small red splotches on penis

Hello.  Two nights ago I noticed small, red spots on my husbands penis shaft during foreplay.  the largest was about 3mm in diameter, the smallest like the point of a felt tip pen.  They seemed to be only on the skin, as they moved/stretched with the skin.  He says its bruising from sex and he's had them before but they go away.  I want to know if it could be something else. We have trust issues and I do not want to be at risk for any diseases if it is something else.  Please let me know what they could be and what its from

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Lesions of the genitals that come and go always raise concern about herpes.  Your description doesn't really sound like herpes.  But if the lesions look inflamed/sore, herpes is the best bet; ditto if over several days the lesions evolve from red bumps to blister-like lesions or pimples.  Sex shouldn't cause bruising, except perhaps with vigorous oral sex (i.e., hickey).  Masturbation might cause bruising, and I suspect many men would be intimidated about acknowledging masturbation to their wives.  But a bruise shouldn't look like a "red spot"; a bruise of the penis looks like a bruise anywhere else.

Should this turn out to be herpes, it doesn't necessarily mean your husband has had other partners.  Assuming either of you had other partners before your marriage, either of you could have brought it into the relationship and yet have it show up months or years later.  Most cases are asymptomatic.

Good luck--  HHH, MD

[jumbostapler]

I've been having the same problem for a very long time and never thought anything of it until the other day.  When i got it i hadn't had any sexual contact with a single person.  I get what looks to be a pimple on my penis and i've always thought of it to be just that.  I always get it in the same general area each time and they usually last for a couple weeks.  The reason it alarmed me the other day was because it started to bleed after my shower.  Could this be herpes?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Recurrent pimple- or blister-like lesions of the penis usually are herpes.  However, herpes rarely appears as just a single lesions and doesn't usually bleed.  If it is a single lesion and always occurs in precisely the same spot, not just the general area, then I would wonder whether you have a cyst or some other non-herpetic lesions that periodically gets infected.  Can you see anything at all--bump, large "pore", or anything else in between the pimple-like episodes?  In any case, if it started before you ever had sex, that's strong evidence against herpes.

HHH, MD