Wet little sore/wound

[hendrikd]

Hi Doctor,

I went to a prostitute some time ago. I did everything protected.

2 weeks after I noticed a small wound (4-5mm) on the border of my glans.
I looked like the upper skin was away. It was round, painless, wet and NOT hard.
It took 8 days to cure. It was wet all these days.

4 weeks after appearance of this sore and 7 weeks after contact I went to a doctor.
I did an STD check for HIV, Syphillis, Chlamydia and Ghonoroe.
All turned out negative.

Now 2 months after contact I'm having the same small sore/wound on my glans.

It looks the same. It's painless, solitary, wet and looks like the upper skin is away.
Again it doesn't heal well. It's there already for 1 1/2 week.

I'm getting frightened again about STD's like Herpes and Syphillis.

I looked on the internet for Herpes sores. But it isn't the same. I'm just having one small little wound/sore (3mm),
I'm not having blisters and it's painless.

For syphilis I presume it's strange to have a second sore one month after the first?

I'm worried again, the STD test gave me back my rest, but now it's gone again.

Kind regards
Hendrik

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

You're welcome; glad we could help.  Take care and stay safe.

[hendrikd]

Hi Doctor,

I wanted to keep you informed on the results of the lab test.

The samples taken from the skin rash aren't contagious. The labo test didn't found virusses, yeast or bacterians. I got a cortisone cream prescribed and finally after 2 1/2 months the rash dissapears.

A swab was taken from the sore a few days before it healed.
The result was negative, so no Herpes.

I'm so reliefed. I still have no clue were the sore and the rash came from, but I'm happy all STD tests came back negative.

Once again thank you for the professional information you gave me.

I finally can put my mind at rest.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Psoriasis is common on the penis, and sometimes the lesions become eroded -- so perhaps that spot also is psoriasis.  I continue to doubt herpes and will be very surprised if the swab specimen shows HSV.  But follow the dermatologist's advice.

"I always had sex with condom, so I don't understand" is sort of a nonsense statement,since lesion probably neither lesion is herpes or any other STD.

[hendrikd]

I went to a dermatologist. She took a sample of the dry skin spot to test in laboratory.

At first view she thinks of an eczema or psoriasis. I got a cortisone cream to threat this rash.

The small wound might be Herpes, but also not. She couldn't say and took a swap to test as well.

I hope the results may bring good news, as I'm still affraid. Not for the rash, but for the possibiliteit of having acquired Herpes on my glans.

I always had sex with condom, so I don't understand.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I cannot speculate further on what this might be.  Most people with herpes are not at high risk for STDs. If you have been sexually active at all during your life, there is some risk you had herpes.  You could not have caught herpes or syphilis, in this location, with condom-protected sex.

It is pointless for you to try to figure this out on this forum or anywhere else by online searching.  See what the dermatologist says, both about the lesion described here and the "dry spot" on your glans.  It's a good bet they are both part of the same problem, and as I already said, I doubt it is an STD.  Still, tell the dermatologist the full story, including your commercial sex exposure.

Feel free to report back with a follow-up comment after you have seen the dermatologist.  I'll have nothing more to say until then.

[hendrikd]

the sore doesn't hurt, itches or burns. the skin around isn't red.

i read on the internet herpes hurts, but this isn't the case with me.

i'm really in panic that I might have herpes.

[hendrikd]

Hi Doctor,

Thank you for your response.

If I acquired it, It must have been my last contact, even protected.
I can't think any other risk I took.

I'm not taking any medication.

Might it be healing slowly because the foreskin covers the spot?

The new sore is on a different place.
But again on the border of my glans covered by the foreskin.

Is a painless solitary wound possible by Herpes?
Can it be on the glans, while still having had sex with a condom?

There wasn't a blister in the beginning. It started very small, but possibly due to friction got larger and now it doesn't closes or gets smaller. The fact that it's wet disturbs me.

I never had small wounds on my glans before. I'm quite sure of that.
I'm quite hypochondric on STD's and really carefull not to get one.

I'm also having a dry skin spot on my glans. I'm seeing a dermatologist for this later this week. I first was worried about this, but now I'm more affraid for the wound.

Having Herpes would be hell.

regards
Hendrik

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome back to the forum.

As you learned from Dr. Hook in your recent thread, syphilis has been ruled out; your negative blood test proves you don't have it.  And as Dr. Hook also told you, there were other aspects of your story that were not compatible with syphilis.

With recurrence of the sore, the possibility of genital herpes has to be considered.  Herpes is the most common cause of recurrent genital blisters or sores.  That said, it is not common for herpes oubreaks to recur in exactly the same spot.  My guess is that this is some sort of dermatitis, not an STD of any kind and not related to your condom-protected sexual exposure a couple of months ago.  Even if it turns out to be herpes, it is probably the result of a chronic, longstanding infection, not one acquired just a couple of months ago.

Are you taking any medications?  Certain drugs can cause a kind of allergy called a fixed drug eruption.  FDEs behave like a burn -- red skin that then may peel, leaving a raw area.  The penis is a common site.  But this is just a guess.

My advice is that you very promrply see a health care provider, preferably a dermatologist.  It may already be too late for an accurate diagnosis; it would have been best if you had seen someone within 1-2 days of noticing the new lesion.  Still, you should see someone before it heals.  If the doctor believes herpes is a possibility, the lesion might be tested for the virus; or s/he might recommend a blood test.  But as I said, my guess is that this will turn out to be some kind of dermatitis.  You can be very certain you have no STD related to your sexual exposure a couple of months ago.

Feel free to return and let me know what is found after you have been professionally evaluated.

Regards--  HHH, MD