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Possible cold sore?
I have had multiple IGG type specific herpes tests in the past few years. The most recent was the last week of September. All have come back negative. 2 weeks ago I had HSV testing (unsure what test specifically), which also came back negative. I’ve never had a cold sore.
I’ve only been with one girl the last 5 months. She stated she has never had a cold sore, but also has never been tested for HSV. Otherwise, she is STD free.
Anyways, I went out drinking with some friends last weekend. I drank more than I have in a long time, and am forgetting some parts of the night. I 100% didn’t have physical contact with anyone, but may have shared a drink or two with others.
Two days ago I had a ‘weird,’ burning feeling on my skin. It was about halfway between my chin and bottom lip. It was smaller than a dime. There was slight discoloration, reddish/yellow, it felt like tight skin - maybe like a razor/rug burn? But I hadn’t shaved in more than a week. I thought it was possibly an ingrown hair or zit and tried to pop it. Only clear liquid came out. I didn’t think much of it and went to sleep. Yesterday I woke up and it had crusted over with a yellow/brown-ish scab. At no point was there or has there been any pain. I (stupidly) picked the scab off. It revealed a red, shallow wound. I once again squeezed it and clear liquid came from multiple areas within the wound - with some blood. It stung when I touched it, but otherwise no pain. I’ve left it alone - and today it looks like a blotchy normal scab, of normal color.
1) does this sound at all like a primary cold sore outbreak? I’ve done more research than I care to admit, how quickly things progressed and having absolutely no pain lead me to believe it is something else - but what?
2) if it is a possible first herpes outbreak - after I was squeezing it and clear fluid was coming out - shortly after I popped a pimple in my pubic hair - going at it for more than a minute. It bled, and I wiped it off using the same fingers I was squeezing my face with. Is there a chance of giving myself genital herpes this way?
Any help or information would be greatly appreciated. I am very, very concerned. Thank you for taking the time to read my situation!
I’ve only been with one girl the last 5 months. She stated she has never had a cold sore, but also has never been tested for HSV. Otherwise, she is STD free.
Anyways, I went out drinking with some friends last weekend. I drank more than I have in a long time, and am forgetting some parts of the night. I 100% didn’t have physical contact with anyone, but may have shared a drink or two with others.
Two days ago I had a ‘weird,’ burning feeling on my skin. It was about halfway between my chin and bottom lip. It was smaller than a dime. There was slight discoloration, reddish/yellow, it felt like tight skin - maybe like a razor/rug burn? But I hadn’t shaved in more than a week. I thought it was possibly an ingrown hair or zit and tried to pop it. Only clear liquid came out. I didn’t think much of it and went to sleep. Yesterday I woke up and it had crusted over with a yellow/brown-ish scab. At no point was there or has there been any pain. I (stupidly) picked the scab off. It revealed a red, shallow wound. I once again squeezed it and clear liquid came from multiple areas within the wound - with some blood. It stung when I touched it, but otherwise no pain. I’ve left it alone - and today it looks like a blotchy normal scab, of normal color.
1) does this sound at all like a primary cold sore outbreak? I’ve done more research than I care to admit, how quickly things progressed and having absolutely no pain lead me to believe it is something else - but what?
2) if it is a possible first herpes outbreak - after I was squeezing it and clear fluid was coming out - shortly after I popped a pimple in my pubic hair - going at it for more than a minute. It bled, and I wiped it off using the same fingers I was squeezing my face with. Is there a chance of giving myself genital herpes this way?
Any help or information would be greatly appreciated. I am very, very concerned. Thank you for taking the time to read my situation!
COMMUNITY LEADER
I think it's a pimple. Sometimes, a pimple is really just a pimple.
So first, STOP popping these things. Don't ever pop pimples, or bumps or blisters. This essentially ruins the chances that a doctor can test it, can introduce other bacteria or germs into it and cause infection, and can cause scarring. It can also cause something to spread.
The chin is an unusual place to get a herpes sore - not impossible, but not common. Since this would be your primary, which as you likely know, means a new herpes infections with no other pre-existing hsv1 or 2 infection, it's more likely that it would be more than a pimple-like bump on your chin, or a pimple-like bump on your scrotum.
Also, herpes doesn't bleed. If you popped a herpes blister - which, ouch - it would be more like popping a blister on your foot than popping a pimple.
Sharing a drink can transmit herpes, but it's really not that efficient of a way. You're far more likely to get a cold or the flu (and we are in that season, so maybe don't do that anymore) by sharing drinks than herpes.
If you get another one of these spots, don't do anything to it at all, and let a doc see it. I'd be very surprised if it's herpes.
