Blisters on Forehead

[FatallyYours]

Last night, my forehead under my bangs was quite itchy. When I looked at it, I noticed that there was a relatively small, red area, almost like a mosquito bite or a forming pimple. I itched it a little with a Q-Tip and it bled a little. Today I have what look like two or three small blisters in the red area. It still itches sometimes and occasionally stings for a few seconds. Could this be herpes? I'm really concerned that it will spread if it is. I have a bandage on it now, but I'm afraid I may have waited too long. As I said, it's under my bangs, so my hair touches it a lot and then touches other parts of my face, which I probably then absently touch. And I may have touched the area with my hand while brushing my bangs into place. I don't have health insurance, so I don't want to go to the doctor unless there's reason to do so.

[1medmystery]

SHINGLES DO REOCCURRE, NOT COMMON BUT DOES HAPPEN.  ARE YOU AN MD?

[FatallyYours]

Okay, but what precautions do you recommend I take until that happens? Does this sound like herpes? Should I be concerned about spreading it? Should I keep it covered, or should it be fine as long as I leave it alone?

[gracefromHHP]

you need to be following up with a lesion culture the next time they occur to get better answers.

grace

[FatallyYours]

Around Thursday of last week, I noticed two bumps relatively close together on the same side of my forehead where my alleged shingles occurred. They're higher up than my first rash, I think. One of them went away a few days later (I think I accidentally bumped the area), and a day or two after that another bump appeared very close to the remaining one. I'm unable to determine whether these bumps are pimples or blisters. They look kind of white to me, but not as undeniably white as the pimples I get on my chin, for example. Sometimes I feel random itching or pain in that area, though I'm not sure if it's occurring where the bumps are. Also, I'm not sure that the random pain and itching ever really stopped after the original rash, so it's hard to tell whether the feeling is an effect of these new bumps or just remnants of the old rash. Anyway, I noticed today that the area where the bumps are/were is a little red. It's hard to tell whether or not the bumps are still there, and sometimes it looks like there might be a layer of skin missing. It doesn't hurt to tense and relax my forehead, but the skin near that area has been feeling kind of tight for a while.

I don't know what to think. My parents used to kiss me on the forehead a lot when I was younger, so I suppose I could have picked up a herpes virus that way. But I don't understand why I'd be fine for most of my life (I assume that if I were going to get herpes from one of my parents, it would have happened when I was younger and didn't have as strong of an immune system) and then get two outbreaks within two months. In case this is herpes, what should I do? I've been careful not to touch the area, and I've been washing my hands every time I comb my hair. Is that enough, or should I cover this with a Band-Aid or something?

[FatallyYours]

You doubt that it was shingles or you doubt that it was herpes (simplex, I mean)? Or both?

[gracefromHHP]

I still really doubt it. should symptoms return, it's definitely time for a further work up.  shingles would not reoccur.

grace

[FatallyYours]

I'm 20. I didn't ask for any tests because the doctor seemed certain that he was right, and it seemed feasible to me because within a few days of classes starting, I was feeling more stressed than I'd ever been in my entire life. The fact that I'm a college student with no job or health insurance made taking his word for it a very appealing option.

[gracefromHHP]

I wish providers would stop doing that!  I think they way over diagnose shingles in otherwise low risk folks. how old are you?

grace

[FatallyYours]

Visual.

[gracefromHHP]

was it a visual diagnosis or did they do a swab?

grace

[FatallyYours]

I know it's been a while since I posted this, but I figured I'd give an update in case anyone may find it useful. I saw a doctor and he diagnosed me with shingles. It was a relief, though I must admit there is a part of me that wonders if the diagnosis was accurate. I've always heard that shingles is supposed to be exceedingly painful, but for me it was mostly just itchy. There was occasional stinging, but it was never bad/frequent enough for me to even consider taking any kind of pain killers. Also, my rash just kind of faded away without ever scabbing (as far as I know). So does anyone know if shingles can really be that mild? Was I just lucky, or was my rash most likely not shingles?

[gracefromHHP]

You need to go and be seen to find out what is going on, not sit at home and keep telling yourself you have herpes all over.

grace

[FatallyYours]

I have some anxiety issues, I know, and I have no idea why they're centered around this particular disease. But can it really be considered paranoia this time? I know it's an unusual location, but this thing on my forehead is presenting itself in a way that sounds a lot like herpes. It started out as an itchy red area, and it now appears that blisters have formed (though it's kind of hard to tell because it's not the easiest area to inspect). Honestly, I would not have thought anything of it if it weren't for the fact that it stings occasionally. I've never experienced that from any mosquito bites or acne.

[gracefromHHP]

Why the continued herpes paranoia?

grace