I was diagnosed with Genital Warts 14 months ago (29 year old female). There were 2-3 couple around my vulva, later a couple internally, and one inside my urethra.

I had them treated with cryotherapy once, then laser twice, not because they were especially severe – all doctors said it was quite minor – but because I have OCD and had become extremely obsessive, staying in all day and checking with magnifying mirrors – and I decided to hand all treatment, including checking for new warts, over to a professional, rather than applying creams myself (I am working on the OCD issues with a therapist). One month after first finding warts, all of the warts had gone. I had full gyne examinations once a month for the next 4-5 months to confirm this, to stop me from checking. I was also vaccinated (Gardasil 9), and have been taking really good care of my immune system to the extent possible. Since then, I began a new relationship, months ago, and have only had sex with him (protected penetrative sex; unprotected oral sex). He knows I had warts in the past.

It’s now 13 months since I had any active warts. I quickly shaved my pubic region on Friday. I have thick curly hair and get ingrowns and shaving bumps regularly. The next morning, I had the usual shaving bumps around my bikini line, including a couple that looked like pimples with a yellow head, but also two much larger, soft bumps in a different area, in the middle of the pubic hair on the mons pubis (I also shaved here). They are round and very shiny, not flat, red/pink and look like there could be a bit of fluid/pus inside. I see no signs of a hair trapped inside. They don’t hurt at all. They don’t look like I remember the warts (the warts were much smaller than these – although I don’t remember them very well). As far as I remember, the warts never appeared in that location.

I can’t get to a doctor for about a week (and am pretty broke having spent so much money on this the first time). I’ve been mentally in bits since finding them. How worried should I be that this is a) a recurrence of the warts, or b) something else like herpes?

I know you can’t diagnose me, or offer the complete reassurance that my OCD wants. A part of me also knows that if it’s the warts, and I haven’t cleared the infection, it’s disappointing but not the end of the world. I just want to have some sense of whether it’s probable that the warts, or something else, would come back in this way. My boyfriend goes away for a month soon, and I also wonder if I should be abstaining from sex in our last days together to protect him, or whether this is my OCD out of control. I told him I found bumps that are likely something to do with shaving, but that I’m worried they could be something else. He seems unconcerned, and I don’t know whether, having informed him, to let him decide/go ahead with having sex if he’s comfortable with the risk. Any information you can give me would be appreciated.