burning skin, genital redness

[hypoboy29]

Hello,

About 3 months ago, I engaged in frottage with someone I barely knew.  Two weeks later, I got a burning sensation on my buttocks.  A week later, I visited a medical professional who told me it was not herpes, but rather little pimples and not blisters on my buttocks from friction or bacteria.  It was very painful at first, even hard to sit down.  I have always had for years burning skin on my thighs which I attirbute to dry skin.  I have that feeling now, with little tiny red pimples on thighs and buttocks.

I am convinced its herpes but the medical professional I saw said  the bumps on my anus were not that at all.

What else could it be?  Could it be bacteria from this exposure that keeps coming back, irritating the skin and could it be that my thighs are burning because I am wearing tight jeans?  I have also gotten the burning almost every other week since this encounter.  Could it also be MSRA or folliculitis even if some have no hair coming outof them?



Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you

[hypoboy29]

I also have to say that the sores/pimples that have been recurring have never itched and never appeared to present as blisters.  Not sure if herpes symptoms always include those.

[hypoboy29]

Thank you.

When you talk about tests, I have heard that there are type-specific blood tests right now and some good sites (CDC, mayoclinic) say they are pretty accurate but others say it is not.  I would hate to take a blood test if it is not 100% accurate and judging by the test you mentioned that are not blood antibody tests, I am thinking you also do not feel they are perfectly accurate.

In terms of the test you mentioned, I assume they are all based on scraping the lesions or sores and testing it, but if I don;t have any blisters or anything, what are options?

Thank you

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
From what you have described, it can be herpes. Folliculitis may present as small red irritating bumps but they do not cause burning sensation for long. However the possibility of sweat dermatitis neds to be ruled out. The only way of ruling it out is by getting yourself tested for 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.