Ingrown hair or herpes?

[stdworry]

About 4 -5 months ago I had what appeared to be an ingrown hair at the base of my penis on the top side. I shave my testicles and penis shaft to keep them free from hair. I squeezed this raised red area within weeks of it's first appearence and it produced a small amount of white material (pus) similar to what one might expect from an ingrown hair.  The problem is the red bump is still there.  There has been no seeping, weeping or any other noticable product from this bump. There has also been no crusting or scabbing. It sometimes appears to decrease in size but the red bump remains. I went to my Doctor yesterday and he told me that herpes sores can sometimes appear as if they were an ingrown hair. He did acknowledge that it was unusual for a herpes sore to remain for months.  He prescribed Cefzil and told me not to shave down there for at least two weeks.  He thinks it's a skin malady that sometimes starts as an ingrown hair.  
My question is this;  Is it possible that I have herpes and the "sore" has simply remained due to being untreated? I can't wait two weeks until I go back to the Dr. to find out.  I'm going crazy with worry that I have herpes. I've had two sexual partners (unprotected)in the past 8 months neither of which is infected with herpes as far as they know.

[Guest123986]

A related discussion, Ingrown hair or warts? was started.

[travnaomi777]

A related discussion, Infection of the hair was started.

[grownman9900]

I also have bumps on my scrotum. I regularly shave my private area completely. I also have some periodic itching but have had that since forever. I just noticed the bumps but never really looked so they may have always been there. I have yet to experience discharge. It appears that the bumps are right at the point were hair woud grow. Anybody know what it is? ***@****

[jte3000]

A related discussion, is it ingrown hair was started.

[whitebread]

I have the same problem. I have also shaved the base of my penis and acutally have applied a hair inhibitor there like a month ago. I remember before i applied the inhibitor, there was really no formation. I have applied it twice. I am freaking out about herpes. I have small red bumps around the base of my penis now. It doesn't look gross, but it looks bumpy and some discoloration has formed. I also lost my virginity to my girlfriend and we always use condoms. She told me she was clean.  What should i do? Email me at ***@**** please.

[whitebread]

I have the same problem. I have also shaved the base of my penis and acutally have applied a hair inhibitor there like a month ago. I remember before i applied the inhibitor, there was really no formation. I have applied it twice. I am freaking out about herpes. I have small red bumps around the base of my penis now. It doesn't look gross, but it looks bumpy and some discoloration has formed. I also lost my virginity to my girlfriend and we always use condoms. She told me she was clean.  What should i do? Email me at ***@**** please.

[meltambo]

I just have a question that has been on my mind...  I have been told by my doctor that I have herpes and have tested positive for it....but a rare thing...cause it is only present in my ***..anal passage I know that is gross...but my fiance and I have had alot of *** sex...and I know I got it from him...so it is not present anywhere else with me...except my butt ...so I am experiencing lately some anal discharge and am a little worried about it...so I am wondering if anyone else who has herpes has experienced the same thing....or heard of it...I just don't know what to think...please email me at ***@****  if you can help...Thanks...

[meltambo]

I just have a question that has been on my mind...  I have been told by my doctor that I have herpes and have tested positive for it....but a rare thing...cause it is only present in my ***..anal passage I know that is gross...but my fiance and I have had alot of *** sex...and I know I got it from him...so it is not present anywhere else with me...except my butt ...so I am experiencing lately some anal discharge and am a little worried about it...so I am wondering if anyone else who has herpes has experienced the same thing....or heard of it...I just don't know what to think...please email me at ***@****  if you can help...Thanks...

[meltambo]

I just have a question that has been on my mind...  I have been told by my doctor that I have herpes and have tested positive for it....but a rare thing...cause it is only present in my ***..anal passage I know that is gross...but my fiance and I have had alot of *** sex...and I know I got it from him...so it is not present anywhere else with me...except my butt ...so I am experiencing lately some anal discharge and am a little worried about it...so I am wondering if anyone else who has herpes has experienced the same thing....or heard of it...I just don't know what to think...please email me at ***@****  if you can help...Thanks...

[Italysfinest327]

hey i have the same exact thing and im really paranoid, the bump gets smaller but does not go away i had this a while back and it turned out it was an ingrown hair bc the hair finally popped through and i decided to pluck it with a tweazer, the same exact thing does happen to me with the pus, well i have another one and i have had it for like a month now and its really getting me paranoid bc i dont know what to think of it im not sure if i should go to a doctor or wait to see if it goes down, at first i though it might of been herpes but i really dont think it is bc i wear condoms and ive only had sex with one girl whom ive been going out with for 2 years and i lost my virginity to her and she lost her viginity to me, well i decided to look up pictures of herpes on the genitals and all the pics were similar, herpes does not look like what i have, herpes looks really blisterry, and pretty gross, any sugestions on what i should do, bc this is really upsetting me

[stdworry]

Thanks Doc, what had me concerned was the fact that some reported that their herpes first appeared as an ingrown hair.  I wasn't clear if during these cases the wound/cyst/bump persisted, went away, or what.  I was therefore concerned that it was possible that if one had herpes that appeared as an ingrown hair it remained until treated.
My doc did say he didn't think it was herpes but couldn't rule it out at this point either.  He said he would send me to a dermatologist if in two weeks this hasn't gone away.  Thanks for your time.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

What you describe isn't herpes, for many reasons.  First, herpes presents as blisters, not as a red bump.  Second, herpes goes away in 7-10 days and may recur, but does not persist.  Your doctor clearly did not think this was herpes because he prescribed an antibiotic that kills bacteria, not viruses.

If you squeeze a follicle, it can remain there for months before being reabsorbed.

I do not think you have herpes.  Take the antibiotic, apply an antibiotic ointment like bacitracin, leave the area alone, keep your follow-up appointment, and stop worrying!

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff