scars on penis

[not sure]

I have been very woried (to the point of everyday scratching and picking the area)for the past few months regarding three scars on the right side of the foreskin towards the underside of my penis (where I can't see them). The three are spaced out  along the foreskin so when the skin is normal it appears to be a continuous crack runing along the foreskin, but after pulling the skin tight and looking at it closely I can see the area (about1/2" wide along the foreskin) is pink or scarred all the way accross with the center scar being deeper and larger.  When the skin is pulled tight, the first is just pink; the center is either circular or tear drop shaped (about 1/16" in diameter) and clearly shows the scar; the third looks like a very tiny hole (skin tight) but is a smaller circular when relaxed.  Now, let me tell you what I know:  1.) I have had two different episodes (drunk) in the last 8? months when I have caught the same area of my foreskin in my zipper (sounds funny), one of the times was really bad.  I never bothered to look but had discomfort there for a short time 2.) About a year ago I freaked out really bad  after being with a one night stand and picked a hard, small bump off of the foreskin that bled.  I have never noticed to check this area again until around April when I had unprotected sex with another girl.  Since then I have become more obsessive and about a month ago I went to the clinic and got tested and a check up.  I am good as far as other STD's and my doctor said the scars did not look like herpes scars but could not tell for sure because she could not take a culture; however, she said she beleived everything was fine.  However, I am still not sure because on the area (in the past month?) there appears (when the skin is tight) to be two tiny seprated almost flat, flesh colored "bumps"  between the big scar and small scar.  I have never had any symptoms of herpes and all of the original scars have stayed exactly the same since I began checking, nor have I had a risen bump on my penis that is not a normal bump(my doctor answered all of my, Is this bump normal? questions).  Also, on a different note, my whole penis and scrotum have at times become very irritated and red kind of scaly, and later peeling.  What is this? Could this be connected to the scars or a specific condition?
   I understand that I am throwing a lot at you and know that you cannot diagnose but what is your opinion?  Am I overreacting, or do I need to get a second opinion. After reading all of the other herpes and hpv web sites I have become somewhat worried.
    I do not want to take any chance of giving anything to a girl that I have been dating (3 months) or any girl for that matter.  She doesn't know of my trip to the clinic or my worries. What do you think?
                                            Thanks

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

You are indeed overreactiing to skin changes which are to be expected after trauma.  Herpes does not scar, and the location and distribution of the areas you describe are not typical of herpes anyway.  The redness and scaling can be just irritation or mild eczema.

Please stop looking and examining yourself with such care.   Leave the penis alone and get a skin doctor to have a look.  There are medicated creams which can easily take care of the redness and peeling.

Take care.

DEr. Rockoff