Is this genital herpes?

I am a 17 year old male and I am worried that I have genital herpes. The only sexual activity I was involved with occured about almost 3 years ago. It was with my girlfriend who I know was a virgin and I am pretty certain she did not have any other boyfriends before me. I was her first. I recieved unprotected oral sex from her about 4 times on different days we met, each lasted very briefly and wasn't performed long at all. I also rubbed my penis against her vagina several times, also very briefly. I did not put it in her and we did not have intercourse. She mostly gave me handjobs. What I am worried about are these frequent pimples I get on the shaft of my penis. Before I continue I would like to state that I masturbate a lot, more than once per day and I do not use any lotion. I also have hair growing on my penis shaft that stops around the mid section. I am pretty hairy down there. I get frequent pimples down there. They are pretty small and they are red bumps that usually have a whitehead on it. Just like a pimple you get on the face. Sometimes they have a hair growing out of them and sometimes they don't. These pimples are usually around my hair which makes me think they could have something to do with that. I have popped some in the past and it is usually a white substance that comes out and a little blood afterwards. I find and see these pimples usually when I am about to masturbate. They are never clustered together they are always single and sometimes I just get one and other times a couple that are not close to eachother. They do not itch and they do not hurt.  They do not crust over. I looked up pictures of genital herpes and they don't really look like that. They usually take 2-6 days to fully dissappear. I cannot remember when these first started in my life, but its been on-going for a couple years, but I always think the worst and when they appear I always question whether or not it is herpes! I can't get it out of my head, what does this sound like?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the STD forum.  The bottom line is that almost certainly you do not have genital herpes.

First, it is doubtful you were exposed to herpes.  Since your only sex partner was a virgin before your contact with her, she could not have had herpes simplix virus type 2 (HSV-2), which is only acquired genitally by sex.  If she had oral herpes (cold sores), your penis could have been exposed to HSV-1, but when HSV-1 causes genital herpes it typically causes only the initial outbreak plus one or two more, then none.

Second, your symptoms do not suggest gential (genital) herpes.  Genital herpes outbreaks always recur in more or less the same spot every time, within an inch or so; do not generally occur in the pubic area; recur no more often then every 4-6 weeks, last 1-2 weeks each time, and there are no symptoms at all between outbreaks; and they do not cause the sort of bumps that have white material inside with bleeding afterwards.

This sounds like garden variety acne or folliculitis, i.e. hair follicle infections.  You should see a health care provider for reassurance about it.  Your symptoms are so unlike herpes that you really don't even need to mention your sexual activity.  Just describe your symptoms and, if you have lesions at the time, show them to the provider.  You can be sure s/he won't even think of herpes.

In summary, it isn't herpes for 3 reasons: almost certainly no exposure; symptoms that don't suggest herpes; and symptoms that do suggest an obvious other diagnosis.  So truly don't worry.  You don't have it.

Best wishes-- HHH, MD

[jsurfer26]

Thank you doctor. I wanted to add that when I shower, or when these pimples seem to be dissappearing, they look dry. A sort of white color dry looking. I also wanted to ask a couple questions. I also was curious if genital herpes is anyhow related to lower back pain? I have this annoying lower back pain right now as well. Its been almost a week now.

1. Does genital herpes cause lower back pain?

2. Are the outbreaks caused by genital herpes painful?

3. Is there such a thing as mild genital herpes, which could be misdiagnosed as something other than herpes?

Thank you.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

The additional information does not change my opinion or advice.  You don't have it.  My guess is you are just noticing normal aspects of the skin of your scrotum, maybe normal hair follicles or sebaceous glands. Those get more prominent with sexual maturity, as your scrotal skin assumes an increasingly adult appearance compared with when you were say 15-16 years old.

1) No back pain from herpes.
2) Herpes is usually at least a little painful but pain can be mild.
3) Yes.  But not what you have.  Herpes simply does not cause widespread bumps on the scrotum.  Never.Mild herpes is otherwise typical, just like I described above.

You're going to have to accept the reality that your worst fears have not come true and you don't have herpes. You are unnecessarily worried about it. Next time you get a sports physical or otherwise see a doctor, show him or her your scrotal skin.  I'll bet it's normal.

That's all for this thread.  Please accept the reassurance and move on.

[jsurfer26]

Thank you so much doctor.