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Herpes Concern
40s man who made a very stupid mistake. Five nights ago I had an unprotected sexual encounter with an acquaintance- vaginal and extensive oral. Two days ago, I noticed what looked like two long thin cuts, one looks more like a sore, really 1/4 long a couple mm in diameter, in my left groin area (in the crease between the thigh and my testicles).
One irritated area that I would call a sore/lesion is flat, bright red-ring and white in the center. There is no "oozing" and I have not seen anything on my testicles or penis. I had one moment of "itchiness".
The second area of concern looks more like a long paper cut just below the red-ringed sore, but that one is actually more painful and red. My lymph gland also feels swollen.I've been applying foot powder, jock itch cream and tinactin on the affected area.
I have been looking for ways to "explain this away" - it has been unbearably humid, so maybe it's "jock itch"...it's also in the area were my underwear meets my skin. However, the timing is not good, coming within a week of my very stupid act, and I have not had these symptoms before. I am very afraid I caught genital herpes.
One irritated area that I would call a sore/lesion is flat, bright red-ring and white in the center. There is no "oozing" and I have not seen anything on my testicles or penis. I had one moment of "itchiness".
The second area of concern looks more like a long paper cut just below the red-ringed sore, but that one is actually more painful and red. My lymph gland also feels swollen.I've been applying foot powder, jock itch cream and tinactin on the affected area.
I have been looking for ways to "explain this away" - it has been unbearably humid, so maybe it's "jock itch"...it's also in the area were my underwear meets my skin. However, the timing is not good, coming within a week of my very stupid act, and I have not had these symptoms before. I am very afraid I caught genital herpes.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
1. It could
2. I agree with Dr. Handsfield
I know you are stressing, but the only thing to do now is to keep an eye out for an irregularity and go in right away if you notice another symptom.
Terri
2. I agree with Dr. Handsfield
I know you are stressing, but the only thing to do now is to keep an eye out for an irregularity and go in right away if you notice another symptom.
Terri
Thank you, Terri. The rash and "sore" that I described seems to have almost entirely healed after applying an anti-bacterial cream and powder to the area for a few days. I live in the tropics and also spend a couple days out in the salt water, as well, which maybe had some effect. I don't know.
However, In the time since I posted my concern, it is all but vanished. Now it looks like "regular skin" with only a slight trace of the irritation. Also of note, the irritation remained in the crease (exactly in the spot I folded my leg to see...and it was right in that crease...in the skin fold) between my thigh and my testicles) and did not show up anywhere else. My follow on questions are:
1. Would an initial, or even recurrent, outbreak appear and then vanish in just several days?
2. There was no "blister" per se, and no "oozing" or scabbing, etc....it just...appeared to "go away" with anti-bacterial ointment, TInactin, and powder.
3. I have seen posts in which Dr. Hansfield and his colleague have said even if your partner was HSV-2 positive, it is unlikely that a single exposure would result in transmission of the virus...maybe one in one thousand (I pray that's the case if she is positive). What are your thoughts on the statistics?
To answer your questions, although I have not had the opportunity to speak with my partner about this I intend to. Frankly I don't know if I would even trust her. She's in her late 40s, very professional and highly educated, but... it was.very...very bad judgment on my part.
on my part...very disappointed with myself. Also, I noticed no sores are any irritation around her vagina, mouth, etc.
I don't ever remember having a cold sore on my lip, but when I was a teen, I used to get mouth ulcers/canker sores on the inside of my lip.
Thank you very much once again for your compassionate and non-judgmental response to my concerns. I hope my latest information provided is a good sign. I have been stressing over this very stupid incident.
However, In the time since I posted my concern, it is all but vanished. Now it looks like "regular skin" with only a slight trace of the irritation. Also of note, the irritation remained in the crease (exactly in the spot I folded my leg to see...and it was right in that crease...in the skin fold) between my thigh and my testicles) and did not show up anywhere else. My follow on questions are:
1. Would an initial, or even recurrent, outbreak appear and then vanish in just several days?
2. There was no "blister" per se, and no "oozing" or scabbing, etc....it just...appeared to "go away" with anti-bacterial ointment, TInactin, and powder.
3. I have seen posts in which Dr. Hansfield and his colleague have said even if your partner was HSV-2 positive, it is unlikely that a single exposure would result in transmission of the virus...maybe one in one thousand (I pray that's the case if she is positive). What are your thoughts on the statistics?
To answer your questions, although I have not had the opportunity to speak with my partner about this I intend to. Frankly I don't know if I would even trust her. She's in her late 40s, very professional and highly educated, but... it was.very...very bad judgment on my part.
on my part...very disappointed with myself. Also, I noticed no sores are any irritation around her vagina, mouth, etc.
I don't ever remember having a cold sore on my lip, but when I was a teen, I used to get mouth ulcers/canker sores on the inside of my lip.
Thank you very much once again for your compassionate and non-judgmental response to my concerns. I hope my latest information provided is a good sign. I have been stressing over this very stupid incident.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
If you have a genital sore, you need to have that evaluated and tested by a professional. However, it would be unlikely for a first infection with genital herpes to be present in the groin rather than on the penis. Cracking in the skin of the groin does sound more like a fungal infection, but the one that you describe as a sore should be evaluated by a professional.
Have you spoken with your partner about any history of genital herpes? Have you ever had a cold sore on your lip?
Terri
Have you spoken with your partner about any history of genital herpes? Have you ever had a cold sore on your lip?
Terri
...and I forgot to add...it's starting to "burn" and feel hot..like the feeling when you put ben-gay on a sore muscle...starting to get very worried
You are reading content posted in the Herpes Forum
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.
