nothing came up but tried it a cpl days ago and the area did turn white.  But i also read that doctors dont use this technique much anymore because its not foolproof.  Also on a similar note i had a rough spot on my upper lip and i put vinegar on it as well and it did turn white (this rough patch also goes away and returns).  This rough spot on my lip is more recent and it could be due to having perfomed oral sex on my partner.  I have also not been sexually active for about 2 months now (oral or other).  I would love to hear that it could be something else but i would really just appreciate some feedback.  thank you.  

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I think your research is incorrect.  HPV causes bumps on the shaft, not red spots on the foreskin, and these come and stay, not come and go.  Also, doctors don't have to test for HPV--they can see it.  And the vinegar test is worse than not-foolproof--it is often 'positive' when there's nothing there.

Yest infections likewise don't come and go.

So I think you just have intermittent irritation, of no significance.  If you need a visit to a dermatologist to further reassure you about this, then by all means schedule one.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff

[guywithquestions]

do you think an antifungal cream like lotramin should help it go away?>