Ingrown? Herpes? Something else? but a virgin?

Hi,

I'm a 19 year old girl who has never had sex before, but I keep on finding these bumps on my vagina. This has been happening to me since i was 14 years old, and yes I admit i was an early masturbator, but only on the outside of my clothes. I never thought that would cause me to get something that looks like an STD without even having sex or oral sex.

When i was 14 years old i discovered a bump on my vagina (on the outside, no where close to the vaginal opening) that seemed like it had some sort of fluid in it, so i tried poking around at it. I spent days crying because I felt guilty for masturbating, and in return causing this. So i told my mom that i needed to see a doctor (not telling her why). She made an appointment for me, but by the time i went, the bump was gone, and the doctor said it was probably an ingrown hair.

I have experienced quite a few ingrown hairs (or what i'm hoping to be ingrown hairs) since then, but one seems to show up every couple of months...very similar to genital herpes? so this has me absolutely terrified! Each time, its just one bump on my vagina but not close to any moisture. Except two times...once it was right on my anus, but felt very hard, almost like a rock that seemed to move underneath the skin. And another time on the labia, like a bump filled with pus...I have shaved around there before, but is it possible to get an ingrown hair there?

Now on to my current problem. I felt i tiny, verryy small bump on my vagina, again no where close to moisture (is it called the vulva?) and I assumed again it was an ingrown hair, so unfortunately i picked around at it a little, and it got HUGE! and very painful! so based on what i read, i put a warm cloth on it, and it seemed to go down significantly...but the bump is still present. The next morning I woke up (today) and saw a very tiny barely noticeable small bump on the top of my lip. It wasnt too red, but compared to my natural colour of my lips, was a bit brighter in colour. Which i immidiately thought was a cold sore (even though i've never in my life had one before). THIS SCARED ME SO MUCH! All i can think of is what if what i had on my vagina was genital herpes, and while i was sleeping accidently touched my lip and spread the herpes virus!

Is this possible? Is it possible for me to have herpes at all considering the fact that i've never had sex or oral sex? Can it spread from what i think might be a cold sore (not even big enough to tell, but very coincidental) to my vagina and vice versa?

PLEASE HELP ME!! IM SO EMBARASSED TO GO TO THE DOCTORS. I STILL LIVE WITH MY PARENTS, AND WOULD NEVER EVEN THINK OF TELLING THEM! I'm so afraid i might have herpes even before i ever have sex!

please help :(

[petal130]

Herpes is an STD, and you've never had sex.

Autoinnoculation is rare, so it's very unlikely that you transmitted it from your mouth to your genitals - and in fact, you have no idea that it's herpes (nor does a "very tiny barely noticeable small bump" sound at all like herpes).

Also, stop picking things! It can just exacerbate symptoms and lead to infection.

I'm not certain why you can't talk to your parents, so consider seeing the doctor on your own. Ultimately you'd have to be examined to know what's going on. But yes, it could very well be folliculitis. You need to be seen to know what's what.