Herpes infection

[craig1983]

I recently had sex with a girl who is a stripper.  We've known each other for a year or so and have dated on and off.  She told me that she's recently been having sex with another guy and they always use protection.  I didn't use protection with her recently and about a week later my pubic hair and penis started itching quite a bit.  I had just shaved my pubic hair around this same time I had unprotected sex with her.  I used an electric razor.  So, I thought the itching was from the shaving.  Well, I noticed about a week and a half after the sex ... maybe two weeks that these bumps were forming.  I popped a few of them and they got bloody.  Not it seems that the penis is hard and has little bumps forming all over it.  The bumps don't hurt whatsoever.  They don't itch too much at the present time.  

I have taken a photograph that is high-res and I'm not sure if this is allowed to post or not.  But, you can clearly see the bumps that I've described above.  The photo is here - http://img697.imageshack.us/f/p5290249.jpg/

Any help would be appreciated.  I plan on making an appointment with a doctor next week after the holiday.

[craig1983]

A related discussion, More problems was started.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

This thread has gone on far beyond what is typical for this forum.  Thiswill be the last response.

It is not uncommon for folliculitis to resolve slowly and to even have lesions appear as others resolve.  Antibiotics are some help but the best thing you can do is make sure that the area is clean and your pores are open.  As I said about two weeks ago -" .... sometimes use of a loofah sponge (available in most drug stores)  will help to keep pores open and prevent folliculitis in the future. "


Take care.  EWH  

[craig1983]

And, the tiny red bumps/pimples that I described in the above post that "haven't" healed yet are only located in the pubic hair area with a two or three close to my belly button.  

[craig1983]

Dr. Hook,

A few follow up questions.  It's been 18 days since I first noticed bumps/pimples in my pubic area as I described in my initial post.  

As I let you know back on June 1st my Doctor prescribed Cephalexin based on his diagnosis of staph folliculitis.  The sores that were on the shaft and base of my penis have pretty much dried up and healed.  However, the tiny red bumps/pimples with extremely red bases haven't really cleared up.  Some of them have dried up a little bit, but they are still very red.  And, where some of them used to be is now just a real red spot that looks just like a razor burn/rash.  

I've taken all of the pills in the bottle.  He told me to take four a day and that's what I've done.  So, I have no more yet the same red spots are still there...   The one instruction that I didn't follow was him telling me to put an antibiotic cream (like neosporin) on the spots.  I didn't do that since I've been travelling a lot since then and just didn't have time to do that every day.  But, he told me the oral antibiotics should clear me up and so I'm concerned as to why the spots are still there...?  Any thoughts? Does this still sound like staph folliculitis or based on what I've listed above are you at all starting to consider that it could be herpes?

Thanks.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I am not too suprised at your doctors's findings, for all of the reasons that he has told you.  I'm glad he could see you and that your were able to get his help.  While herpes blsiters can be quite small, all that you describe still sounds far more like folliculitis than HSV (white does not form pustules or white tipped lesions)

FYI, sometimes use of a loofah sponge (available in most drug stores)  will help to keep pores open and prevent folliculitis in the future.  

I see no reason for additional testing.  EWH

[craig1983]

Well, I did get some good news today from a doctor.  I live in a rural area so there weren't any std screenings available at the local clinics until Friday which is when I'll be going out of town on business.  

So, I went to my regular General Practice Physician today.  He's been practicing for probably over 40 years.  So, I trust him but some of his methods do seem a bit old fashioned.  

He took a look at my little pimples that are currently red with a small white head that are still broken out on my pubic hair area below the belt.  And, he looked at the sores (now scabbing over from where I squeezed them).  It didn't take him long.  His first words were that it doesn't look at all like Molluscum.  And, it doesn't look like Herpes.  I explained everything that I explained to you above and he told me I had staph folliculitis.  I even asked him to double check a few of the places but he said he didn't need to.  

He did tell me that he didn't have the capability to do any type of swab or testing on any of the places.  He said he could test the blood but if it was herpes wouldn't show up at this point.  He offered to refer me to someone who could do that, but he didn't think it was needed.  He said he was almost 100% positive that it wasn't herpes.  