So first, STOP popping these things. Don't ever pop pimples, or bumps or blisters. This essentially ruins the chances that a doctor can test it, can introduce other bacteria or germs into it and cause infection, and can cause scarring. It can also cause something to spread.
The chin is an unusual place to get a herpes sore - not impossible, but not common. Since this would be your primary, which as you likely know, means a new herpes infections with no other pre-existing hsv1 or 2 infection, it's more likely that it would be more than a pimple-like bump on your chin, or a pimple-like bump on your scrotum.
Also, herpes doesn't bleed. If you popped a herpes blister - which, ouch - it would be more like popping a blister on your foot than popping a pimple.
Sharing a drink can transmit herpes, but it's really not that efficient of a way. You're far more likely to get a cold or the flu (and we are in that season, so maybe don't do that anymore) by sharing drinks than herpes.
If you get another one of these spots, don't do anything to it at all, and let a doc see it. I'd be very surprised if it's herpes.
2 Comments
Thank you so much for the response! This will be my one and only follow up:
I am now 4 days from the first ‘symptom.’ I’ve continued to not touch it. Approx. 1/2 of the scab has fallen off revealing normal skin. However the small portion of the scab that is left has a little bit of blood surrounding one side of it - I’m still going to assume, based on everything, this was/is a pimple.
The spot on my scrotum I tried to pop was almost 100% a fordyce spot. (I know, I know - I have a terrible habit of picking at, and messing with things).
Anyways, like I said after I touched the open wound on my face, I then used my hand to squeeze the fordyce spot for approx. a minute - which caused it to bleed.
I’m 2 days passed that incident with a fairly small circular scab on my scrotum (white-ish in the middle, with a normal boarder). There is pain randomly on-and-off in the testicle/groin area. No swollen lymph nodes, that I’ve noticed. But I’m also assuming the pain is from me squeezing the fordyce spot.
Questions: although unlikely, if the spot on my face was a cold sore, how likely would autoinoculation to the groin area be via the method I have described? Lastly, with all the provided information, would this even be worth HSV testing in a couple of months?
Once again, I’ll be on my way and let you help others.. thanks for all that you do! And happy holidays!
I am now 4 days from the first ‘symptom.’ I’ve continued to not touch it. Approx. 1/2 of the scab has fallen off revealing normal skin. However the small portion of the scab that is left has a little bit of blood surrounding one side of it - I’m still going to assume, based on everything, this was/is a pimple.
The spot on my scrotum I tried to pop was almost 100% a fordyce spot. (I know, I know - I have a terrible habit of picking at, and messing with things).
Anyways, like I said after I touched the open wound on my face, I then used my hand to squeeze the fordyce spot for approx. a minute - which caused it to bleed.
I’m 2 days passed that incident with a fairly small circular scab on my scrotum (white-ish in the middle, with a normal boarder). There is pain randomly on-and-off in the testicle/groin area. No swollen lymph nodes, that I’ve noticed. But I’m also assuming the pain is from me squeezing the fordyce spot.
Questions: although unlikely, if the spot on my face was a cold sore, how likely would autoinoculation to the groin area be via the method I have described? Lastly, with all the provided information, would this even be worth HSV testing in a couple of months?
Once again, I’ll be on my way and let you help others.. thanks for all that you do! And happy holidays!
If this is a new HSV infection for you (which I still don't think it is), and you touched the sore on your chin, then IMMEDIATELY touched your penis, then you could have autoinoculated.
And really - ouch. You squeezed and popped a Fordyce spot? That must have taken some determination lol. I would also assume that the lingering pain is from you doing that.
I wouldn't bother testing for hsv in a couple of months. I'd save your time and money for something fun. :)
Happy Holidays to you!
And really - ouch. You squeezed and popped a Fordyce spot? That must have taken some determination lol. I would also assume that the lingering pain is from you doing that.
I wouldn't bother testing for hsv in a couple of months. I'd save your time and money for something fun. :)
Happy Holidays to you!
I’m re-reading parts of this. Let me clarify a couple of things. When the area on upper chin started to feel strange, there was a hair popping out from the boarder of the small discolored area. After I squeezed the area I did pull the hair out.
I’m also thinking it’s possibly not a cold sore due to the location. It seems like an odd place to have an initial outbreak.
Lastly, when I popped the zit and there was a exposed open, bloody area. It was directly on the scrotum.
Hope this information helps answer my questions. Once again thank you in advance for any assistance!
I’m also thinking it’s possibly not a cold sore due to the location. It seems like an odd place to have an initial outbreak.
Lastly, when I popped the zit and there was a exposed open, bloody area. It was directly on the scrotum.
Hope this information helps answer my questions. Once again thank you in advance for any assistance!
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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.
