Autoinoculation, illness, and other fears

[aardvarkadmirer]

Good Day, Fine people of MedHelp. This was initially written for the good doctors, but it seems the question limit has been reached.

I understand that what is to follow may seem like panicked ranting, but I ask you to bare your teeth and bear with me.

I'm an 18 year old male, and recently I looked into the mirror (As us 18-year-olds so typically do) to see what looked like a single very small pimple forming on my lip. "A pimple on the lip? That's strange", I thought (I initially assumed it was due to copious oil-based stage makeup to my lip, combined with my lips being chapped and swollen from a cold), and I poked and prodded it. I then...well, I then had a pee (without washing my hands beforehand).

It was only later that the thought occured to me that this "pimple" might have been a herpes cold sore and after some panicked googling, I found that the infection can indeed be transmitted to your nether regions. Now, my understanding is that it's extremely difficult to inoculate yourself with HSV after you've had it. Searching through my memory, I seem to recall only one other occurence where I've had a cold sore. However, I'm worried that I may be imagining this memory, or it may have been one of my brothers who underwent the cold sore. So, I suppose my primary questions are:

A) What are the chances of autoinoculation if it is your initial infection?

B) Do the initial outbreaks usually present as more than a small, 1 mm wide pimple on the corner of your mouth, or as something a little more severe?

C) If the patient has a minor illness (I.E. A Cold), and is fairly worn down, do the chances of autoinoculation increase?

This may be due to me searching frantically for signs of infection, but I have noticed 4 or 5 small itchy bumps on my hip (resembling some kind of bite) - they aren't pus filled, yet they itch terribly, and I also have a single pus-filled lump on my knee, pimple-like in appearance, but un-poppable. The pimple is directly next to a scab I habitually scratch, and there is a hair sprouting out of the sore.

I realise that these are strange places to have outbreaks, yet from what I've read they're still plausible areas. Do either of these "symptoms" sound like indicators of a herpes infection?

I thank you for your time, and hope you can put my mind at rest, or at least point me in the right direction as to what to do next.

[aardvarkadmirer]

Thanks for the reassurance, grace!
I do realise I was panicky etc, but it's nice to have an experts viewpoint. My own logic is never enough :)

I (and I'm sure many other people) am extremely grateful for your work here - I can see you have touched and reassured many people, and you are very noble in your deeds.

Have a good day.

[gracefromHHP]

One vote for panicked ranting :)

This sounds just like a pimple you popped. This isn't an issue. You can stop worrying. You aren't going to give yourself genital herpes either - no worries there. If it was that easy - 1/3 of all toddlers would have oral AND genital herpes from fingers in their mouths and then down their diapers all the time.

grace

[aardvarkadmirer]

I would also like to add that I have never had oral or vaginal sex.
With anyone.
Ever.
:'(