herpes or something else?

[doug1214]

I have been with the same girl for about 3 months now. She is on the pill but has told me that she's completely clean (though she hasn't been tested in about 9 months) and I was told that I was clean the last time I was tested, about the same time frame ago. Because she's on the pill, we have unprotected sex often.

2 days ago I noticed what appeared to be a whitehead on the upper part of my penis shaft. it looked like a regular, small raised pimple. I left it alone and waited to look the next morning, yesterday. it had gotten smaller and less noticeable, but the whiteness was gone and it was now just a small, dull, red bump. it was not particularly painful, just a bit sensitive to the touch.

I met up with my girlfriend last night and showed her what it was. she said she wouldn't have even noticed if I hadn't pointed it out and we had sex two times. after the first time, I noticed that it turned whitish again, but was peeling off - again like a pimple would - when I was cleaning up in the shower. the second time we had sex, I felt it a little more but it wasn't pain so much as the feeling of a bruise. it didn't really prevent me from performing nor did it look any different after we finished.

when I woke up this morning, the bump had become somewhat whitish and kinda flaky. i picked at it a bit (which probably was not a great idea) and some of the white part peeled off. the feeling was a little more sensitive so I suggested leaving it alone for the time being. I looked up remedies for pimples on the penis online and all of the links I found suggested getting it checked out by a doctor to rule out anything else.

I went to the doctor and he suggested it could be caused by irritation or it could be herpes or syphilis. I was kinda shocked that he'd bring up those possibilities but he said "you need to rule everything out when there are lesions on your penis." I was tested for both.

my question is: could this possibly be herpes or syphilis? my gf and I were both tested clean, so wouldn't you think not? is this ever a symptom herpes - a single, white/red blemish with little pain and no additional symptoms? any information anyone can provide - especially Grace - would be MUCH appreciated.

[TiminBoston]

True enough.

[doug1214]

Oh I got tested earlier today. She's going to do so later today.

I was hoping the symptoms would give some people a point of reference by which to speculate on what it may be - for better or worse.

I'm glad it sounds benign. It looks and feels benign to me too. I guess it could still be syphilis, as those sores are apparently singular and painless - but if it is, I guess I caught it fast and can get it treated ASAP.

[TiminBoston]

Grace stepped away from the game.  You might see her here once a month now.

You're stuck with us, Bud.  

Get tested.  Have her tested.  Most standard STD panels do not include herpes.  What you describe sounds pretty benign to me; but, there are stories of actual 'herpes outbreaks' being even less noticeable than yours.  You say she's clean?  Never trust that without paperwork.  I've been burned by that story a few times because I believed it... people lie sometimes.  Sometimes they just don't realized they've never really been HSV tested.

You'll never know your status (for sure) unless you test. I'd have her come along too.

[doug1214]

I should mention that my doctor said he rarely notices pimples on penis in this area - the top of my shaft just below the head. I don't know what that means. he also said that he has very little experience diagnosing or seeing syphilis.