Do I have herpes?

About 4 days ago I had protected sex with a woman I did not know very well. We had sex several times throughout the night and morning but always used a condom. However, I did not use a condom for oral sex. I probably went through about 6 condoms all together. After she left in the morning I had to rush out so I did not get a chance to shower for the rest of the day. I haven't thought too much of it, considering I did use protection, but this morning I woke up with on red bump about half way down the right side of my penis. The discoloration is very slight, but it is definetly raised about an eigth of an inch. The bump is not itchy, irritated or painful at all. It looks a lot like the beginnings of a pimple I would get on my face, with a very slight tip of what looks like white puss. There are no other bumps right now, or any other symptoms but I've never seen anything like this before. If this is herpes will it necessarily develop into an open sore? Please help me out. Thank you.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

A clue to herpes vs pimples or folliculitis:  Herpetic lesions generally are more superficial, sort of like lesions "on" the skin; whereas pimples are deeper, more like "in" the skin.  Also, when herpes evolves from a red bump, the next stage should be a blister-like lesion with clear fluid, not yellow pus; over the next gew days, the fluid will turn yellow, then will open up to an ulcer or will scab over.  Also, in general, symptomatic cases of initial herpes have more than one lesion; if no others develop, that is soft evidence against herpes.  If your lesion looks "like the beginnings of a pimple", that's most likely what it is.  But all these are just clues, not definitive differences.

Bottom line:  See what happens over the next day or two; and if in doubt, see a health care provider, preferably one experienced in herpes and other STDs.  Your local health department STD clinic may be the best bet.

Good luck--  HHH, MD