bump on shaft

[Chinaguy]

Hello, I hope you can help me.

I'm a 22 year old heterosexual male living in China. Regretfully, I have slept with 3 different CSW in the past 3 months. All have been condom protected oral and vaginal. Most recently being 11 days ago.

I became concerned when I noticed a small (1.5mm tops) round flesh colored bump on the right underside of my shaft around 8-9 days ago. The bump is small and located around a third of the way up the shaft. I've inspected it pretty thoroughly for this past week and it doesn't appear to have changed at all. It is completely painless, no itch, no redness (maybe a little at timesbut I suspect this is from regular inspection and attempts to 'pop' it). I'm unable to pop it though and I suspect there is nothing to pop as it were as it doesn't seem to filled with fluid or pus.

Also, it is virtually imperceptible unless I pull the skin taut, upon doing so it is clearly a very small bump that can be felt when I run my finger across it. I can also see the raise in skin when it is viewed from a profile.

I am basically concerned that this is an STD of some kind but have no idea what it could be. I am very worried that is herpes since I have been experiencing some mild discomfort in my left leg behind the knee and in the rear of my thigh radiating occasionally to my inside thigh/groin area leading me to wonder whether my groin nodes are swollen but not being a health expert, I can't tell!

I have for the past 2-3 days experienced some mild cold symptoms including runny nose and a headache but several people in the office where I work are also complaining of a cold so I could just have that.

So could you please give me your professional opinion upon whether I may have contracted something here and if so, what could it be? I have no access that I know of to an English speaking doctor and if I go to a Chinese doctor and they do find an std, I'll likely lose my working visa and be deported from what I understand.

Thanks in advance.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Your additional comments do not change my opinion.  In addition, from what you tell me, I do not think that waiting to have this "bump" evaluated will be a problem for you. In fact, watching ot over time, you may find that it goes away.  If it progresses, we can discuss next steps more.  EWH

[Chinaguy]

Thank you Doctor, this advice is reassuring.

I would like to ask though. Although the most recent vaginal exposure was condom protected, I do feel as though the area in which the bump is situated may have been exposed. Since the condoms here are often quite tight fitting, they tend to force the skin lower than usual and often don't manage to roll full to the base of the shaft. Not sure if this will change your opinion. I would just like to double check.

Also, as I'm sure you can guess, I've been 'researching' the possibilities online myself pretty obsessively and was also worried about the possibility of syphilis. Could this be a possibility given how small the bump is and that it is painless?

Unless, I quit my job, I wouldn't be able to seek medical attention for at least 6 months. Hence my desire to be as sure as possible given the circumstances. So even if this bump either remains unchanged or if it disappears, would you advise that I simply wait this out for 6 months?

Thanks again, I appreciate the advice a lot.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.   To go directly to your major concern, the bump you describe sounds nothing at all like herpes, nor do your symptoms.  Having said this. let's approach this in a more general fashion.

The sexual exposures you describe were condom protected sex and condoms provide superb protection from STDs of all sorts.  The bump you describe does not sound like an STD.  STD- related bumps of the sort you describe are typically warts or molluscum contagiousum.  Given your unsuccessful attempts to "pop" this, it is unlikely that this is MC.  Warts on the other hand cannot be popped but also tend to be rough in texture.  What you describe does not sound like a wart.  What it does sound like is a normal dermatological fining- perhaps a cyst or sebaceous gland.  This is not an emergency and is unlike to put you or future sex partners at risk for anything.  My advice is to do your best not to worry about this unless it changes or progresses.  When you are in a location where it is convenient to do so, you may want to seek the advice of a dermatologist.  


Hope this helps.  EWH