Folliculitis or herpes?

[worry_wart83]

About six months ago I slept naked with man. There was no sexual intercourse but definite skin to skin contact. Exactly one week after I started to get a strange tingling feeling on my right buttocks cheek. This tingling then spread to the inside of my groin and down the back of my leg. A day or two after I felt a stinging sensation in the same area and when I looked in the mirror there were a few red pimple like dots with a whitehead, on different spots on my buttocks cheeks. I have been to 2 different doctors about this as I was concerned it was herpes. The 1st doctor had a look and straight away it cant be herpes but we did a type specific blood test to check. The test came back positive for HSV type 1 IgG (which I do get coldsore very rarely) and negative for HSV type 2 IgG and IgM which she explained to me that, that means my body hasnt produce antibodies for type 2 and that my blood wasnt showing that I was having a HSV type 2 breakout at the time it was taken. Ok so that means I dont have HSV 2. But is it still possible that I could be having a type 1 outbreak on my buttocks even though I know I already have had the virus in the form of coldsores for years....? The blood test doesnt really help as I knew I already was positive for type 1, but that doesnt mean that the symptons im experiencing on my buttocks isnt type 1 does it?
Both doctors said they couldnt do a swap cos the pimple like spots werent open sores. The 2nd doctor was positive that it was folliculitis from just looking at it and told me to wash in pHisohex which contains 1% w/v Triclosan(10mg/mL) and I have been using it twice a day now for almost a month and it hasnt made any difference. The reason why Im so worried about this being herpes is because of the symptons I get before these 'pimples' appear. They include stinging, tingling and burning on the right buttocks. Then the pimples usually appear not long after that. The only thing that doesnt seem to be common for herpes is that the pimples dont ever seem to go away...there is always ay least some irritation there. But the tingling, stinging and burning comes and goes, usually more intense around my period. I hope someone can help me with some answers.....thankyou

[gg1974]

What about Staphylococcal skin infection?  Have you been tested for this?

[gracefromHHP]

You seem to have herpes on the brain dear. Why can't you accept that this isn't herpes related?

No reason to treat for hsv1 to see if that helps, your symptoms are not suggestive of genital herpes and they aren't consistent with the nonoccurence rate of hsv1 genitally as well as the duration of them also rules out herpes as a cause.   You also know your hsv1 is oral due to your history which puts the odds even higher that this isn't hsv1 genitally going on.  

grace

[worry_wart83]

But I could still be apart of that very low odds couldnt I? What do I need to do a at home swab? These pimples come up so quickly that its hard to get to the doctors to get a swab taken. Ive had one swab already and it came back negative but I know that its crucial for swabs to be taken within 48hrs of symptoms appearing for correct results so it couldve been a false negative... If the swab comes back negative a 2nd time is the only other way to find out whether this is being caused by HSV1 is by taking anitviral meds? And see if they work? And if they did work would we then be safe to say it was HSV1? My doc suggested doing this if we cant get a swab.....

[gracefromHHP]

The odds that this is due to herpes is incredibly low. Your provider can pcr swab anything. You can even have the supplies at home to start swabbing as soon as the rash appears and drop off at the office.  It's probably really not worth it though - herpes is not going to cause continual symptoms like this for this long.

grace

[worry_wart83]

bump

[worry_wart83]

Hey Ive just got one more question after reading some other posts. I started having these symptoms in April 2008. I got Herpes Type Specific blood tests done in Sept 08 and tested positive for HSV1 and negative for HSV2. I got the same tests done again in March 09 with the same results. Am I safe to assume the negative result for HSV2 is correct? (Ive been + HSV1 for years)Did I allow enough time when I had these tests done for anitbodies to show? I was just reading in another post that they could take up to 6months or longer to show......
Thankyou
Oh also how come my tests didnt come back with any n.o's next to the positive and negative results like other peoples? Am I having a diff test done to everyone else?

[worry_wart83]

Hey I was just wondering if you could answer some questions for me in the meantime until I get to the dermatologist.
1. Because Ive tested negative twice to HSV2 blood tests, since I started having symptoms, can we definitely rule out that THAT strain isnt the cause?
2. Because I test positive for HSV1 the last doctor I saw said that THAT strain could very well be the cause for these symptoms. Could this be possible at all? As Ive being testing positive for HSV1 for years and DO get coldsore symptoms. Plus the symptoms I get on the buttocks are almost always there, and a HSV1 infection in the gential area shouldnt reacurre as much as this should it?
3. Im a little confused as to how people are contracting HSV1 gentially if 90% of us already have this strain orally and should have enough protection against it to stop being infected. What are the chances of my boyfriend contracting HVS1 gentially from me if my symptoms on the buttocks do end up being this? We've being having unprotected sex for 9months as we both have had the all clear for all other std's. His doctor wont do a Herpes Type Specific blood test on him cause he hasnt shown any symptoms and she said its so common that him testing positive for HSV1 wouldnt tell us anything. What do you think?
Thankyou for all your help! = )

[business_traveller]

Yes - there has to be.... although none that we can diagnose over the internet. Keep going to providers - if they know what they are talking about they shouldnt be saying herpes.

