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Does this sound like early signs of HPV?
I am a 24 year old male and I had brief unprotected intercourse with a girl almost 2 months ago. The morning after I decided it'd be best to get tested. I got an STD test done(chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea) at a local health department about 4 days after this. All my results came back negative two weeks later. I had been having problems with frequent urination although this is something that has gone on since I was 15 and I went to the urologist last week where I was prescribed doxycycline monohydrate to clear up any urethritis that I may have had. I have a follow up visit beginning of next month. The doctor didn't observe anything abnormal during the examination.
On Sunday, while urinating I noticed some small bumps along the rim of my penis head. I panicked and starting doing some internet research and found out it may likely be pearly penile papules. However, I still haven't rested easy about this. Today I noticed a bump on my upper thigh(not in the groin region) and started worrying. Later today I noticed what appeared to be a couple of very small whitish bumps on my penis head itself. They aren't very noticeable and the reason I probably saw them is from examining my penis over and over to check for any bumps.
I don't know if I'm just overreacting or if I should be legitimately concerned. I am considering making an appointment with a dermatologist just to be sure. If anything I've learned to always wear a condom as it's not worth the anxiety afterward. Does this sound like the early stages of HPV?
On Sunday, while urinating I noticed some small bumps along the rim of my penis head. I panicked and starting doing some internet research and found out it may likely be pearly penile papules. However, I still haven't rested easy about this. Today I noticed a bump on my upper thigh(not in the groin region) and started worrying. Later today I noticed what appeared to be a couple of very small whitish bumps on my penis head itself. They aren't very noticeable and the reason I probably saw them is from examining my penis over and over to check for any bumps.
I don't know if I'm just overreacting or if I should be legitimately concerned. I am considering making an appointment with a dermatologist just to be sure. If anything I've learned to always wear a condom as it's not worth the anxiety afterward. Does this sound like the early stages of HPV?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I doubt you needed the antibiotic, and would not have prescribed it based on the symptoms you describe. That said, half the ideal dose for twice the time should be equally effective for any possible infection. Don't worry about it.
Thank you Dr. Handsfield. I have one more question as well. In regard to the doxycycline monohydrate I was prescribed, I took 1 100 mg tablet a day for 10 days vs. 2 a day for 5 days. I misread the instructions and didn't realize it until later on. Does that affect the effectiveness of the treatment and should I consult my physician?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the STD forum.
The quick reply is no: I doubt either your penile or thigh lesions are "early signs of HPV". Most likely they aren't HPV at all.
If the bumps along the rim of your glans penis are pretty much similar in size to one another, and if they look like the PPPs you have found in online photos, then undoubtedly that is what they are.
Genital warts usually show up at sites that receive significant friction during sex, because HPV infections are acquired largely by massaging the virus into the tissues. Therefore, most cases show up on the penis. Further, a single lesion on the thigh is unlikely to be a wart. Of course I cannot be sure; the only way to know with certainty is to be professionally examined.
In the off chance you have a wart, I doubt it has anything to do with your sexual exposure only 2 months previously. Two months is about the earliest that genital warts become visible, and the average is 6-12 months.
Condoms significantly reduce the risk of HPV during any particular sexual, but over the long run the lower the chance of catching genital HPV by only about 50%. Almost all sexually active people are infected with HPV somewhere along the line, regardless of consistent condom use. Of course, condoms are always a good idea t\outside mutually monogamous relationships, to protect against all STDs.
If you follow through on your plan to see a dermatologist, ask him or her about Gardasil, the vaccine that prevents infection with four of the most troublesome types of HPV, including the two types that cause almost all genital warts. At age 26, you will become ineligible for insurance coverage for the vaccine, so I suggest you do it soon.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
The quick reply is no: I doubt either your penile or thigh lesions are "early signs of HPV". Most likely they aren't HPV at all.
If the bumps along the rim of your glans penis are pretty much similar in size to one another, and if they look like the PPPs you have found in online photos, then undoubtedly that is what they are.
Genital warts usually show up at sites that receive significant friction during sex, because HPV infections are acquired largely by massaging the virus into the tissues. Therefore, most cases show up on the penis. Further, a single lesion on the thigh is unlikely to be a wart. Of course I cannot be sure; the only way to know with certainty is to be professionally examined.
In the off chance you have a wart, I doubt it has anything to do with your sexual exposure only 2 months previously. Two months is about the earliest that genital warts become visible, and the average is 6-12 months.
Condoms significantly reduce the risk of HPV during any particular sexual, but over the long run the lower the chance of catching genital HPV by only about 50%. Almost all sexually active people are infected with HPV somewhere along the line, regardless of consistent condom use. Of course, condoms are always a good idea t\outside mutually monogamous relationships, to protect against all STDs.
If you follow through on your plan to see a dermatologist, ask him or her about Gardasil, the vaccine that prevents infection with four of the most troublesome types of HPV, including the two types that cause almost all genital warts. At age 26, you will become ineligible for insurance coverage for the vaccine, so I suggest you do it soon.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
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