i am 37 y/o male. i am in a monogamous relationship with a woman.
about 3 months ago i started getting red patches of skin on the shaft of my penis. they don't hurt or itch. they have a fairly defined border. there are 3 rather splotchy patches, the biggest about the size of a quarter, the other two about the size of a dime. they are red. they then dry out, the skin flakes off and they go away, only to reappear as red patches of the same size and in the same location after 2-3 days. this process then repeats itself. i have changed soap, the lubricant we use during sex, etc. they always come back in the same place.
i didn't take any action because a) they don't hurt or itch and b) they kept *seeming* like they were going to go away.
two days ago, as one of the patches was drying out, 3-4 tiny blisters appeared. they are rather painful but only when they are touched or clothes rub up against them. 98% of the time, i don't even notice them.
is this gential herpes or something else? thanks!