Three red bumps...

[young_dudes]

I am a sexually active, 24 y.o., gay man. I ALWAYS practice safe sex. About 2 months ago I noticed a few red bumps on my right inner thigh. I treated them with acne wash and they all went away after a few days. As a teen I had terrible body acne, so I wasn't really surprised to have some acne on my legs (which I've had in the past, before being sexually active). About a week later a few similar looking bumps appeared on my right testicle. Two of them are right where the inner thigh meets the testicle and one is a little closer to the penile shaft (also on the right). At first I assumed it was just more acne, but these bumps haven't gone away and it has been about 1.5 months. They started very small with white dots in their centre soft to the touch. I popped them and pus came out then they seemed to go down. However, they then got larger a couple of weeks in and completely red. They have since gone down in size but remain red. I started using an acne wash on them and I have noticed the skin on and around them is drying out, scaling slightly and the bumps are a bit smaller (similar to what happens when I treat my acne). They still don't hurt. I'm starting to become frightened that they might be warts...however they aren't white at all, and they have changed in size since appearing. I don't fully shave down there, but I do trim. I started working out a few months ago, so I've been sweating much more heavily than my body is use to, as a result, my body acne has gotten worse. I wonder if these bumps are just difficult pimples? Warts? or something else? Naturally I'm losing sleep over this and assuming the WORST possible outcome. I don't want to see my doctor because I live in a very small town, and I know her on a personal and professional level and this would be far too embarassing...please help!

[gracefromHHP]

I'd stop using the wipes on the genital area. the skin down there is far too sensitive and you very well might be doing more harm than good. stick to just soap and water.  folliculitis doesn't always hurt, especially the milder cases of it.

it's unfortunate that your providers haven't talked to you about gardasil shots :(  they are highly recommended for gay males.   Did you know that there are just as many cases of anal cancer related to hpv each year as there are cervical cancer?

Almost all std campaigns emphasize protection against hiv and forget about the other std's :(  In gay males, the rates of hsv2 infection can be as high as 60% of gay males and having hsv2 , makes you more likely to contract hiv in general too.

sometimes you have to be your own medical advocate unfortunately....sigh.

[young_dudes]

thanks for your feedback Grace. Wouldn't folliculitis hurt? These bumps aren't sore...

Anyways, today is my fourth day of using my Clearisil acne wipes on these bumps and they have really gone down...however they are still raised slightly...they are scaling off quite a bit though...which isn't surprising since these wipes contain 2% salicilic acid...so not sure if this rules out warts considering I am basically just burning the area...

I haven't had Gardisil shots but now that I know they aren't just for girls I will get them (hopefully it isn't too late). I was always under the impression HPV was a female problem...how glib. Seems that as a gay man you're made to hold this intense fear of getting HIV - so much so that you forget you're still at risk for everything else too!

I have decided to see how the weekend goes, if the bumps don't change or they get worse I will go see the Doc on monday...and I will get my shots in either case.

[gracefromHHP]

the best thing to do is to be seen and get these looked at. sounds more like a folliculitis going on than a std but a proper exam is in your best interest.  No reason to be embarassed to be seen for a rash!!  

have you had your gardasil shots?

grace