[Question #8726] Hand genital herpes scare
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40 months ago
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Hi,
Hope you can help. Hopefully I’m worrying unnecessarily. Notice you have a herpes expert on here so hopefully she can answer.
So I’m a virgin I have never had or even touch another person.
Until 5 days ago. While drunk I was accosted by another male at the urinal of a pub toilet. We ended up in the stall.
Not much happened. He touched himself and I touched myself. We swapped hands for a while so I touched him he touched me then back to myself. We swapped hands a few times but our contact was just hand to penis.
Does this in anyway theoretically or other wise spread herpes.
I ask because I noticed today two red bumps at the base of my penis. Not painful. They are where hair grows on my shaft and I have recently shaved. So I’m hoping and guessing the most likely explanation is hair coming back through.
Since I have noticed them they have become itchy and as I have itches them a little they are much more red and “open” and bigger.
Should I be concerned and seek testing. I feel like the most unluckiest guy in the world right now. As the time fits from what I read.
Anyway hope you can help. I know without direct examination and test it’s going to be hard to diagnose. But I guess the burning question is hand to genital contact a risk. Especially if swapping hands.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
40 months ago
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I'm so glad you came here to ask this question!
And I'm pleased to tell you that the experience you had presents absolutely zero risk of any sexually transmitted infection. Zero. Whatever the bumps are, they are not herpes. They sound like folliculitis from shaving, which is perfectly normal. You should most certainly not test - there are false positives on these tests and for people with no risk, we strongly discourage testing. And you have NO RISK.
Terri
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40 months ago
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Wow and phew. I’m glad I asked too.
My family and I are extremely religious. A diagnosis of herpes would have been disastrous. At least now I can try and make my own peace with god for what I have done. Hopefully I can prove loyalty and gain forgiveness.
Can I just check can I not have picked up herpes on my hand when I touched him and moved it to my own penis when I subsequently touched my self?
Reading online they say it’s low risk but possible, so figured I’d just here it from the pro once more.
Thanks Terri.
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40 months ago
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Also Terri, I have woken up this morning with a mild flu. Headache, sore throat, neck ache, blocked nose. Obviously I’m aware this could be and is most likely normal cold or flu - perhaps a punishment for my sin. But combined with my red marks on my penis and my exposure. We are still certain zero risk. Sorry again. Trying to stay reasoned.
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40 months ago
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Hello again Terri,
Really really sorry to keep adding things to this I really am trying to keep sane.
One of the red spots on my penis (of which I have two) I have just squeezed and it produced puss it’s now ulserated and almost look exactly like a common Herpes ulser.
Of corse none of this matters when it’s No Risk but I can’t help but think that I could have touched him, then touched myself and that’s caused it.
Please advise me if I’m “barking up the wrong tree”
I have tried to contact my GUM clinic but I’m not getting through. And really don’t want to if I’m found going there i dread to think what will happen.
Sorry again Terri. Please class this as my third response if you like and close. I’m trying not to abuse this service and you.
God bless
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
40 months ago
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None of us on the site believe that hands are a method of transmission of any sexually transmitted infection. And herpes lesions don't have pus in them. Yes, I believe you are" barking up the wrong tree". I think the guilt you are surely experiencing about your experience is overriding the science of this contact. You are a normal adult, you had a sexual experience that at the time seemed to be something you wanted to do but you later regretted it. Please try to separate how you feel about what happened from what makes sense in terms of transmission.
Terri
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