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Concerned -- Herpes or Staph spread? Really worried

Hello Everyone,

I developed a staph infection on my neck after I shaved my neck almost 2 weeks ago. Was put on antibiotics about three days ago and am improving slightly.

Im worried about genital herpes but am thinking I actually spread my staph infection. Wanted someone else's opinion is all :)

I recently was feeling my lymph nodes in my groin area and rubbed extremely hard for a long time. I wound up breaking the skin  inbetween my thigh and scrotum and bled a little. Flashforward to my staph infection on my neck. I was constantly picking at my pimpls/popping them, but also checking the area on my thigh because I was sore (from the little gash I had down there). I most likely didnt wash my hands and had the bacteria on my hands from my neck. I started to have a little worse pain in the area and ignored it, didnt really look at it.

Until yesterday, I saw some infected hair follicles on the base of my penis and some red bumps towards the upper part of my shaft, near my head. I decided to inspect a bit further and noticed I had quite a good irritation going around the spot where I rubbed and there were at least 3 pus filled bumps near the area. There were a couple more infected hair follicles leading alongside my scrotum toward my shaft that had pus in them as well.

The red bumps on my shaft dont have pus in them. Last night, I wiped the area with alcohol pads  and used some antibacterial soap. This seemed to help quite a bit with the infected follicles on my scrotum and the bumps on my shaft also were not as irritated and seem to be less prominent. I've had some unprotected sexual contact with my girlfriend who is very much STD free. I also tend to have issues with folliculitis in my pubic region from time to time, usually only one or two follicles, though.

I was just wondering if this sounds like herpes, or more like I spread my skin infection to my genital area by checking/rubbing too much and infecting the sore I had there between my thigh.
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Avatar universal
thought id update -- doc diagnosed as a fungal infection. Most likely due to sex with the girlfriend. It wasnt a yeast infection.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
the thing about herpes that sucks the most is that it's a weird, weird beast. symptoms can very SO much, and range from being so mild they're almost non-existant to horrible agonizing outbreaks. it's so tough to say "yes, that sounds like herpes" or "no, it doesn't." i'm totally in the same boat right now :(

if you haven't had any questionable exposures though you should be absolutely fine :) can't hurt to have a blood test either, if you're freaking out too bad
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I guess I wasn't very clear -- im not saying my staph can cause herpes, just asking what people think it is :) The little red bumps are in the area where my between my head and foreskin (the "crinkle). It looks like one of the bumps may have busted or something and the bumps on my scrotum are flat now (thought they were a bit raised last night), and they are definitely not as prominent.
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Avatar universal
i guess i don't understand what a staph infection has to do with herpes. staphylococcus is a bacteria, herpes is a virus. they are completely and totally different things. nothing you explain sounds like herpes to me, but i'm by no means an authority on the subject. i do however KNOW that you can't give yourself herpes from a staph infection.

you could spread you staph infection to other parts of your body by rubbing the staph into broken or compromised skin, but the result would only be more staph.

in other words, staph will never morph into herpes simplex virus. you're fine! (aside maybe from spreading your staph infection around)
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