Is this genital herpes?

[ross997]

At the end of June last year, I had very brief unprotected sex with a girl on a one night stand (Foolish I know). On the 5th of August I noticed a small Black/grey very hard bump at the very top of my groin area (Where the top of your boxers touch your skin). I had no tingling, burning ect before hand, it just appeared out of no where. Stupidly, I picked it of, which revealed a small red sore, which was virtually painless. A couple of days later however, it started to form a blister. It didn't look like a fully formed blister, and it only covered half the sore. It was also painless. At the time I was on holiday, so my hygiene was not at its best and I think I may have infected what ever it was. After about 3 days of it being a blister, it popped in the shower, realising what appeared to be white fluid. The kind of white pus that would come out of a pimple almost. After this it began to heal, forming no scab. About a week after it had first appeared, it started to resemble a red pimple almost, but when I squeezed it blood came out. That was the final activity in regards to it, and it healed completely about a day later.
There have been two occasions where the exact same area has appeared to be slightly red since. The first time it happened was about a month after the original activity, and the second time was about a week ago. On both occasions, the redness lasted less then a day and there was no burning tingling or itching. All I could notice was a little lump under the skin in the exact same location as where the original blister/pimple had occurred. The area might have felt a little sore but so minor that I think it may have been my mind playing tricks on me.
Does this sound like Genital herpes?

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

I would say, in my experience, the primary outbreak is always at the point of the encounter.  Recurrences can be elsewhere and often are.  
What is your question about prodrome?

Terri

[ross997]

I asked if I could just receive the HSV 2 results but they said that wasn't an option. Though im sure I could persuade them considering I am paying for the service. I'm starting to think that im just being paranoid anyway, as I do have a history of anxiety problems. I am aware that you will never know until you get tested, so I think I will go ahead. However I would still like some advise with regards to my question about the location of the initial outbreak. I hate to be a pain but when researching HSV 2, so many sources contradict each other. From an experts point of view, what are the odds of an primary outbreak not being at the point of infection? Is the area where the very top of your boxers touch your skin to high? (The Pimple/Blister what ever it was, appeared exactly have way between my belly button and the base of of my penis)

And also could you answer my question about Prodrome?

I just want to be clear on all my concerns so I don't have to waste your time.

Much obliged, Ross997.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Well, I see your point about the testing though I don't view it in quite the same way that you do.  Because so many people have HSV 1, more than half of US citizens between 14 and 49, I don't see this as a big issue, regardless of location.  And the truth is the virus is more often shed from the mouth than the genitals so you need to disclose genitally doesn't really make sense if relationship to how likely someone else is to acquire it from you.  However, knowing someone's HSV 1 status is helpful in understanding the likelihood of a false positive on HSV 2, if the numbers are low.  

Your call, this is an individual thing for sure.  But you won't know if you really have herpes or not without testing at some point.  Couldn't you just tell them not to give you the HSV 1 result?

Terri

[ross997]

Thanks for the quick response! Im just concerned because I have never noticed anything like this on my body before. I have also had many people tell me that the primary outbreak is nearly always at the point of infection. In other words, on the penis or right near the base. How correct is this? What are the odds that it will not appear at the point of infection?

I also have read that 25 per cent of the time, a recurring outbreak can just be prodrome which can last as little as two hours. Do my experiences not fall in to this category? The redness was sore when hot water made contact with it in the shower i should have added.  

In regards to testing I have a slight issue. I live in the UK and the only way I can get tested is privately. I contacted a place called 'Better 2 Know' and they said that they do tests which reveal your status with regards to HSV 1 and HSV 2. The problem is I have no desire to know if I have HSV 1 because I wouldn't know if it was oral or genital. If it was oral I would have no need to tell future partners, but if it was genital I would feel obliged to. Testing would not reveal the location, and if I am positive, its a limbo I want to avoid . I have never had a cold sore but my mum has always had them. I have also received unprotected oral on many occasions. So there is a slim chance I could have it in either location, but like I said testing would not tell me the location. I explained this to them but they seemed quite perplexed by my concerns.  Any advise with that?

I very much appreciate you advise!  

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

Sorry, I hit the wrong button!  Anyway, to continue, if this was herpes the first time, which I doubt, recurrences would not present as a red area that lasted less than a day.  

Have you had any antibody testing done to find out if you have herpes or not?

I don't know if your mind is playing tricks on you but you are worrying and when we worry, we can notice every little thing that concerns us.

Terri

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

No, this does not sound like anything like genital herpes.   The initial presentation of this bump, timing wise, is not suggested of new infection.  Also, I've never heard of someone describing a herpes lesion as black/grey.  That sounds far more like a plugged skin duct to me.