Possible Whitlow

I have had genital herpes for almost 8 years. I am a 24 year old woman. Recently, I masturbated during an outbreak, something I was told that I could do as long as I washed my hands after. I had no cuts or sore on my hands, at least none that were visible. Anyway, a few days ago my hands became very itchy and I developed splotchy white spots on my fingers. One of the white splotches began to feel like a blister and it started to rise a little and itch like crazy. There's no pain or swelling. I went to the doctor because my anxiety over auto-inoculating herpes whitlow was beginning to take over my life. He told me that there was absolutely no reason for him to assume that I had whitlow, gave me an anti anxiety prescription, and told me to lay off the hand sanitizer for a while. I admitted to him that I had been using it pretty excessively. He told me to come back if I develop any obvious legions. So, my question... How long does it take for a whitlow legion to develop from the first signs of blistering? Should I assume that I am in the clear since I've had this little itchy blister (more of a bump than a blister) for a few days without any real change in it? How long should it take for it to really swell up and hurt like mad??

[gracefromHHP]

The only way to know if it's herpes or not is thru a culture of it.  

grace

[ScaredMommy735]

Right. I understand that. I'm wondering, though, about the timeline through which whitlow typically presents. Is it usually a teeny itchy white bump for three - four days before it explodes into awful painful sores?

[gracefromHHP]

You had this checked out by your provider who didn't think it looked like whitlow.  

Whitlow hurts like a sob, not just itches. It would go from rash that itches to painful rash within  a day or two of appearing.  

You have a well established infection so the odds of contracting whitlow are very, very low.  I only know of one person who contracted it after having a well established infection - she's an avid quilter and also is a nurse so she washes her hands a zillion times a day and ended up getting it from her hands being cracked and dry from washing and having poked her fingers quite a bit while quilting.  It can happen but the odds of it happening are very low.

grace