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Herpes? Shingles? Folliculitis? Other?
Friday, May 20th. I had a small bump on my thigh 4 inches down from my groin which broke easily with clear liquid. Later in the day, I discovered another blister in my upper pubic region and a larger one on my scrotum. Each burst easily and immediately. They were not tiny and they were not in clusters. Several have come and gone since in the crack of my thigh. The whole area has produced maybe twenty distinct blisters which turn red upon bursting and then start to heal over. No crust, just a light shedding of dead skin. Though mildly irritating the blisters nor the raw spots are particularly painful.
My initial fear has been herpes, so I have made an appt with my doctor for Thursday, June 2nd. Assuming things will be completely healed by then, I have taken some pictures. In the meantime have had a herpes type 1 and 2 blood test done to see if perhaps it was something that has been dormant and just now awakening. Both tests came back negative.
I had an episode of Shingles in 2003 behind my right ear (opposite side of this "rash") so wondering if this might be another Shingles outbreak.
6 days before the blister appeared, I had sex (mostly close rubbing and oral (no anal penetration)) with my boyfriend. I am fairly certain he does not have herpes. Prior to that I had been travelling for a marathon and a family vacation with no sex from late April on. The one incident I'm concerned about would a "sports massage" I received prior to the marathon on 4/30 (20 days before the blister). The private sports massage by a vendor at the marathon expo quickly turned into some very rough rubbing and a lot of body contact (I was uncomfortable enough to end it after about 15 minutes). I may be completely paranoid on that one, but it's the one possible exposure I can come up with.
Other thought is an infection from running gear. I do run long distances, and have some running shorts (with nylon liners) that really should be thrown away. Thoughts?
My initial fear has been herpes, so I have made an appt with my doctor for Thursday, June 2nd. Assuming things will be completely healed by then, I have taken some pictures. In the meantime have had a herpes type 1 and 2 blood test done to see if perhaps it was something that has been dormant and just now awakening. Both tests came back negative.
I had an episode of Shingles in 2003 behind my right ear (opposite side of this "rash") so wondering if this might be another Shingles outbreak.
6 days before the blister appeared, I had sex (mostly close rubbing and oral (no anal penetration)) with my boyfriend. I am fairly certain he does not have herpes. Prior to that I had been travelling for a marathon and a family vacation with no sex from late April on. The one incident I'm concerned about would a "sports massage" I received prior to the marathon on 4/30 (20 days before the blister). The private sports massage by a vendor at the marathon expo quickly turned into some very rough rubbing and a lot of body contact (I was uncomfortable enough to end it after about 15 minutes). I may be completely paranoid on that one, but it's the one possible exposure I can come up with.
Other thought is an infection from running gear. I do run long distances, and have some running shorts (with nylon liners) that really should be thrown away. Thoughts?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I see that you also posted your question with Dr. Hood on the STD forum. I agree completely with his response to you.
The fact that these lesions are spread out so far apart from each other does not at all suggest herpes. Also, if you have had no sex since the end of April, this definitely would not be your first infection, and that is really the only time we see a wide distribution of lesions. And even then, they aren't as spread out as you describe yours as being. Also, they normal do form clusters, and sometimes those little clusters come together and form a big blister or ulcer.
It also isn't suggestive of shingles, which usually looks like a row of blisters that follow one nerve pathway. The fact that you had shingles (if you truly did) in 2003, suggests that you would be very unlikely to get it again in your lifetime. The immunity boost that shingles provides is what keeps shingles from rarely being a recurrent condition. That's actually how the vaccine works.
Your negative antibody test also works against this being herpes as do the sexual behaviors that you've had lately. Herpes can be transmitted via genital to genital rubbing from time to time, but that's also not what you are describing and that too, was quite a while ago, too long for this to be a primary herpes infection.
Ned is right, you need someone to look at this in person for an accurate diagnosis, and even if it is gone when you actually go in, they should be able to provide you with some idea about what is going on.
Folliculitis is certainly a possibility here. Are the blisters all on places that have a hair coming out of them?
Terri
The fact that these lesions are spread out so far apart from each other does not at all suggest herpes. Also, if you have had no sex since the end of April, this definitely would not be your first infection, and that is really the only time we see a wide distribution of lesions. And even then, they aren't as spread out as you describe yours as being. Also, they normal do form clusters, and sometimes those little clusters come together and form a big blister or ulcer.
It also isn't suggestive of shingles, which usually looks like a row of blisters that follow one nerve pathway. The fact that you had shingles (if you truly did) in 2003, suggests that you would be very unlikely to get it again in your lifetime. The immunity boost that shingles provides is what keeps shingles from rarely being a recurrent condition. That's actually how the vaccine works.
Your negative antibody test also works against this being herpes as do the sexual behaviors that you've had lately. Herpes can be transmitted via genital to genital rubbing from time to time, but that's also not what you are describing and that too, was quite a while ago, too long for this to be a primary herpes infection.
Ned is right, you need someone to look at this in person for an accurate diagnosis, and even if it is gone when you actually go in, they should be able to provide you with some idea about what is going on.
Folliculitis is certainly a possibility here. Are the blisters all on places that have a hair coming out of them?
Terri
Thank you, Terri, and apologies for the multiple posts of the same question. To be clear, while the first blisters were several inches apart, the subsequent ones are fairly grouped in the crease of my groin (not clusters, but grouped). While it's hard to tell on many of them, some are definitely centered on a hair follicle. I have recurrent Folliculitis on my torso, but that was typically brought on by winter dry skin and it doesn't necessarily blister. Could the ease of blistering be because the skin is much thinner and more fragile in the groin area?
You are reading content posted in the Herpes Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
