[Question #13177] Red bump on head of penis

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1 months ago

17 days after unprotected vaginal sex, I saw a tiny red bump on my penis head, only noticeable with light flashing on it or standing near the window with lots of natural light. A day or two later, I didn’t notice it at all, so I chalked it up to nothing. But today, I see it again, possibly flatter and with broken skin. Close to it, I see two other red bumps that are very tiny and way less noticeable. Today marks 10 days after initially noticing the bump and 27 days after the sexual encounter. Something to note is the fact that I’ve only noticed it immediately post-masturbation, so whatever it is seems like it was irritated from that. Also, I don’t have any pain or itching. What is the likelihood that it’s herpes or another STI, or is it impossible to say with the information I’ve provided?

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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
1 months ago
Welcome back to the forum. However, I'm not sure I can help very much. Your previous threads suggest you are very sensitive (perhaps overly so) to new or minor genital tract feelings and sensations. In any case, what you describe doesn't sound like any STI. Undoubtedly this is some sort of non-STI skin problem that has nothing to do with the sexual exposure 17 days ago. For sure herpes doesn't look or behave as you describe.

My bookshelf includes Genital Dermatology Atlas. As the title implies, it is filled with photos and short descriptions of penile and other genital skin problems. Of the book's 300 pages, all STIs are covered in 15 pages. In other words, over 90% of all genital skin problems are due to conditions other than STIs. And we are not experts in all those conditions, only STIs themselves. 

What you describe doesn't sound serious and I'm not even certain you have anything abnormal. But if the problem continues and/or you remain concerned, see a doctor for in person evaluation. Either a dermatologist or urologist would make sense.

I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD
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1 months ago

Thanks! So, something new: 24 days after my last sexual encounter (unprotected vaginal intercourse), saw a white blister on my shaft. Scraped it off with my fingernail. Wasn’t raised much and didn’t notice any fluid. Also no redness. It’s now 8 days after scraping the blister. Still a flat open circular wound/sore, maybe twice as big as the blister was, currently 6-7 mm in diameter. Finally starting to look a little less noticeable, like a pale discoloration with some dry flaky skin on the perimeter, but it never really scabbed. Also haven’t experienced any pain/itching.

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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
1 months ago
Please remember that no distant online forum can ever make a diagnosis of anything. All I can say is that this also doesn't sound like any sort of STI problem, maybe a minor pimple (?). As already discussed, the large majority of skin problems of the genitals are not due to STIs, which are the only topics we deal with.---