Aa
Rash no other symptoms
Doctor,
I had protected sex (condom did not rip) with a sex worker January 1st of this year. 3 days later i noticed a few small red bumps on my right ribcage, the rash then spread to my groin, legs, arms, and now it is on my neck.I went to a dermatologist and was diagnosed with suppurative folliculitis. I was then tested for syphilis which came back negative. The bumps are not raised, open, or fluid filled, but they do itch. I was put on doxycycline and the rash in the groin almost all went away, but did not on other parts of my body. It is worst on my chest and left forearm. I had sex with another girl who now also has this rash, but developed it around 8 days after our encounter. I had a cbc blood test and it was normal but my mpv was .5 high, my Segs was 4 points low, and my lymph was 1.2 high. I was wondering if you have any idea what this is. Is it viral? could it possibly be HIV or herpes? fungal? I have had no fever, upset stomach, headache or anything like that, it's now been almost 2 months. I appreciate any insight you could give me.
I had protected sex (condom did not rip) with a sex worker January 1st of this year. 3 days later i noticed a few small red bumps on my right ribcage, the rash then spread to my groin, legs, arms, and now it is on my neck.I went to a dermatologist and was diagnosed with suppurative folliculitis. I was then tested for syphilis which came back negative. The bumps are not raised, open, or fluid filled, but they do itch. I was put on doxycycline and the rash in the groin almost all went away, but did not on other parts of my body. It is worst on my chest and left forearm. I had sex with another girl who now also has this rash, but developed it around 8 days after our encounter. I had a cbc blood test and it was normal but my mpv was .5 high, my Segs was 4 points low, and my lymph was 1.2 high. I was wondering if you have any idea what this is. Is it viral? could it possibly be HIV or herpes? fungal? I have had no fever, upset stomach, headache or anything like that, it's now been almost 2 months. I appreciate any insight you could give me.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the STD forum.
You had accurate replies on the STD community forum and, perhaps most signficantly, from a physician (dermatologist?) on the dermatology community forum. More important, you have seen a dermatologist who almost certainly gave you an accurate diagnosis. Folliculitis is a simple, "bread and butter" diagnosis for any dermatologist, and your description is consistent with that. That it happened to start not long after a new sexual encounter doesn't mean it's an STD, and I doubt you caught any infection at all from the sex worker. Certainly there is nothing in your description that suggest herpes, syphilis, or any other STD, and if the syphilis blood test was done 6 weeks or more after the sexual exposure, it rules out that diagnosis.
You should rely on your dermatologist's diagnosis, which almost certainly is correct. Return to him or her if the problem continues or you have any other questions about it.
Regards-- HHH, MD
You had accurate replies on the STD community forum and, perhaps most signficantly, from a physician (dermatologist?) on the dermatology community forum. More important, you have seen a dermatologist who almost certainly gave you an accurate diagnosis. Folliculitis is a simple, "bread and butter" diagnosis for any dermatologist, and your description is consistent with that. That it happened to start not long after a new sexual encounter doesn't mean it's an STD, and I doubt you caught any infection at all from the sex worker. Certainly there is nothing in your description that suggest herpes, syphilis, or any other STD, and if the syphilis blood test was done 6 weeks or more after the sexual exposure, it rules out that diagnosis.
You should rely on your dermatologist's diagnosis, which almost certainly is correct. Return to him or her if the problem continues or you have any other questions about it.
Regards-- HHH, MD
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
As I said, rely on your dermatologist. If you haven't done so, you should call and tell him or her that your partner has a similar rash. But of course that doesn't make it an STD! Obviously sexual partners, bed partners, and other household members often share infections that aren't STDs. Scabies can trigger folliculitis, but the main symptom of scabies is intense itching. You could be a staph or strep carrier, causing folliculitis and perhaps transmitted to your partner.
The main point is that there is no STD that causes the sort of rash you have described, or that would be confused with folliculitis. And STDs are the only topic for this forum.
So call your dermatologist, and perhaps make a follow-up appointment both for yourself, and for your partner to accompany you. But stop worrying about STDs.
The main point is that there is no STD that causes the sort of rash you have described, or that would be confused with folliculitis. And STDs are the only topic for this forum.
So call your dermatologist, and perhaps make a follow-up appointment both for yourself, and for your partner to accompany you. But stop worrying about STDs.
I am worried because the only person who I have come in contact with and has gotten this rash in one whom I was sexually active with. I was diagnosed as I said earlier with suppurative folliculitis could this be caused by scabies. Also If this is fungal could I use an over the counter medicine to suppress it? Again thank you.
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.
