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Looking for an expert opinion
Doctor HHH,
Just about two months ago I had a protected encounter with a friend. A week after I developed a rash on my penis and went to the doctor 2-3 days after I noticed the rash. He told me he did not think it was any form of herpes but rather an abrasion due to excessive rubbing. He said it was most likely due to being in wet clothing for the entire weekend. I kept the area dry and it healed within a weeks time.
I have since read herpes is often mistaken as abrasions and thus is one reason for my inquiry. I also have found a picture of what the rash looked like at:
http://ehealthforum.com/health/serious-large-red-sores-on-inner-thigh-male-t145183.html
The photo is of a rash on the thigh. My rash was very similar with the base of my penis looking like the skin fold area of the thigh in the picture and the shaft of my penis having the scattered red dots.
Do you believe this sort of rash should be something I should be concerned about? Is it logical the rash could only be on my penis and not other locations with in the genital region? With no noticeable blisters or open sores and only a mild discomfort, can I be confident this rash was not caused by any underlying condition?
Thank you for your advice!
Just about two months ago I had a protected encounter with a friend. A week after I developed a rash on my penis and went to the doctor 2-3 days after I noticed the rash. He told me he did not think it was any form of herpes but rather an abrasion due to excessive rubbing. He said it was most likely due to being in wet clothing for the entire weekend. I kept the area dry and it healed within a weeks time.
I have since read herpes is often mistaken as abrasions and thus is one reason for my inquiry. I also have found a picture of what the rash looked like at:
http://ehealthforum.com/health/serious-large-red-sores-on-inner-thigh-male-t145183.html
The photo is of a rash on the thigh. My rash was very similar with the base of my penis looking like the skin fold area of the thigh in the picture and the shaft of my penis having the scattered red dots.
Do you believe this sort of rash should be something I should be concerned about? Is it logical the rash could only be on my penis and not other locations with in the genital region? With no noticeable blisters or open sores and only a mild discomfort, can I be confident this rash was not caused by any underlying condition?
Thank you for your advice!
Thank you Dr. Hook.
I have pursued this issue only because I do not want to unknowingly bring anything into a future relationship. I will accept the overwhelming evidence as it stands and move past this. Thank you for your patience with me and continued responses.
I have pursued this issue only because I do not want to unknowingly bring anything into a future relationship. I will accept the overwhelming evidence as it stands and move past this. Thank you for your patience with me and continued responses.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You seem to be focused on herpes and I am not sure why. You have lesions that were looked at by a health care provider who felt that your rash was not HSV. You asked about HSV on this forum and were told more reasons why this was unlikely to be herpes. Now you have a negative test for HSV at a time when over 75% of persons who had gotten HSV would have a positive test and that too is negative. If I were you I would stop this non-productive pursuit of herpes and move on with your life. You can keep testing and sooner or later you will probably get a false positive test but as on now, there is, once again no reason to even think that you have herpes, My advice would be to accept that you do not have herpes and to not pursue it further. EWH
Dr. Hook,
I had the herpeselect test administered at a little over 8 weeks post exposure (59 days) and received a negative result <.90 for both HSV 1 & 2. Understanding this result is not definitive, I was wondering what my best course of action would be in the upcoming months. Should I retest at 3, 4, and/or 6 months? I also will include, as a side note, I have tested negative for all other infections besides HIV and was planning on testing for HIV when I retest for HSV.
Again, thank you for your help.
I had the herpeselect test administered at a little over 8 weeks post exposure (59 days) and received a negative result <.90 for both HSV 1 & 2. Understanding this result is not definitive, I was wondering what my best course of action would be in the upcoming months. Should I retest at 3, 4, and/or 6 months? I also will include, as a side note, I have tested negative for all other infections besides HIV and was planning on testing for HIV when I retest for HSV.
Again, thank you for your help.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Little change to my prior advice. I think that if the rash is still there, your interests would be best served by a return visit to yor doctor or, if you are unsure about his/her opinion, to another doctor (dermatologist?) to help sort this out.
