6 months ago I had an oral sex encounter. The day after, I began to have some tingling and burning in my penis and genital area, but no visible skin symptoms upon doctor examination. I was tested right away for all STDs and came back negative. The tingling and burning has largely continued (comes and goes, but is consistent most days) for 6 months. During that time I’ve had HSV IGG tests done 10 times including one done a few days ago. They are negative for HSV2 (I have been positive for HSV1 since I was 13 years with a cold sore). I’ve also had the area and my urethera swabbed for HSV - all negative. This week I did start to get dry flaky skin on my shaft and as I peeled it off I now have a small cut that is red and burns. There are no vesicles or fluid or cratering. Could HSV present like this? Every doctor I’ve talked to doesn’t think I have genital HSV, but I want to know if you think I can stop testing at this point and be confident I am in the clear. The continued nerve pain is what makes me nervous and that this small cut burns a bit. 

I'm so glad you came to ask your question!  I am assuming when you say oral sex encounter, you mean that someone gave you oral sex.  The STI that people can get from receiving oral sex is HSV 1, not HSV 2.  While someone could have oral HSV 2, it is rare and rarely recurs or sheds.  And you already have HSV 1 because of your cold sores.  Once you get HSV of either type in one location in your body, it is extremely unlikely that you will get that same virus in a new location.  Also, HSV 1 genitally is quite benign for most people - rarely recurring and rarely symptomatic, so something that has been going on for most days for six months is very unlikely to be HSV at all.  I hope that helps!---

Thanks! Have you ever seen HSV present as a tiny cut on a male’s penis? This started with dry irritated skin that scaled a bit. 

I have seen something like this, yes, but usually its circular or oval on a male, not so much a cut.  If you have a question about whether it is HSV or not (which I strongly think it is not), you should have a medical professional check it out to help put your mind at rest.---

Thank you, I just went to urgent care and they said it looks nothing like HSV, but I asked for a PCR swab anyways. It isn’t really an oval, but kinda of a straight line like scraped red skin. Have you ever seen that on a male? Have you typically seen dry flaky skin come before a lesion appears? This cut was after peeling flaky skin. 

I have not seen a lesions like you described on a male, not that I recall, no.  Perhaps if the flaking skin came off in a rough way, it could have left an open place on the skin?---

Thank you. My swab came back negative. The scratch/mark had only been there for 1-2 days. Do you think this is conclusive? I’ve now had 4-5 swabs that are negative and negative blood tests, but the burning/nerve pains is disconcerting and I’m still nervous. 

I think this is conclusive, yes.  Time to move on and put this worry behind you now. You've been very thorough in your efforts to sort this out so you can feel reassured.---