Furthermore Herpes has to penetrate broken skin in order to infect another host. i,e it has to get in through an open fissure or a micro-tear in the skin barrier. Open fissures are cuts, micro tears are miniscule tears caused by rough action - e.g sex. Sleeping naked with a guy without intercourse (or without any physical open cuts) is a safe practice, although i probably wouldnt do it on an OB just to be sure. It's why they are called SEXUALLY transmitted diseases.

[worry_wart83]

Thanku for your reply. The strange thing is the symptoms I get the burning tingling and pain on one side of the buttocks cheek then the little pimples appear. I guess Im just stuck on the herpes thing cos outta the 4 doctors Ive seen not one can come up with a diagnosis. I just want answers Im so stressed about this. I dont know what to do....I cant go on living like this. The symptoms are uncomfortable and painful. There thas to be a cause for it all......

[business_traveller]

You dont have genital herpes - HSV-1 or HSV-2.

Herpes blisters do not last for 1 month without healing - did your cold sore last for 1 month?
More evidence to this would be you have had oral HSV1 for a long time, your body should be well adapted to fighting the virus. These blisters would have definitely healed if they were Herpes.

BT

[worry_wart83]

I just got back from my new GP (after months of being treated for folliculitis by other doctors and nothing working!)and she said it very well could be herpes!!! There wasnt anything to swab so she cant confirm this without a positive swab. Ive been testing (through blood tests)positive for HSV1 for years but I DO get coldsores. Is it possible to have HSV1 in both areas? And if so could I be having symptoms this often in the gential area with HSV1? I thought it didnt break out as often in the gentail area as it does orally.....? Do you have any answers for me? Please help!!

[gracefromHHP]

You know you have hsv1 orally.  It's incredibly unlikely that you'll get hsv1 on other body parts afterward. It can happen but then you also can get hit by a bus today while standing at your mailbox getting your mail. It's that sort of odds of happening.


As I said, it's time to move past herpes as a cause of your symptoms. You have absolutely no reason to doubt your practioners diagnosis at this point.  If the treatment they are recommending isn't helping, return for further evaluation or consult a dermatologist.  This isn't herpes.

grace

[worry_wart83]

Ok I will do that. What is a herpes select IGG test? Cos Ive had a type specific test type 1 IGG positive
type 2 IGG negative
type 2 IGM negative
Is it the same?

[slacker101]

Why don't you get a herpes select IGG Test and be done with wondering? We would all be guessing here and I think saying it doesn't sound like herpes isn't going to be enough for you so go get tested and clear your mind of wondering....

[worry_wart83]

Im a little confused now as to what info is correct......? Can anyone clarify? Anyway back to my symptons Ive asked the doctor to swap them but they sat the 'sores' or 'pimples' arent open so there is nothing to swap. Is this correct? The other questioned I wanted to ask was could folliculitis be causing the tingling sensaiton and muscle pain felt in the same area? Because this is the main reason why I suspected herpes in the 1st place. They were my 1st symptoms before ANY 'pimples' came up! Im not obessed with herpes, these symptons are very real to me and just want to get to the bottom of it thats all. If anyone can help I would appreciate greatly = )
Thankyou

[liveitup23]

slacker.. its completely possible. so slap.

[slacker101]

Yeah, and to the poster who said I was incorrect SLAP!!!! You go Grace :)

[gracefromHHP]

You've been posting about this repeatedly now on this board and the std board.  You are seeing doctors who are actually seeing your symptoms and who are recommending treatment.  we really can't do any better than what they are doing. If you aren't better a month later with the new treatment, return to the provider for further follow up and evaluation.

it's incredibly unlikely that this is hsv1 genitally. First off your hsv1 oral infection gives you significant protection and it's incredibly unlikely that this is due to hsv1. Your sleeping naked with a man was very low risk for hsv2 transmission too.  It's time to move past herpes as a cause of your symptoms and continue follow up for other skin infections/disorders.

grace

[liveitup23]

its also possible for you to spread it to other parts of your body on your own... so if you believe those spots are possibly herpes.. then make sure to clean your hands well after touching them and keep from touching your face after touching them.

[liveitup23]

that is totally incorrect what slacker posted... you can definately contract hsv1 on different parts and areas of your body when you already have hsv1... it is just harder to do so since you have the antibodies in your blood. the only way you will be able to know if the breakout you are having is herpes is if you can get your doctor to swab test one when you have an open sore.

[worry_wart83]

I just wanted to add that the stinging and burning Im feeling before the 'pimples' appear feels like a very sore ant bite. Which gets right into the muscles, with pain all the way down the back of the leg....I hope someone can give some answers...?

[worry_wart83]

Oh thankyou at least that eases my mind. Do you know much about folliculitis? Does it cause all the tingling stinging and pain Im feeling on my buttocks and down the back of my leg?

[slacker101]

No, if you already have HSV1, you can't get it again!! The only time this is possible is when you initally get infected because your body doesn't have the antibodies to fight off the disease so it is possible to get it in 2 places at that time. Since you already have HSV1, you are safe from getting it again.