3/11/24 noticed tiny circular(?) sore on outside of foreskin. Scabbed up by end of 3/12 or early 3/13. Accidentally picked it off on 3/13. Left a red/pink mark (no longer a sore) that disappeared by end of 3/14.

Have had singular sores (circular and otherwise) on penis in past but always tested negative, including by WB. 

1)What else could this be? I don’t understand why this keeps happening to me and why I can’t just move past it. This forum makes it seem like sores/wounds on genitals are usually herpes, which freaks me out. Any general insight is appreciated. 

The skin change that you described from early January sounds nothing like HSV.  Have you had sexual contacts between your last western blot and March 12?

Terri

Since my western blot I have had condom-protected vaginal sex with several partners, as well as unprotected vaginal sex with a partner I was in a monogamous relationship with for about a month in August. The most recent sex I had before March 11th was condom-protected vaginal sex on March 2nd. 

I would really like to believe this is just from a scratch or something, especially because it is on the part of the foreskin that I sometimes fool around with and pull/yank when I want to pull it fully over my penis head. I feel like I’ve done everything in terms of testing and have committed to safe sex but am just really frustrated. I want to move past this…

Condoms reduce transmission from females to males by 65% so far from perfect but useful.  And then you've had unprotected sex as well.  

You can do a couple of things. You could get these sores swabbed by PCR each time they come up—you could do this from an online service at 24/7labkit at home or have a clinician do it. Or, when 12 weeks have gone by, redo the blot.  I wish I could provide you with more certainty about this situation but when someone tells me they are having sores on their penis, it worries me a bit

Terri

Thank you for your response. 

3) Any insight on what else the thing in January could have been? Again, I do not think it was a scab but I don’t have a clue what the heck it was and the fact that it came off kind of scares me. 

4) Do herpes recurrences always appear in the same area of the genitals? 

5) When I went against my anxiety and did the Western Blot I told myself that if I was negative I would not spiral if I saw somewhat similar symptoms in the future since I had tested negative by WB. Anyone I have confided in has said I may just have sensitive genitals, scratch myself, etc. but with my severe health-OCD I always assume everything is herpes, test negative, and then assume the next thing is herpes, again and again (as you can see from my numerous other posts dating years back). I know nothing is certain but I just want to move forward not testing everytime I see an irregularity “down there”, as I have been doing this since 2016. Especially since I have increased my condom usage greatly and only have had unprotected sex once in the past 2+ years, which was with a monogamous partner several times in August 2023. I know you are a health professional but just wanted to give you my side of thinking and get your thoughts on it. 

Give your health OCD, I think now, the best move, would be to not retest and move on here.  If you see something that is an actual tender blister on your penis, have that swab tested right away.  Otherwise, try to make yourself not test and and not swab.  Continue using condoms an try to avoid checking on your genital too often now.  Do you think you can do those things>

Terri