HSV1 question.

[alaskannative]

With encouragement from my new gf I decided to go to get tested for HSV-1, 2, HIV, and a group of other STD's.  I came back as having HSV-1, but do not recall ever getting any sort of cold sore on my lips.  I have however, gotten what I assumed were pimples right where the lip meets the skin.  

Soon thereafter I noticed 2 very small pimples on my penis.  I was scared initially and tried to pop them.  (They were below the skin and hard to get to.)  They did not cause any pain, but I think I may have aggravated them by continually trying to break the skin to make them go away.  Not such a great idea I know.  Eventually, they dried out and went away.  I have also noticed from time to time that my scrotum and penis are dry and tend to itch more than usual (especially when I sweat).  Further, there is some slight discoloration on the head of my penis that I do not recall being there.  I've had my family doctor look at the skin and discoloration (not the pimples), but was told that it looks normal.  I was also told that herpes would come in a group, cause pain, & look like a sore.  From time to time I still get some pimples in the scrotum area that are very similar to whiteheads or an ingrown hair.  I also still get some itching issues.

Further, I was able to fill a prescription for Valtrex right after I saw the initial pimples and they cleared up.  I am not sure if it is because I had stopped messing with them or the valtrex did it.

My questions are.

1.  What type of doctor should I see who will know the most about STD's?
2.  Is there anyway I can confirm that I do not have genital HSV1?  
3.  What's your opinion?

Thank you.

[gracefromHHP]

You've never noticed your genital symptoms before you found out you tested + for hsv1 and started being hyperaware of your body both upstairs and downstairs.  Nothing you've mentioned sounds like genital herpes either.  Statistically your hsv1 is oral even if you can't recall ever having an obvious cold sore. Even though over 60% of us in the US have hsv1 orally, only 20-40% of folks ever get obvious cold sores to know it.  Chances are way higher that your hsv1 is oral than it is that it is genital.  When your gf got tested - what was her hsv1 result?

Itching in males is usually a sign of a fungal/yeast infection aka jock itch.  

I think you are just looking so hard to try to figure this out that you are just focusing on everything that you normally wouldn't think twice about. I wouldn't bother taking any more valtrex. I think it was probably more coincidence than anything.  

grace

[h8outbreaks]

I think StTheresa meant to post somewhere else so don't worry about that she posted.
1. Your family doctor can test you for any and all STD's.
2. & 3. You tested positive for HSV1, that means you have herpes (cold sores) and yes you can get them down there too. A lot of people don't know that. Someone has given you oral that has HSV1 or some guy in your girls past gave her oral and she got HSV1 and passed it to you. Or it could have been a false positive. But with what you said about the Valtrex and it clearing up the pimples as you call them, I'm saying that yes you have HSV1 and the Valtrex worked very well for you. I know Valtrex works in as little as five days, so your doing the right thing.

[StTheresa]

I am confused about the numbers I read in many resources.  If HSV-1 causes 30-50% of new genital cases, yet is only responsible for 5-10% of genital herpes cases, is that a difference between infection and disease?  Is it that out of 30-50% of cases only 5-10% actually have disease?