Syphilis Sore

[rainrandy]

what does a syphilis sore look like? Is it hard white like a pimple or does it look like some of your flesh has been scooped out?

does a syphillis sore always ooze - and if you have a bump on your genitals that isnt oozing -- would that mean its not a syphilis sore?

Also for people with syphilis, once the sore is gone -- can they still infect others? I know sometimes they may not be seen, but if there is no sore, is there another way to infect others?

[auntiejessi]

Yes, they can still infect, and the sores will go away, but the infection is still in your body, and its progressing.  

You don't want that to happen.  It can cause all kinds of ugly.  It can affect your kidneys, lungs, brain.

Semen won't transit syphilis unless the semen somehow came into contact with a syphilis sore.

I know you are trying to rationalize all this, and not be afraid, but its dangerous to speculate, ok?  I can't tell you what you have, and for every thing I say, someone else will say "but what if...?"  Its really just a good idea to get tested.

AJ

[rainrandy]

definitely getting checked out.

So syphilis sores woud always be a chancre?

One last thing, is that sore the only way syphilis can be transmitted to others? or can semen?

If only through the sore, people who have gotten syphilis, dont get treated, but the sore goes away -- can they still infect?

[auntiejessi]

A chancre sore, the sore you'd get with a new syphilis infection, is an open sore, but not all open sores ooze.  It would look more like skin has been scooped out, and not like a pimple.

If you even think you have syphilis, you need to get this checked.  Anytime you have any new symptoms, you should get checked.  

There are other stds that can look like a pimple, so you should make an appt and get checked, if you have a pimple like sore.

AJ