shingles or herpes or ?

[trip123]

About 14 weeks ago I had what I thought was an ingrown hair right below my naval in my beltline.  After scratching it and messing with it too much - it turned into a rash about the size of a quarter.  A couple of small blisters form and it and it healed completely in about a week leaving a small red area.  There was no itching or burning.

About 5 weeks ago it reappear in the exact same spot and has healed the same way.  However - this time I have a buring tingling all around my waist and back - extending above my belt line.  It is more noticable when I am sitting (and when I am worried about it) and goes away when I am sleeping and inactive.  I do not have any rash or blisters anywhere else or on my genitals.  

Could this be shingles?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

This sounds most like a bacterial infection, starting as folliculitis then made worse by picking at it. The recurrence most likely just means you are a skin carrier of staph or strep bacteria, and perhaps that the original hair follicle is reinfected

However, your description of 'blisters' raises the possibility of localized herpes zoster (shingles) or an HSV infection.  However, shingles is rarely recurrent, and rarely so localized to such a small patch.  And although genital herpes can recur anywhere in the 'boxer shorts' distribution, an outbreak near the navel is highly atypical.

Bottom line:  Recurrent folliculitis seems the best bet, but that's only a guess and other things are possible.  See a health care provider if the problem persists or recurs again.  But don't keep trying to find answers online.  I can guarantee that nobody is going to be able to come up with a definitive answer.

Good luck--  HHH, MD

[trip123]

Thank you so much for the super quick advice.  I appreciate it!