Open sores and white lesions(?) on scrotum

[davidman79]

Hello, I am a 18 year old male and I have a problem. A couple of days ago, I found 2-3 open sores (didn't bleed too much when I found them, there was only a little bit blood) and what looked like white lesions (I am guessing), almost like blisters but not really "dots" but more wide/long than thick/tall, and I am not sure what this could be. I haven't had sexual activity recently, nor have I ever, and I don't want to tell my parents about this because it's embarrassing (what would I say? I think I have an STD even though I haven't had sex ever?). It is quite painful (I have had worse pain in my life, that's not my main concern right now), I'm just a little scared. Please help me and/or tell me what this could be.

Thanks for any help in advance,
David.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
From the symptoms it can be folliculitis but since you are sexually active it is important to get herpes ruled out. The only way of ruling it out is by getting yourself tested for genital herpes. Laboratory tests include: culture of the virus, direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) studies to detect virus, skin biopsy, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to test for presence of viral DNA. I sincerely advise you to consult a dermatologist and get it ruled out.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your dermatologist. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[davidman79]

I have an update. I don't think it's an STD since I had have never had any sexual activity ever, I never use public toilet seats + nobody in my family has an STD either. Today, it felt a lot better. I put a bandaid on yesterday and kept it on all day, then took it off today, washed the affected area a bit and it didn't hurt when washing it, nor did it hurt when I rubbed a bit too hard drying it with toilet paper and one of the white (lesions would be the word I guess? IDK) things was brushed up against and opened up. There was no puss or anything, no liquid, just raw skin underneath which I didn't wash because it would hurt and then I put a bandaid on it. I hope I don't have an infection or anything, though I doubt I do since it doesn't hurt much anymore AND there was no puss whatsoever. If it doesn't clear up more in a few days I guess I'll have to tell my parents about it, but I don't think that will happen because it already seems a lot better. /sarcasm Thanks for the fast responses, guys. /endsarcasm