syphilis chancre？

[worryaboutanything]

I am a man. Half a month ago, I had sexual intercourse with another man. I kissed him, hugged him naked, and inserted a condom into him. Three days after having sex with him, red dots grew on my buttocks, which looked like folliculitis and caused pain when touched. Two weeks have passed, and this red dot still exists. I used my hand to pick it out, and it secreted some blood and pus inside. Now it looks like a large erythema and feels very painful to touch. This red dot grows near the anus on the buttocks, but on the skin of the buttocks. Can this be a chancre?

[Kirstie_MHModerator]

Our members have provided as much advice as it possible to offer through this or any other online forum. As suggested, please see your doctor for further evaluation.

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[auntiejessi]

It is not a chancre - the timing doesn't fit.

However - and this is really, really important - depending on how big this red spot is, it could be an infection caused by you picking at it or something on your skin. You need to see a doctor.

If it is warm or hot to the touch, if the red area is growing, if you have a fever, or are nauseous, go to the emergency room now. If not, you can go to an urgent care or call your doctor for an urgent appointment.

This could be cellulitis, and it is an urgent medical issue. If it is warm or hot to the touch, it is an emergency. I don't know where you are located, and you don't have to tell me, but if you're at work, or school, or something, you can wait until you get off work, but absolutely go then. If you have a fever, go now.

Do not talk yourself out of this. Just because it's not an STI doesn't make it not serious.

If you are in the US, and a lack of insurance or money is a concern, talk to them about self-pay discounts and payment plans. It can be that serious. At least start at an urgent care if not the emergency room at a hospital. Just get it seen. Don't do a single thing to it, and just go get checked, okay?

Let me know how you are.

[worryaboutanything]

I am doing well now and have no other feelings. After I broke it, it seemed like pus was constantly released and its foundation seemed to be disappearing. I applied some ointment, and it still hurts to the touch, but it seems to be improving.

And, what are the characteristics of syphilis chancre? Do my symptoms match?

[auntiejessi]

Okay, well, that would have been really helpful information to have upfront. It also still doesn't mean you don't have cellulitis. If you still have that big red spot, you could still have it. Since it's still painful, it would be a good idea to let a doctor see it. You don't have to mention the sex you had, or that you had sex with a man. This has nothing to do with sex. You could tell them you're a virgin - it doesn't matter.

As I said in my first sentence, the timing of your symptoms does not suggest syphilis, nor do your symptoms suggest syphilis.

A chancre is a round, open sore that appears anywhere from 10-90 days after exposure, usually around 3 weeks.

This isn't syphilis. I'm not sure why you're more concerned about that than the large abscess you had that is still painful days later, but none of it matches syphilis, or any other STI.

[worryaboutanything]

Why does Wikipedia provide a time frame of 3-90 days? But I see that most of the data and CDC take 10-90 days, which one is more accurate?

I searched the characteristics of chancre, and it is highly likely to occur in areas such as the genitals, anus, lips, etc. It is about 1/2 inch or even larger, and it is not painful (I don't know if there is any tenderness). It is clean and free of pus. I don't know if this information is accurate? My symptoms don't seem to match these characteristics.

Thank you for your replying!

[CurfewX]

NO ONE here can tell you why any other site says anything. We are only responsible for the information that we provide here.

You have been advised that your sore does not sound like syphilis - at ALL.  I do not know why you continue to be so focused on syphilis.  In any case, we cannot diagnose the cause of your sore, and you should see a doctor if you are concerned. There is really nothing more that anyone here can do for you. You need to see a doctor to determine the cause of your symptoms.

[worryaboutanything]

Because it happened after having sex, I would worry and think it was chancre.

[auntiejessi]

In all your googling, you must have found images of a chancre. None of them look like what you describe. They are not pus-filled abscesses.

If you are concerned, just go test. As Curfew said, we can't diagnose anything - only testing can, and a doctor should see your sore, as I said from the beginning.

If you read the Wiki article on syphilis, you saw the chancre pic. If you read the English article, it says, "Approximately 2–6 weeks after contact (with a range of 10–90 days) a skin lesion, called a chancre, appears at the site..." And whatever article you read, always believe the CDC over a Wiki article.

Just go to the doctor.