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STDs (Expert Forum)
could it be herpes
Answered by
Edward W Hook, MD - HIV Prevention, stds
Welcome to the STD Forum, which is intended only for questions and support pertaining to sexually transmitted diseases other than HIV/AIDS, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, human papillomavirus, genital warts, trichomonas, other vaginal infections, nongonoccal urethritis (NGU), cervicitis, molluscum contagiosum, chancroid, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). All questions will be answered by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D. or Edward W Hook, MD.
could it be herpes
by stupid10, Oct 31, 2009 06:03AM
i had brief unprotected oral sex about 3 weeks ago. i noticed yesterday a very small, almost unnoticable red pimple on the tip of my penis. it doesn't hurt when i touch it or when i urinate but im concerned about it. im a very active male and sweat alot at work and sometimes my penis gets irritated. right now my penis is a little irritated and burns a little depending on which way it lays in my shorts. what do you think??
Doctor's Answer
by Edward W Hook, MD, Oct 31, 2009 12:06PM
, Oct 31, 2009 12:06PM
There are lots of reasons other than herpes to explain the pimple you describe and I would not worry about herpes unless the number of such lesions increase or other symptoms occur. There are many reasons why HSV is unlikely. These include:
1. You say nothing about your partner but it is statistically more likely that she does not have HSV than that she did.
2. Even if she did, unless she had an active cold sore on her lips, the chances of getting HSV from a single exposure is low. If she had a cold sore, the chances of getting infected from a single exposure is still low but not as low.
3. When people get HSV nearly all develop lesions 4-10 days after exposure so that your pimple appeared at 3 weeks would be atypical and unusual.
4. As I already said, the lesion does not sound particularly suggestive of HSV.
Putting all of these together, my advice would be not to worry. If you cannot help but worry., I'd then suggest you go see a health care provider who can do a culture or PCR test from the lesion. I predict such a test would be negative. There is no role for a blood test for HSV at this time in your case - too early and if it were positive you still would not know that the lesion you noted was HSV.
Hope these comments help. Take care. EWH
1. You say nothing about your partner but it is statistically more likely that she does not have HSV than that she did.
2. Even if she did, unless she had an active cold sore on her lips, the chances of getting HSV from a single exposure is low. If she had a cold sore, the chances of getting infected from a single exposure is still low but not as low.
3. When people get HSV nearly all develop lesions 4-10 days after exposure so that your pimple appeared at 3 weeks would be atypical and unusual.
4. As I already said, the lesion does not sound particularly suggestive of HSV.
Putting all of these together, my advice would be not to worry. If you cannot help but worry., I'd then suggest you go see a health care provider who can do a culture or PCR test from the lesion. I predict such a test would be negative. There is no role for a blood test for HSV at this time in your case - too early and if it were positive you still would not know that the lesion you noted was HSV.
Hope these comments help. Take care. EWH
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