"That will be all for this thread" meant what it said. Re-read my original reply. If your symptoms concern you, see a doctor or clinic in person. This forum has nothing more to offer you.
Me again. So today, it's incredibly itchy and I have bumps - in clusters - on the head. Also, redness on the shaft. My gut says it's from too much masturbation last night. My head says it's an STD. The exposure I'm worrying about was now 7 weeks ago, if this makes a difference.
Sorry doc, but it's hard not to notice a pronounced change in skin colour, dryness and irritation with friction. I am worried once again. You have done all you can to ease my mind, I guess I'll go back to my doc next week.
It gets itchy with friction. I know you said the thread is over, but I didn't mention that.
No. Probably there is nothing abnormal about your penis, and if there is, for sure it is not herpes or warts. Variation in skin redness, without itching or other symptoms, is not usually abnormal and it cannot be caused by herpes. I suggest you stop examining yourself.
That will be all for this thread.
I went to the doctor yesterday, and in what seemed like a bit of a rush, he said everything looks ok. No signs of STDs - warts or herpes.
I was on top of the world, naturally. But today I woke up and have what appears to be a relatively pronounced red patch on the head of my penis. Not itchy or painful but a noticeable change from the regular, lighter pink color. Should I go back and have him look again?
No STD is likely to cause such an appearance. I wonder whether anything is abnormal because it is quite common for people who are anxious about sexual encounters they regret to notice what seem to be changes to the appearance of their genitals that in fact are not different, and are clearly normal when examined by health professionals. I cannot say whether this is the situation here, but it seems a reasonable possibility. Seeing a health professional in person is the only way to sort this out. I'll be happy to comment further if and when you do that and want to report what is found. Until then there is nothing more I can say.
I may have exaggerated when I said I can hardly see them. If I couldn't, I wouldn't have posted. They're just very small and quite numerous.
When you say not abnormal at all, what constitutes normal? Is a bit of redness/tiny bumps normal? Hard to know since I've only really seen my own close up.
Thanks. And you are right. My choices are not good given the anxiety they cause.
Welcome back to the forum.
The brevity of the unprotected portion of your exposure suggests very low STD risk, and you describe no symptoms that suggest an STD. It is true that ciprofloxacin may increase your susceptibility to yeast infections, but those rarely are sexually transmitted; most yeast infections are endogenous -- i.e. they arise because the patient him/herself is carrying yeast, not because they are infected from anothe rperons. Further, a little "red chafing" doesn't suggest either yeast or an STD, and any skin changes that are so subtle that they're "not easy to see" usually are not abnormal at all. Neither herpes nor HPV/warts are consistent with your description.
My guess is you are examining yourself too closely and noticing minor normal variations in your penilse skin. Beyond that, I can say nothing more. If you are convinced your penile skin isn't normal, you'll need to see a doctor or clinic to sort it out. But I doubt you have any STD, and suspect nothing is wrong at all.
Two bits of additional advice. First, given the obvious high level if anxiety you seem to have about STD (based on the tone of both this question and the one last June), you might consider your sexual choices. Second, please note that MedHelp permits a maximum of 2 questions every 6 months on the professionally moderated forums, so no more can be accepted on his forum before next February. (I don't want you to risk losing the nonrefundable posting fee, with no reply.)
In any case, no STD problem is likely at this time.
Regards-- HHH, MD
Not one bump. A few. So small they are not easy to see all the time.