I left with a prescription for Cephalexin? He said that it should clear it up.  


So, my question to is first is how do you feel about what I just told you above?

Second, the only "sores" or "places" I have left that are still irritated are up above the base scattered up toward my waist line.  They are red, most with no tip on them.  They are the size of a lead pencil tip.  Some of them do have white tips.  Are herpes blisters or sores that tiny?

And, lastly, would you suggest I get anything tested when I come back to town next week?

Thank you again.  I apologize for jumping the gun about this over the weekend, but as you can understand I was under quite a bit of stress having never had an outbreak on my body like this before.  

[craig1983]

Another point that I have failed to make thus far is that when I first got the urge to scratch myself on my penis shaft (where the sores are now), pubic hair area, etc  it was about 4-5 days after I had unprotected sex with her.  At this same time I came down with what appeared to be a cold or flu.  It felt like a chest cold.  I had bad night sweats, slight fever, no energy whatsoever, cough, sore throat, etc -  And, I'm a person who eats right... takes vitamins... and rarely ever gets sick.  Two days later I start to get better but still have night sweats and that's when the lesions/pimples/sores started forming.

So, when I put all of this together in my mind it just seems that it's really inevitable that I have herpes.  

I will give a report tomorrow if I'm able to be tested.

[craig1983]

You're correct, when it comes to blisters/sores/ on my genital area I am less patient that on a normal day.  

After speaking to her on the phone instead of text messaging, she described her symptoms more in detail.  She felt irritated and swelling in and around her vagina for the last few days.  This morning she started feeling a burning sensation inside of her vagina.  She says that when she feels the inside of it it feels like there are bumps.  

I read on a website earlier today that most women get herpes outbreaks on the inside of their vagina along with burning and pain.  

So, it just seems to me that from what I've read and the pictures I've seen online of herpes and looking at my own lesions that what we both have are herpes.  


By all means... I would love to report back tomorrow and tell you that it was something less serious.  I pray that that happens.  But, it just doesn't seem realistic at this point.  

I do agree that we should both go together and hopefully that can happen.  Either way, I'm making every effort to get tested tomorrow.

Thanks.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You're not very patient are you?  

"Obviously it's herpes" - well that's not the conclusion I come to.  You need to have a knowledgeable person take a look.  There is much to suggest this is not HSV.  As for whether this is HSV or not, if she gave it to you, why do you have a new rash too.  Conversely, if you gave it to her, why do you have a new rash.  Furthermore, location and extent of lesions is atypical for HSV.  This could be related to scabies or some other infestations or a reaction to some sort of cream of lotion that you both got on it.

The best thing you can do is not squeeze it (as I said before).  In addition, it would be optimal if you could both go and be seen in the same clinic or by the same health care provider.  Then let us know what they say.  EWH

[craig1983]

No comments? End of discussion?

Not sure if you read any of the above.  I'm assuming that you probably didn't take any time to.  But, the girl whom I had the unprotected encounter with exactly 11 days ago today talke to me early this morning and said that after two days or irritation and swelling she now has bumps breaking out down there.  Just like mine.  If it's herpes then this would be the first outbreak for both of us.  If she gave it to me, but had symptoms after I did... would that be possible?

I'm really freaking out.  

I know you and the other Doctor mostly assume everybody who posts here are paranoid and overly concerned, but in a case like mine it seems I do have herpes.  If you would just look at the photo I attached in my original post I don't see how that could be a negative method of trying to show you what's going on with me... ?

I'm going to a clinic tomorrow so I'll hopefully have an answer then, but in my mind I've got herpes.  I've never had an outbreak like this in my life.  And, it is in my pubic hair above the base of my penis.  Small red blister/pimple looking sores are all toward the bottom and a few up toward my waist line in addition to the larger lesions on the penis shaft.  So, obviously initial outbreak can include the pubic hair.

