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Herpes, staph, or folliculitis?
About a month ago, I had an ingrown hair near my vagina, and I attempted to pluck it. Long story short... it got incredibly infected, and I ended up with a staph infection. I took Sulfameth and Doxycycline for a week, and the skin in the area absolutely freaked out. The staph infection cleared, but I got this bumpy rash immediately adjacent to my vagina. I was concerned that it could be herpes because I had had sex with a new partner (we used condoms, but there was maybe a five minute period once when there wasn't a condom involved) about a month before the staph infection. I went to a clinic to get it checked, and the clinician told me it was just extremely infected hair follicles (folliculitis). The former partner assured me that he had come up clean with the last STD testing, and so I left it at that.
A few days ago, I looked to see if the rash was completely gone, and I noticed a bump on my left outer labia. It kind of looks like a pimple (red with a little bit of white), and it feels like a hard bump under the skin, but it doesn't really hurt. I put a hot compress on it for awhile, and it appeared to shrink a bit, but a day later, it looks the same as it did when I first looked at it.
I'm fairly certain it's not HPV since I had the vaccine, and it doesn't look like a herpes blister (but, with all the internet horror stories, it seems like herpes can look like just about anything). I had shaved in the area somewhat recently, so it's possible it could just be an infected pore.
Does this sound like herpes? Does it sound like the staph (it wasn't MRSA) is still popping up on my skin? I've already been to the women's clinic twice in the last three months, so I'm afraid I'll seem like a total hypochondriac if I go back again.
Any advice much appreciated...
A few days ago, I looked to see if the rash was completely gone, and I noticed a bump on my left outer labia. It kind of looks like a pimple (red with a little bit of white), and it feels like a hard bump under the skin, but it doesn't really hurt. I put a hot compress on it for awhile, and it appeared to shrink a bit, but a day later, it looks the same as it did when I first looked at it.
I'm fairly certain it's not HPV since I had the vaccine, and it doesn't look like a herpes blister (but, with all the internet horror stories, it seems like herpes can look like just about anything). I had shaved in the area somewhat recently, so it's possible it could just be an infected pore.
Does this sound like herpes? Does it sound like the staph (it wasn't MRSA) is still popping up on my skin? I've already been to the women's clinic twice in the last three months, so I'm afraid I'll seem like a total hypochondriac if I go back again.
Any advice much appreciated...
COMMUNITY LEADER
A hard bump under the skin sounds more like staph to me than herpes. You might have an infected gland or something.
And honestly, if you are having symptoms, it does NOT make you a hypochondriac to see the doc.
I'd go see the doc if it were me.
AJ
And honestly, if you are having symptoms, it does NOT make you a hypochondriac to see the doc.
I'd go see the doc if it were me.
AJ
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You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
