HPV/ Yeast Infection/ Herpes?

[worriedworried221]

4 unprotected sexual experiences. i was diagnosed with hpv two yrs ago, used essenial oils to burn off the warts. initially was very itchy with infection. normal paps.  no sex within those two years.

the problem is that i am still paranoid about having another std, namely herpes. so i have been doing a TON of internet researching, only to worry myself more. in the past year and a half i have been noticing that i tear in my perineal area and towards the bottom outside part of my vagina much more easily than i ever used to (though i do examine myself much more often). i never have tears on the inner lips, inside of my vagina, urethra, or anus though. i have never found a blister and i dont have burning or itching either. just pain when i wipe myself after urinating. this just recently happened to me again. i had been working out a lot in thongs and didnt shower immediately after for about two days when the fissures and a chunky white/yellow discharge appeared. i read it could have been a yeast infection? but then i also read herpes can present like a yeast infection. could the trauma i did with the essential oils have made my skin that much more fragile?

please help put my mind to rest one way or the other!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

There is little you have described which makes me think of herpes.  In addition, in my experience, many "sources" of information on the net are not helpful and are full of misinformation.  Be careful of what information you get.  

Several things which are true is that many people who have herpes do not know it, that about 1 in 4 adult women in North America have it but about 90% of those are unaware of it and that the infection may present in "atypical" ways.  So could you have it, yes.  Do you - unlikely.  Can you find out?  Well, yes, if you really want to.  The type specific blood tests such as the HerpeSelect are very good and accurately can tell you if you have HSV-1 (like about 60% of adults. this is the virus that causues cold sores and some genital herpes) or HSV-2 (which causes most genital herpes).

Whether or not to get tested is your call.  From the little I know about you, you are a "low risk" person and what you have described does not sound like herpes. Thus, my sense is that you do not need testing.  On the other hand, if you cannot shake your concerns on my say so, then the blood test might be a good idea.

hope thishelps.  EWH

[worriedworried221]

I want to clarify that the 4 unprotected experiences (there were no other sexual experiences) were with different people around the time that i acquired the hpv infection. and since i was diagnosed with the hpv i havent had sex, a little over two years. and about a year and a half since no warts. i am a 22 year old female who has kind of a weak immune system i get sick often and it usually takes me a while to get healthy after being sick.

1) is itching a common symptom accompanying genital warts? (i havent had a repeated occurance of itchiness since the virus has been cleared.
2) are these "vaginal fissures" where i am having them normal? they never crust. if it were an atypical presentation of herpes would they typically crust when healing?
3) can yeast infections cause them?
4) what are the symptoms of low grade yeast infections? in other words do irritation and fissures often occompany them?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

As I said, you are in a low risk category.  You had the misfortune to acquire HPV but realize that this is in no way suggestive of an otherwise weak immune system or other STDs.  Within 1 year of their first sexual experience well over 50% of women with a singe sex partner have HPV.  AS for your questions:

1.  No
2.  A variety of different cutaneous (skin) processes occur for many, many different reasons.  Thus there is no reason to think your vaginal fissures are abnormal.  The best way to sort this out is to work with either your OB-GYN or a dermatologist so that they can directly examine you and the fissures.  There is no substitute for a clinical examination by a trained clinician.
3.  Yes
4.  There are many but in answer to your implied question itching is certainly among them, as is irritation and fissures (related to both inflammation and local swelling)
EWH