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Genital wart or ingrown hair?
I have a very tiny red bump on the bottom side at the base of my penis, near where the shaft meets the scrotum. There is another one barely noticeable a centimeter away. There is a hair growing out of them (its around where the hairline starts). It almost looks just like a pimple but I've had it for quite some time (2+ months) although it does seem to have faded a bit recently. It doesn't hurt or itch and I'm guessing its not herpes because its been there so long, but is it a wart or an ingrown hair? I did shave my genitals about 4 months ago (I don't usually) and is it possible I got an ingrown hair (I had lots of irritation after that).
My sexual encounters in recent months have been limited to unprotected oral and protected vaginal sex. The bump is probably right below the part the condom would cover though. What do you think it is? And how can I go about treating it?
My sexual encounters in recent months have been limited to unprotected oral and protected vaginal sex. The bump is probably right below the part the condom would cover though. What do you think it is? And how can I go about treating it?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome back to the forum.
Warts are not red or inflamed, and never have a hair coming from them. This sounds like folliculitis -- technically not the same as an ingrown hair, but the same idea. And as you suggest yourself, hair follicle infections often increase after pubic area shaving. However, a single folliculitis lesion rarely lasts 2 months, so you should see a health care provider and get it checked out. But I very much doubt it's a wart. Not only are warts not associated with hairs, but they are not all that common in hairy areas. In males, the large majority are on the penis itself.
Not knowing what you have, I'm not going to recommend treatment, which in any case is not the role of any online health advice service.
I see this is your second question on the forum in 2 months. Please note that MedHelp permits a maximum of 2 questions every 6 months on the professionally moderated forums. This will have to be the last on this forum until February next year. (I don't want you to risk losing a posting fee, which is what happens when excess questions are deleted without reply.)
Regards-- HHH, MD
Warts are not red or inflamed, and never have a hair coming from them. This sounds like folliculitis -- technically not the same as an ingrown hair, but the same idea. And as you suggest yourself, hair follicle infections often increase after pubic area shaving. However, a single folliculitis lesion rarely lasts 2 months, so you should see a health care provider and get it checked out. But I very much doubt it's a wart. Not only are warts not associated with hairs, but they are not all that common in hairy areas. In males, the large majority are on the penis itself.
Not knowing what you have, I'm not going to recommend treatment, which in any case is not the role of any online health advice service.
I see this is your second question on the forum in 2 months. Please note that MedHelp permits a maximum of 2 questions every 6 months on the professionally moderated forums. This will have to be the last on this forum until February next year. (I don't want you to risk losing a posting fee, which is what happens when excess questions are deleted without reply.)
Regards-- HHH, MD
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I didn't mention herpes because that is not a possible explanation for what you describe, for a several reasons -- not associated with hairs, and impossible for a herpes lesion to persist unchanged for more than a few days. And you didn't mention any concern about herpes. I'm not sure what your concern is about your sexual encounter 2 weeks ago, since the lesions preceded that encounter by several weeks.
That will be all for this thread unless and until you report the diagnosis after you have been professionally examined.
That will be all for this thread unless and until you report the diagnosis after you have been professionally examined.
Thank you for your response. The more I think about the more I wonder if these two bumps have been there a while or maybe they are new. You didn't mention herpes at all. Is that a possibility? Do herpes lesions appear along a hair follicle? My last sexual encounter (protected vaginal, receptive unprotected oral) occured about 2 weeks ago. Thanks again.
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