[craig1983]

Well, evidently they are something.  Four or five days after having unprotected sex with my friend (the stripper)... I started itching in my pubic area... hair above penis, right side of shaft, etc - Six days after that I start getting red irritated bumps popping up in the hair around the base and up toward the waist line on the right side of my body.  And, shortly after that I started getting weird lesion bump things forming on (mostly) the right side of the penis shaft as well more toward the base a few in the middle of the penis shaft.  I squeezed some of them in this "early" stage.  I told you they left me with scabs.   They mostly bled but also had clear discharge... and some times a pus color.  

I've been dealing with these all weekend.  



I received a message from the girl this morning stating she had been swollen and irritated in her genital area for the last few days and she now (as of this morning) has bumps forming on her genital area.

So, obviously this is herpes.  

What else could it possibly be?!

The itching in the spots that eventually form lesions? We both have them 6-10 days after contact with one another?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

If your lesions sounded like HSV or warts, I would have said so. the presentation in no way suggests warts and would be most unusual for HSV.  Obviously, with sufficeint pressure, anything can bleed.  

End of discussion.  EWH

[craig1983]

Fair enough.  I'll make an appointment with a local STD clinic on Tuesday.

And, just so I am clear about what you stated earlier.  If this were herpes or genital warts, if I squeezed them a day or two after them showing up... would they have bled? And, would any hardened white material come out before bleeding quite a bit? Most of them had some clear liquid come out first and then bled.  Some had the hard white material instead of the clear.

And, upon reading your responses to these questions I will not post here anymore until I've consulted with a doctor next week.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

No change in my assessment.  I will be interested to hear what your doctor says. The best place to be evaluated may be your local STD Clinic. They are the experts in these things and probably spend far more time looking at, diagnosing, and treating genital lesions than more primary care providers.  .

As far as spread of infection, yes, MC can be spread by direct contact. There is no prevention.  You will just need to wait and see.  EWH

[craig1983]

And, lastly, if it were to be Molluscum Contagiosum... would I infect a partner by having sex with them?

[craig1983]

Thanks for the response.  I plan on making a doctor's appointment on Tuesday after the holiday weekend.

I'll also stop popping the lesions.  I noticed that there are very small lesions (maybe two or three) up closer to my waist line.  Very tiny but red around them.  I also shave that area with the electric razor.  But, I never shave it bald.  I just trim it very close with it.  I've done this a lot and at times experienced an itchy feeling afterwards, but never an "outbreak" like this.  

The lesions have never hurt.  None appear on the head of the penis... just on the shaft skin.  And, today it almost feels like there are little bb's or small bumps under the skin that are sticking out but don't have any redness or blister looks to them at all.  Just regular skin with a bump undernearth...   With this additional information do you have any further opinions? As you can understand I'm a bit freaked out and won't be able to see a doctor until Tuesday.  

And, it didn't help matters when the girl I had unprotected sex with sent me a text this morning that said her pubic area had been irritated feeling today but no bumps or lesions...?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  I will try to help but what really needs to happen is that I would encourage you to stop squeezing these things., to not take antibiotics and go get checked out by a health care professional.  As you have guessed, as a policy we do not look at pictures posted by clients as they can lead to mistaken diagnoses as often as they are helpful.

The location and description of the lesions you describe is rather unusual for a herpes infection.  My guess is that what is going on is more related to having recently shaved the area than your contact with this partner.  I suspect that the shaving has done one of two things- lead to an outbreak of folliculitis or, taken a molluscum contagiousum lesion and spread it to other areas of your genitalia.  The description of hard white centers is very suggestive of molluscum.  Either process is easily treated but they are treated differently, thus the need for a good diagnosis.  If, when the lesions are examined, the health care provider has concerns about herpes, please make sure he/she gets a culture or PCR test from the lesion, even if they appear dry and not to rely on a blood test which is unlikely to provide useful information.

Hope this suggestion helps.  EWH

[craig1983]

And by the way, some of them popped and had clear substance and blood come out of them.  But, some of the other larger ones actually had white, hard puss discharge when I squeezed them.

[craig1983]

And, the only reason a few of those bumps are red and bloody is because those are the ones that looked like they were pimples... white heads and I popped them.