tiny bumps on penis head and scrotum

[ocups]

I have many tiny bumps on my scrotum and penis head.  The scrotum is red and irritated most of the time and the tip of my penis is irritated some of the time as well.  It's hard to describe, but the penis head looks strange with small bumps all over it with redness and irritation.  The bumps are mainly flesh colored with a touch of red hue in some areas and very small. At times it looks a bit shriveled with lines and cracks.  I've been seen by a few doctors and one dermatologist.  None of them thought it was genital warts. The dermatologist prescribed some hydrocortosone ointment, which only seemed to help a little.  I had some fairly risky sex in my recent past but always wore a condom and yet somehow feel I still may have gotten a bad case of something.  My girlfriend just got tested and came back negative for HPV and everything else, and we've had unprotected sex since these bumps appeared.  So I'm kind of at a loss. I've looked all over the internet for answers but haven't come up with anything that matches my case exactly.  So I have a few questions:

1)Do warts only show up at the point of contact or can they spread all over to places that never touched them directly?  These don't look like the pics I've seen of warts, but I've read they come in all different consistencies.

2)If these aren't warts can you point me in some other direction?  I think I'm being treated for a dermatitis, but so far nothing seems to help much. I have an appointment to see the dermatologist on June 6th, but I'm going a little nuts over this and could use some peace of mind.

3)Is it possible that my girlfriend contracted the HPV from me but is still in an incubation period and not testable, or are HPV tests pretty reliable?  

I'd appreciate any advice on what this could be, and if you have links to pictures that seem like this condition, that would be really helpful.  

Thanks,

ocups

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Cysts don't itch, but there can be irritation on top of them.  Warts can appear anywhere they want, but I don't think you have them.

Dr. Rockoff

[ocups]

Thanks for the reply.  This condition is definitely new within the last few months.  Would an accompanying irritation be typical with cysts?  These bumps are extremely small and the ones on my scrotum do have hair coming out of them.  But the bumps on my penis head are troubling, and the meatus is swollen.  I do plan to see the dermatologist again. Do you know if warts can appear in areas where there was no direct contact?

thanks,

ocups

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I think you have cysts of the kind that are common on the penis and scrotum.  I don;t think you have eczema, so the cortisone wouldn't be expected to do anything.  I think what you have is probably normal anatomy that neither needs to be nor can be treated.  I suggest you consult a doctor who is conversant with STD's to look and tell you whether you have anything to worry about or treat, or indeed whether you have anything at all but what's supposed to be there.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff