Brief Answer: kindly upload few good resolution pictures Detailed Answer: Hi, Welcome and thanks for posting your query to healthcare magic. Afer reading your query with complete diligence I can make out that you are quite worried about the possibility of herpes or any other Sexually transmitted diseases. I request you to kindly upload few good resolution pictures of your affected area so that I can suggest you the best. For that you have a feature to upload images by yourself at the right side of the query page, please utilize that so that I can answer your further queries. Or else, you can send as an attachment to YYYY@YYYY with the subject as "Attn: Dr. Sanjay Kumar Kanodia). With regards, Dr Sanjay MD ( Dermatology and Sexually transmitted diseases)

---

Brief Answer: These are simple folliculitis Detailed Answer: Hi young fellow, Welcome to the forum again and thanks a lot for sending the good resolution pictures. Now after thoroughly reviewing your affected area I can very well reassure you that you are not suffering from any type of Sexually transmitted disease. Let me first of all tell you that it is not at all herpes. This is not the site for herpes and neither the clinical appearance is anyhow matching with herpetic lesions. Your reports further confirm the same. So you must be worried about the possibility of the clinical entity- so it is basically simple “Folliculitis” or inflammation of the hair root. If we can closely examine the area then you can see that each of the bump is related to the hair root. Now this Folliculitis itself – it can occur due to friction or rubbing at the belt area near the undergarments. Due to friction and bit of sweating the hair roots become inflamed and can cause mild to moderate irritation with or without manual touching. These heal by itself in most of cases and do not require further treatment. I could have made a second possibility of “Molluscum contagiosum” but these are totally painless bumps and do not subside by its own. So this is also out of our context. For any other type of Sexually transmitted diseases/infection – there is no chance at all because of use of protection. Always remember that Condoms are the best mode of protection from every STDs and you had wisely used it!!! Even if we talk about any type of Sexually transmitted diseases including HIV then also because of protection, there is negligible chance. So I reassure you young fellow for not having any type of Sexually transmitted diseases. I further suggest you to not touch the area or pinch and pop the area. Because of continuous touching and palpation of the area, the hair follicles can become inflamed. So no touching my dear young fellow!! With regards, Dr Sanjay MD ( Dermatology and Sexually transmitted diseases)

---

Brief Answer: No STDs Detailed Answer: Dear young man, I have thoroughly examined the pictures at high resolution and after proper examination of the pictures I had firmly said that this is simple folliculitis only. To tell you simply - each 1cm of our skin area has multiples of hair roots and oil glands which are not visible by naked eye. You might be confused with the fact that there is no hair shaft growing form the area. You should understated the microscopic and macroscopic anatomical facts of the area. The type of redness and the type of healing itself all are in favor of simple folliculitis only. When the hair roots get inflamed, these become bit reddish and can ooze out giving the type of appearance which you telling. Even then let me further elaborate that there is no any Sexually transmitted disease in this world which manifest in this type of appearance any time within 3 weeks of period after protected or unprotected intercourse. Many a time we see in our clinical practice the same type of appearance and after thorough history we find that it was due to friction of one body surface to other which leads to the whole problem. So do not worry. As I said earlier I would have made a probable diagnosis of Molluscum contagiosum, but because of its appearance as well history provided by you, there is no possibility of the same. Take your mind out of nay STDs and be stress free. If you have any further doubts I will be glad to help. Dr Sanjay MD ( Dermatology and Sexually transmitted diseases)

---

Brief Answer: Kindly see the detailed mail Detailed Answer: Hello my dear young man, Welcome to the forum again and thanks for updating me and asking further of your queries. I can very well understand the type of stress you are passing through. Let me give you certain points which will clear all of your doubts in mind: 1. Herpes lesion manifest as fluid filled very tiny vesicles. These remain for only for 1 day (not maximum than 24 hours) and then burst up. All these occur simultaneously one after the other within few hours. Healing always takes place within a period of 5 days and never exceeds beyond 7-10 days. Pain and irritation is always present preceding the lesion of mild to moderate nature. Now in your case considering all these facts- you felt bumps appearing one after the other continually in multiple of days of period, extending to week. After a period of 3 weeks we can see the activity is still on in the bumps with mild scabbing. You noticed red bumps rather than vesicles. These were noticed incidentally and without any burning or irritation preceding to the lesion or accompanied with the bumps. SO in nut shell all these lesions do no resemble herpes in any clinical sense. 2. The other important of thing is the site where you have the problem. It is not the site for herpes. Even if we consider in rarest of rare chance as your site then it is not the clinical picture as already mentioned. The herpes lesion if had occurred at this site then must had healed within 5 days itself and not in multiple of weeks. 3. In herpes there is incubation period (period form exposure to the clinical appearance of herpes bumps) is 2-7 days. It is a sole fact that the herpes antibodies must come positive within days after the clinical appearance of herpes lesions/ bumps. There are certain cases where the incubation period or we say the appearance of lesion may get delayed to few weeks. In these cases the IgM antibody or the test result may not show positive status accordingly. So if we consider your case to be herpes then the test must have come positive as per the above dictum. There fore probably you now got the best scientific explanation for your lesions as something else than herpes (which I already mentioned as Folliculitis). Now presently your dermatologist has prescribed you Mometasone cream which is mild steroid cream. Your present status of the lesion is scab/ crust only. These definitely get improved by its potency to reduce inflammation. Contact dermatitis itself can lead to inflammatory response like Folliculitis in the same spectrum. Your doctor has very wisely prescribed you the good treatment at this stage of the problem as most of the problem has subsided now. It is definitely because of the present treatment by mometasone and not because of acyclovir. Be stress free and devote your time in productive work rather than thinking about herpes. I hope you will not be tensed now. You may close the query and rate the answer. If you have any future queries you can as me directly on: bit.ly/drsanjaykanodia With regards, Dr Sanjay MD ( Dermatology and Sexually transmitted diseases)

---

Brief Answer: 3-6 weeeks period. Detailed Answer: H XXXXXXX You are most welcome for all the further queries. Your doctor is always with you for relieving any of your issues regarding your good health. Now for the present query - As far as window period is concerned we take it as 3-6 weeks as the most accurate one. Some times we also take it as minimum of 1-2 weeks also. All this depends on whether or not you have antigen or antibodies which is quite a complex matter and out of our context. To explain you again simply- We know that you developed the skin lesions, so all the terms related to incubation period or the window period is out of context. Therefore as I said earlier - if we consider the skin lesion to be herpes then the virus and the antibodies must be preset which are causing it. And at 4 weeks the antibodies must get developed. In your case these are negative despite the presence of skin problem which confirms non existence of HSV 1 or 2. So do not search so much of internet and get tensed by unnecessary informations which are not meant for you. Be relaxed and happy!! I would be glad to answer any of your future queries. Be cheerful!! Dr Sanjay

---

Brief Answer: All best wishes to you Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX I am highly obliged for your thankful comments. I again reassure for your clean status. You always remember to use condoms in any of your sexual affair. May God bless you for your future healthy life. With best wishes, Dr Sanjay

---

Brief Answer: fatigue, nightsweats are never symptom of HSV Detailed Answer: Hello XXXXXXX The symptoms of fatigue, night seats, pounding of heart are never a symptom of HSV. These are not at all related to HSV. Especially not at this time. Yes, definitely stress and anxiety can make all the symptoms you have mentioned. Not only this but I have personally seen people with anxiety expressing the varied symptom which we never expect in that disease in particular. Stress is such a bad thing which can manifest in whatever way you feel. Say for if a person with anxiety of cancer - he/she feels exactly the same symptoms of cancer without being its presence!! Same is true for all the type of anxiety related to any of disease even if it is not present. Above of all as I said that the symptoms of sweat and fatigue are not related to HSV, so everything goes on anxiety only.Do not sit alone and think on this mater. Do not read anything now on internet. Calm down yourself and give positive feedbacks to yourself. Do not worry I am there with you to take care of any of your future issues. With al my best wishes, Dr Sanjay

---