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Is This Herpes?
Thank you for creating this great forum and for answering my question. I know your answer will help my anxiety if nothing else.
I am a 40 year old male. I had unprotected vaginal intercourse about 6 weeks ago. I do not know the woman's sexual history. That was my only sexual contact in the last several months.
Eleven (11) days after the intercourse, I was masturbating with vaseline petroleum jelly for an extended period of time (1 or 2 hours) when I noticed three red bumps on the under-side of my penis shaft (about 3/4 of the way down towards the head, just below the circumcision line). They were each about the size of 1/4 of a pencil eraser - or smaller. The were about the same distance apart. They did not itch, hurt, become liquid filled, blister, pop, or scab over. I am pretty sure they appeared while I was masturbating; in other words, I don't think they were present when I started. The first thing I thought of was herpes since there were three red bumps close together on my penis.
The next morning I looked and could not find the bumps. However, later that day, I masturbated and felt the same bumps while I was masturbating.
It has now been 26 days since I first noticed the bumps. I have not had any flu-like symptoms, swollen lymph nodes, or pain when urinating. The bumps, however, are essentially the same. In other words, I still feel them when I masturbate. They fell like hard lumps under the skin; kind of like gristle. Sometimes the skin is red and irritated around the bumps during or after masturbation. But, that usually disappears within a couple of hours and then it is very difficult to see anything (I can see the bumps if I stretch the skin and look carefully). The bumps appear to be under the skin as opposed to on the skin. The bumps have never itched, hurt, become liquid filled, blistered, popped or scabbed. The bumps have never had a discharge and have never bled. They have not really gone away (they just are not recognizable when I'm flacid) but they have not spread either.
I'm not sure if it matters, but I do masturbate once or twice a day using vaseline; it usually lasts between half an hour and two hours.
My questions are:
1. Does this sound like herpes?
2. If not, what else could it be?
3. Should I see a doctor if there is really nothing to be seen when I am flacid?
4. If so, what kind of doctor should I see? (dermatologist? STD clinic?)
5. Any other thoughts? I am anxious about what this could be and what I should do.
Thanks again!
I am a 40 year old male. I had unprotected vaginal intercourse about 6 weeks ago. I do not know the woman's sexual history. That was my only sexual contact in the last several months.
Eleven (11) days after the intercourse, I was masturbating with vaseline petroleum jelly for an extended period of time (1 or 2 hours) when I noticed three red bumps on the under-side of my penis shaft (about 3/4 of the way down towards the head, just below the circumcision line). They were each about the size of 1/4 of a pencil eraser - or smaller. The were about the same distance apart. They did not itch, hurt, become liquid filled, blister, pop, or scab over. I am pretty sure they appeared while I was masturbating; in other words, I don't think they were present when I started. The first thing I thought of was herpes since there were three red bumps close together on my penis.
The next morning I looked and could not find the bumps. However, later that day, I masturbated and felt the same bumps while I was masturbating.
It has now been 26 days since I first noticed the bumps. I have not had any flu-like symptoms, swollen lymph nodes, or pain when urinating. The bumps, however, are essentially the same. In other words, I still feel them when I masturbate. They fell like hard lumps under the skin; kind of like gristle. Sometimes the skin is red and irritated around the bumps during or after masturbation. But, that usually disappears within a couple of hours and then it is very difficult to see anything (I can see the bumps if I stretch the skin and look carefully). The bumps appear to be under the skin as opposed to on the skin. The bumps have never itched, hurt, become liquid filled, blistered, popped or scabbed. The bumps have never had a discharge and have never bled. They have not really gone away (they just are not recognizable when I'm flacid) but they have not spread either.
I'm not sure if it matters, but I do masturbate once or twice a day using vaseline; it usually lasts between half an hour and two hours.
My questions are:
1. Does this sound like herpes?
2. If not, what else could it be?
3. Should I see a doctor if there is really nothing to be seen when I am flacid?
4. If so, what kind of doctor should I see? (dermatologist? STD clinic?)
5. Any other thoughts? I am anxious about what this could be and what I should do.
Thanks again!
A related discussion, Is This Herpes? was started.
I've had this blister the lip of my vagina for about 2 years now. I'm afraid to go to the doctor because i'm afraid of the results. I NEVER had unprotected sex with my ex but we did have unprotected oral sex. The blister is sore when I bother it. I can feel it through my skin and it seems as though its a bunch of small balls under the blister. When I bother the blister the next day it gets puss I assume from irritation. It NEVER goes away so I don't think its herpes. It's only one blister. I used to shave a lot and the similar hardness would come but it usually went right away. Also, a blister never formed.
When I squeeze it, it hurts really bad once I've bothered it. Before I bother it, its ok when I touch it until I do it for a while. Also, sometimes when puss comes, blood does also. Then i realize the inside comes out and I can feel the inside of the blister and I can see the little balls and they are red. I can pull them and its painful. It seems like a bunch of skin compacted together under my skin. I also realize no hair grows out of the blister but hair grows out of the part the blister isn't covering. I always think that when the blister opens i can just pull the little balls out but they are attached to the inside of my thigh so of course that hurts. Please help me with any way to get rid of this or tell me what it could be. thanks
When I squeeze it, it hurts really bad once I've bothered it. Before I bother it, its ok when I touch it until I do it for a while. Also, sometimes when puss comes, blood does also. Then i realize the inside comes out and I can feel the inside of the blister and I can see the little balls and they are red. I can pull them and its painful. It seems like a bunch of skin compacted together under my skin. I also realize no hair grows out of the blister but hair grows out of the part the blister isn't covering. I always think that when the blister opens i can just pull the little balls out but they are attached to the inside of my thigh so of course that hurts. Please help me with any way to get rid of this or tell me what it could be. thanks
Sure don't sound like herpes.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
No, your symptoms do not sound like herpes or any other STD. Once an STD seems unlikely, I generally do not speculate about other causes--but something so subtle as you describe sounds to me like a normal anatomic variant, i.e. just a normal irregularity in the skin. But to be sure, seeing a dermatologist would make sense. But in the meantime, herpes or any other STD seems very unlikely.
Although I am an expert in STD and not sexual behavior, from your description the amount of your time you spend masturbating seems highly abnormal ("1/2 to 2 hr once or twice a day" seems to translate to something approaching 10% of your waking hours). It might suggest a mental health issue that would benefit from professional advice.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Although I am an expert in STD and not sexual behavior, from your description the amount of your time you spend masturbating seems highly abnormal ("1/2 to 2 hr once or twice a day" seems to translate to something approaching 10% of your waking hours). It might suggest a mental health issue that would benefit from professional advice.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
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.