The lesions still sound nothing at all like HSV. A herpes IgG assay will tell you if you have herpes or not but even if you do, do not tell you that this rash is herpes, nor when you got herpes if you have it. EWH
The lesions still sound nothing at all like HSV. A herpes IgG assay will tell you if you have herpes or not but even if you do, do not tell you that this rash is herpes, nor when you got herpes if you have it. EWH
Dr. Hook, I appreciate you taking the time to answer my question. I understand why pictures are probably not helpful.
I believe due to my reliance on the picture I was a little vague on some of the details.
1) The examining physician ruled out HSV partially on his estimation of there being “nothing to swab.” Thus, no culture was taken. He felt as though I had inflamed skin due to friction.
2) My friend told me she has not noticed anything out of the ordinary but has never been tested.
3) The rash was on the underside of my penis and seemed to begin at the base as a red patch and then diffuse out into red “dots” on the underside of the shaft as it worked its way toward the head. It covered quite a large area of the underside.
I know these factors probably do not change your previous advice but I wanted to present them.
I’m contemplating whether or not I should have an IgG blood test for HSV done. Would you advise I have the test done at the 3 month mark?
I have read through many of the threads on this site and hold both your and Dr Handsfield’s opinions in highest regard. I appreciate your time and help.
I believe due to my reliance on the picture I was a little vague on some of the details.
1) The examining physician ruled out HSV partially on his estimation of there being “nothing to swab.” Thus, no culture was taken. He felt as though I had inflamed skin due to friction.
2) My friend told me she has not noticed anything out of the ordinary but has never been tested.
3) The rash was on the underside of my penis and seemed to begin at the base as a red patch and then diffuse out into red “dots” on the underside of the shaft as it worked its way toward the head. It covered quite a large area of the underside.
I know these factors probably do not change your previous advice but I wanted to present them.
I’m contemplating whether or not I should have an IgG blood test for HSV done. Would you advise I have the test done at the 3 month mark?
I have read through many of the threads on this site and hold both your and Dr Handsfield’s opinions in highest regard. I appreciate your time and help.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Dr. Handsfield and I share the forum. You got me. FYI, the reason we share the forum is because we have worked together for nearly 30 years and while our verbiage styles vary, we have never disagreed on management strategies or advice to clients.
Sorry, we do not look at pictures on this forum. On some occasions you can get pictures looked at on the Dermatology forum but to be honest, a picture that "looks like" your rash is rarely helpful. Let's view this form a different perspective, i.e. does this sound like herpes. than answer is no - here is why:
1. You do not know if your friend has herpes. Even if she/he does, most exposures do not lead to transmission of infection.
2. The location is wrong. Most genital herpes occurs on the penile shaft, not at the base.
3. A health care professional evaluated the lesion and felt it was unlikely to be herpes. While you are right that much herpes is missed, it is missed because lesions are denied and evaluation is not sought. You sought evaluation and that evaluation is that you did not have infection
4. Initial episodes of herpes typically last two-three weeks,. not just a week or so.
For all of these reasons, taken together, it is unlikely that you have HSV. Should the rash recur, you might want to re-visit your doctor and get a culture or PCR test from the lesion. My guess is that it will not recur. EWH
Sorry, we do not look at pictures on this forum. On some occasions you can get pictures looked at on the Dermatology forum but to be honest, a picture that "looks like" your rash is rarely helpful. Let's view this form a different perspective, i.e. does this sound like herpes. than answer is no - here is why:
1. You do not know if your friend has herpes. Even if she/he does, most exposures do not lead to transmission of infection.
2. The location is wrong. Most genital herpes occurs on the penile shaft, not at the base.
3. A health care professional evaluated the lesion and felt it was unlikely to be herpes. While you are right that much herpes is missed, it is missed because lesions are denied and evaluation is not sought. You sought evaluation and that evaluation is that you did not have infection
4. Initial episodes of herpes typically last two-three weeks,. not just a week or so.
For all of these reasons, taken together, it is unlikely that you have HSV. Should the rash recur, you might want to re-visit your doctor and get a culture or PCR test from the lesion. My guess is that it will not recur. EWH
You are reading content posted in the STDs 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.
