[Question #8843] Please help

39 months ago

Hi, I hope I can express my self clearly here for one of your famous sciantific replies

32 year old male. Married with loving wife and kids. I’m in the closet bi, and occasionally I get the urge to try msm. I haven’t done this in a very long time but recently had an exposure that I want to know about.

New partner

40 year old male, found on an app. Known to have lots of other male sex partners.

Exposure

Knowing the risks involved with msm and expecially ones with other probably ar risk males. I tried to keep this no risk.

This was 7 weeks ago

We chilled and touched ourselves - masterbation”. He did touch me a few occasions but I did bat him off to avoid cross contamination but he did touch my penis maybe 4-5 times.

On his climax he finished on my face. His penis never touched me but I did get a covering of sperm. I didn’t want this and was furious and I had to wait for him to get a tissue from toilet but as soon as I got this I wiped it off.

Symptoms

I have since then been on look out for symptoms.

5 week after I got a spot in the corner of my mouth, after shaving this bled and I had a cut like mark on the corner of my mouth. This too 2 week to heal. It’s still there but just a white mark now (scar) it was painful.

7 week after I notice a half inch in diameter painless sore on my jaw.

Question

1) what STI am I realistically exposed to

2) what would you suggest I do

3) are my symptoms as suggestive of suphiliss as my own research has lead me to believe.

Edward W. Hook M.D.

39 months ago

Welcome to our forum. Thanks for your kind words about our service as well. I’ll be glad to comment.

While, based on your understanding of his history of multiple casual partners, your partner was relatively high risk, the activities you describe we’re not (congratulations on your commitment to safe sex). No STI, including HIV is transmitted by touching or through mutual masturbation even when one partner’s secretions come in contact with the other. His touching your penis does not pose a risk for infection. Similarly, and there is little or no risk of infection from his ejaculation on your face.

The spot on the corner of your mouth does not suggest any STI. It may have been angular chelitis, a local non-STI fungal infection infection that is common in that location and is unrelated to sexual activity. As for the painless sore on your jaw, I have no idea what that is. You are correct that lesions of syphilis are painless ulcerations and the timing of your exposure within the realm of possibility However transmission of syphilis typically involves direct contact and friction. I am doubtful that it is a syphilitic lesion. If it were, Syphilis blood test would be positive at this time.

Could you provide a bit more description of the lesion on the job? Is it ulcerated? How long has it been present? Is it changing?

I hope this information and perspective is helpful to you. EWH

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39 months ago

Of course I can expand on this jaw lesion. But firstly thanks for the response. It was much easier to come here than rely on google.

Right so I only noticed this lesion today. It’s almost perfectly round and around half inch in diameter. It was crusted (scab) but since showering and using my face wash the scab as peeled of it’s bled again and now is red and perhaps ulcerated but very shallow if it is.

I must plead my innocence here ! I have not intentionally peeled the scab it did this on it’s own.

I have my own theory I shaved the other day and cut myself in that area quite bad, had to apply a tissue for around 20 mins until bleeding stopped. I can’t tell you if it’s exactly the same spot but I think it is. Normally I’d put it down to that but with it been a perfect circle I’m not so sure. As in why would a cut become a perfect circle on healing.

I know one thing for sure. His hands, penis or lips never went anywhere near that area. And if any of his ejaculate touched this area it wouldn’t be much. The majority was around my nose, mouth and eyes.

This is the underpart of my jaw - not visible unless I look up so I can’t see how any contact was made.

So hopefully with this expanded explanation you can asses the situation better - I really don’t expect or want a diagnosis just perhaps reassurance this is not syphilis or anything else that can harm my family.

Edward W. Hook M.D.

39 months ago

Thanks for your speedy reply and for the additional information. It is quite helpful. Your additional comments make it most likely the lesion is Syphilis. Syphilis lesions do not scab or bleed unless they are vigorously rubbed or traumatized. Further, the lack of direct contact with this part of your face also strongly argues against the possibility of Syphilis. My advice would be to not worry about it and simply observe it. If it enlarges or persists for more than a week you may want to have someone look at it but I am confident it does not reflect an STI acquired at the time of the encounter you described.

I hope that this information is helpful. If there are additional questions or any part of this response is unclear, please feel free to use your final follow up for clarification. Take care. Please don’t worry about any STI from the encounter you described. EWH

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38 months ago

Just dropping by to say thank you. The sore on my jaw (poetry in motion) has now almost completely gone and now presents as a tiny spec of dry skin.

Took just a little over a week for the redness to go down.

But even I am quite happy and convinced this is not syphilis so just wanted to swing by an say thank you for your help when I needed it.

Brilliant service.

Good luck in the future

Edward W. Hook M.D.

38 months ago

Thanks so much for your thanks. We’re glad to be able to help. I’ll close this thread now. EWH ---