Aa
Unsure of Herpes
I am a Male, and being a Military Member coming home from the War, I have been vaccinated for many things, including small pox. It has been three weeks since I slept with this girl. We had protected vaginal sex, but unprotected oral sex. I am an American and she was a Portugese Girl in Portugal. I am back in America after two days I spent in Portugal. During the first week, all I had was lower back pain...which could possibly be attributed to the fact that I was upping the mileage for my Marathon Training. After this, in week two I developed some pimples on my abdomen and inner thighs, totaling about 5 pimples. These pimples only scabbed over like most ingrown hair type pimples I have got before. During this third week, I still have that minor back pain, still no temperature nor fatigue but do have a little cough, have still gotten some penny sized pimples on my buttocks and lower trunk (like my hips) which have just been a little hard and then scab over with no pus (the amount of lumps has significantly increased, however they do not itch, they appear with one in an area that may then go to two, and almost look like a bite). Under my armpits I have gotten lots of little tiny red bumps that have disappeared and reappeared (almost like an allergic reaction to deoderant, but this deoderant is the same I've used all my life). On my tonsil today I developed one small little white lump and lymph nodes don't feel very swollen. On my chest I got a couple of pimples that did not have any puss in them and just scabbed over. I was waiting for it to get to 6 weeks before I got tested to get clearer results, and then I was going to be tested again since I deploy back to the war at the end of Dec. I was wondering if you think this could be herpes or maybe if it is scabies (scabies since I did stay the evening at that girls house)?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to our Forum and my apologies for the delay in getting back to you. I missed your post earlier.
The lesions you describe do not raise concerns about herpes. Your risk from the exposure you describe is low (condom protected sex is safe sex and in the absence of a cold sore on her lips, receipt of oral sex is likewise unlikely), the progression of your lesions over three weeks is not consistent with HSV, the fact that the lesions scab over likewise does not suggest HSV which typically goes from small blisters to ulcers (open sores) and then on to heal without scabbing), and the fact that these lesions have occurred in a wide variety of places on your body is likewise not typical of herpes.
I supposed that with your increased training this could be folliculitis, perhaps related to your recent increase in training. Folliculitis occurs when the pores in your skin get plugged. This allows that normal bacteria that are present on just about every-one's skin to grow and cause what is essentially a pimple. Some of these just appear as red bumps which may or may not be tender while others go on to actually form pimples. In some instances, if you look closely you can see a hair coming out of, or nearby the bump- this too is typical of folliculitis). Scabbing, unless you have been scratching, would be unusual for folliculitis however.
Is there a possibility of scabies or something similar- yes. My advice would be to ask your doctor to take a look. I doubt that this is an STD and suspect that the timing in relationship to the exposure you describe is coincidental.
I hope my comments are helpful. EWH
The lesions you describe do not raise concerns about herpes. Your risk from the exposure you describe is low (condom protected sex is safe sex and in the absence of a cold sore on her lips, receipt of oral sex is likewise unlikely), the progression of your lesions over three weeks is not consistent with HSV, the fact that the lesions scab over likewise does not suggest HSV which typically goes from small blisters to ulcers (open sores) and then on to heal without scabbing), and the fact that these lesions have occurred in a wide variety of places on your body is likewise not typical of herpes.
I supposed that with your increased training this could be folliculitis, perhaps related to your recent increase in training. Folliculitis occurs when the pores in your skin get plugged. This allows that normal bacteria that are present on just about every-one's skin to grow and cause what is essentially a pimple. Some of these just appear as red bumps which may or may not be tender while others go on to actually form pimples. In some instances, if you look closely you can see a hair coming out of, or nearby the bump- this too is typical of folliculitis). Scabbing, unless you have been scratching, would be unusual for folliculitis however.
Is there a possibility of scabies or something similar- yes. My advice would be to ask your doctor to take a look. I doubt that this is an STD and suspect that the timing in relationship to the exposure you describe is coincidental.
I hope my comments are helpful. EWH
One last thing...and I know you do not speculate on non STDs, but have not had my Tuberculosis test yet either since my return, because they want you to wait 1 month before they give you it
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.
