Recurring Oral Symptoms

[Duder]

Hello, I am an adult male trying to figure out whether oral symptoms I am having are being caused by herpes, pimples or something else.  I have a tendency to get clusters of what seem to be pimples in pretty much the same area, slightly off from the right corner of my mouth.  I can remember having these symptoms for about a year now, though that may just be when I started noticing them.  I don't often shave close to the skin, but I do notice a definite correlation between close shaves and the appearance of these symptoms.  I have tried popping them along time ago and they did behave 'pimple-like' then, but since that time they haven't appeared to have as clearly marked 'white-heads'.  They don't seem to last very long, I would say 4-5 days at most.  It is because they appear in approximately the same spot every time and are clustered that I wonder if Oral Herpes is a likely possibility.  

[van33]

shaving may still be part of the problem,change your razor regularly and rinse the blade in diluted hydrogen peroxide after every stroke and your face afterward ,increase your vitamin and garlic intake.

[Duder]

How often do symptoms tend to reoccur with oral Herpes?  I again had a reddish patch in the same spot a bit away from the corner of my mouth.  This came a month after the last one, and this time it wasn't related to any close shaving.  I couldn't make out any definite white heads or blisters, it seemed slightly raised.  I decided to pop it when it didn't go away after a week, and some clear fluid came out.  It did crust over and such, but I know this isn't exactly diagnostic either.  Anyway, just frustrated and wondering about the time-line and likelihood that this new behavior is more 'Herpes-like'.  Thanks.  

[groovieknave]

Oral herpes causes red fluid filled bumps that break and cause sores that get crusty and drain if left untreated... most likely it would be a high cholesterol diet causing milia, or you have fordyces condition (but if the bumps go away and return it's not), but also it can be a yeast infection coupled with a high sugar, high cholesterol diet. I'm sure that's what it is... go to the doctor, get anti fungal not anti biotic (which makes yeast become problematic)

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

These do not sound like herpes.  They sound like clusters of clogged pores, or folliculitis.  Popping them usually makes them stay longer.  It may be that antibiotic reams could help.  I'd use an over-the-counter product like bacitracin or neosporin daily, leave the spots alone so as not to confuse the issue, and show them to a skin doctor for proper diagnosis.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff

[Duder]

I forgot to mention that the area around the pimples/whatever tends to be red, but that there is not much for noticeable pain or itching.