Hello, I asked a question #2060 "Large Pimple On Penis" on December 10 perhaps you can look back on links to similar photos I provided for understanding of my next question. To summarize my initial situation: 4 days after my first ever sexual experience (kissing and extremely brief oral) I showed almost every symptom of an initial oral herpes outbreak. (Extremely sore throat, fever, cold sores parallel on each edge of my mouth.) 7 weeks after my exposure I started waking up with a sore throat that developed into a cold. I started to worry because I was paranoid I simultaneously caught genital hsv1 with my oral. I began constantly checking my genitals every few minutes (I pretty much did this ever since the oral outbreak). While at the time I thought I was being silly and paranoid, while using the bathroom I discovered a large pimple in the middle/upper part of my shaft. It behaved EXACTLY like a pimple on my face. I popped it, white puss came out, and it remained painless healing in a few days. I was unable to get swabbed because it had healed too much when I went to the clinic. (They didn't seem to take it very seriously) The nurses told me not to worry about it too much, but I have NEVER had a true pimple on my shaft. 3 months later I was blood tested and to no surprise was positive for hsv1. (I already had the oral outbreak and I'm aware that most people already have hsv1 so I could have had it since i was a kid, my mom+sister have it.) My question is, If you were in my shoes, do you go on pretending this never happened and was just a pimple or do I assume I now have genital herpes?? Like I said the nurse didn't think it was serious but it all just adds up so well. (Never had a pimple there until first sexual experience, cold symptoms while the pimple was present) It's eating away at me and I need to make a decision to move on or not.

Also, It's worth noting that the night I discovered the pimple I had what could have been a very mild "fever". It was enough to make me take some advil but It could have been the stress of my discovery I was feeling as I was experiencing a huge anxiety attack.

Welcome back, but sorry to see you remain so anxious about this despite the reasoned advice you had from Terri. As she told you, there is no realistic chance your penile pimple was herpes. As she also told you, we don't look at photos of genital lesions, rashes, etc. But based on the information you provided to Terri, you were also told by a number of health care providers that you had only had a pimple, nothing more. Let me go through the scientific reasons.---

Hi Doctor Handsfield, first I just want to say for almost 3 months now I have extensively researching your material, and have developed great respect for you as "The Man" once it comes to STD expertise. Therefore, coming from Michael Jordan of STD research, I will take your very clear opinion/advice on my situation and drop it, a this is exactly what I needed. Although I forgot to mention I did have white spots on my tonsils (Which I have had before from strep), I will still take your advice and thank you for the elaborate response.(The psychological breakdown at the end was very impressive) Cheers, and thanks to you all for running this website.

Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad to have helped.---

Sorry to bother, but during my 3 month internet research I came across a claim a few times that says only 25% of people with genital hsv-1 viral shed at all. Just out of curiosity is this true or a myth? Thanks

I don't recall the exact results of research data, but that figure seems about right. However, it's irrelevant to your situation, right? The very fact that you ask it implies that you haven't fully accepted that you don't have genital herpes. Trust me on this:  you do not. I suggest to promise yourself to completely lay off any further internet research about this. Like most anxious persons, you are selectively seeing information that inflames your fears and missing the reassuring parts. It isn't worth it.---