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Genital herpes or not?

Hey guys,

30 year old guy here. In late December, I had a one night stand with a girl, we both performed oral sex on each other. Important to note that later that day, I masturbated 3 or 4 times :)

Fast forward to around a day later, and a red, almost inflamed patch of skin appeared under my foreskin. It was quite small, but progressed a little over the coming days. Being worried about STI's, and from googling about herpes specifically, I visited my doctor who said it definitely DIDN'T look like herpes. He gave me Canesten cream, which I used for 4 days but not sure it was helping much. I then did an online-home kit test for Gonorrhea/Chlamydia which both came back negative.

About 2 weeks after the one night stand, I had my proper appointment at the STI clinic (something I've been meaning to do anyway). I told her my symptoms and then showed her the red marks and again, she was pretty convinced it wasn't herpes (i think the phrase was ' that doesn't look anything like herpes') and ended with a comment of "I'm not worried about you" :) I should note, for peace of mind, I was re-tested there for gon/cla and the other common/major stuff as well as a herpes swab on the cuts/lesions. Awaiting results, next week probably.

Picture attached from last night (when it was properly irritated and looks much worse than normal. Often its just kinda red, like a burn or inflamed skin) which, tbh, I have had a few times before. Just like after sex, or rough sex or whatever. This one just seems a bit worse with the actual cuts and the timing of course after the one night stand causing me worry.

http://i.imgur.com/fk65L4m.jpg

It's now been around 14/15 days since the oral sex, and the marks still remain, varying from just a blotchy red band around the foreskin when pulled back, to sometimes when irritated appearing to have horizontal cuts across it as seen in the pic. I should note - no pain, illness, discharge or any other symptom at all. I am unaware if I have HSV1 orally, I think I MAY have had a cold sore sore two like 20 years ago when I was 10 :) and I'm unaware of the girl that gave me oral having any cold sores (although I know that's not a conclusive point anyway). I'm just absolutely unsure and panicking awaiting the test result.

Any advice, odds, re-assurance?! I'm going out of my mind XD And unsure whether the oral sex followed by a lot of masturbation has irritated or torn it, or it's herpes!?
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Avatar universal
Thanks Dave.

2 months has passed since your reply. I will post an update. After your reply, I received my results and tested negative for all the major STI's (gon/cla/hiv etc) and nothing on the herpes swab that the lady at the clinic took from the red marks (shown in the imgur pic in the first post).

I also recall now that I'm pretty sure I have had a cold sore when I was maybe 7-12 yrs old (i remember getting advice from my Mum not to touch them), so presume I have HSV1 like many others. Just to add that info.

However, around 13 days ago (March 3rd maybe), the red marks returned once again re-activating my worry about this! This time however, it was two tiny red marks under the foreskin once again, which I applied E45 cream to and they went within a day or two. Absolutely no pain, irritiation, itchyness, cold, flu etc. A few days later, i received a handjob from a girl, and one of the red marks re-appeared again, kinda looked like peeled skin on the side under my foreskin, totally flat reddish texture. Tiny bit of e45, and once again, 2 days later, the mark/abrasion was gone and I have a "normal looking penis" again :) No other symptoms, only noticed from looking!

I again note that in the past, I have had similar type abrasions from rough sex with my previous long term partner, not often and not as bad as in the pic I posted previously however. My foreskin doesnt stretch right to the top of my penis oddly, kinda get the feeling that maybe in pulling it right back its splitting?

I forgot to note in the last post, I had protected vaginal sex (condom) in early August 2015 and received oral in early November also. Both instances however had no symptoms afterwards or in the "week timeframe" - first visual redness was January 2016 as stated in first post. I haven't had any pain, blisters, discharge, itchiness or any opening blister with clear liquid as Dave mentioned. Just slight kinda, redness?

My anxiety worries me it's herpes as I get myself worked up about stuff like this - my logic looks at masturbation being a key factor a day or two prior to each event. And the fact all I've had since my previous long term partner (of 7 years up until 2015) is protected sex once and 2 unprotected oral sex encounters.

Timeline now is

Aug 2015: Condom protected intercourse with one night stand
Early Nov 2015: Received oral from girl unprotected
Dec 30 2015: Received oral from another girl unprotected
Dec 31: First red mark on foreskin
Jan 25: Received the all ok in STI results
March 3: Abrasions returned (a few days after potential masturbation friction again on March 1st or so) - cleared up really quick, 2 days maybe.
March 10ish - Again, small red abrasion/mark returns after receiving handjob on 8th or so.

Anything to be worried about? Should I get another herpes test or is that pointless seeing as I might have HSV1 from cold sores from a child anyway? I don't see any potential here really for HSV2 either I don't think!
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3149845 tn?1506627771
Hi, herpes are lesion type blisters that open with clear liquid and spread and since your irritation appeared the around a day later it would not be herpes related as the average time for sores to develop are about a week. Relly appears more of a friction burn from masterbating so much.
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