Hey so yesterday I noticed a red bump at the base of my **** and I'm worried it might be herpes. I did some research on it and some websites I looked at said that it usually shows up between 2 and 20 days of contact and it's been around 40 since the last girl I've been with (yeah, I know, I'm struggling). Also, the things I've read said they usually show up as blisters, and can itch and hurt. I only have one bump and it doesn't itch, only hurts if I touch it, and looks sort of like a zit or an ingrown hair. I'm thinking it probably is an ingrown hair, but I'm obviously still a little worried. Can anyone give me any insight on this?

Although the first outbreak is usually the worst, an "outbreak" can look as minor as a tiny mosquito bite or fissure (but that may hurt to the touch). Forget about the worst-case scenario pix you see on the net. Those are actually quite uncommon. Far more common (~80%) are less noticeable symptoms as described above.

I would get blood-tested for herpes (although it could take up to 3 months tfor antibodies to show up). In the meantime, don't touch it and spread the virus around (in case you have it). Some people even recommend applying zinc to kill the virus or eating lysine. Now, I'm not sure if it could also be HPV or another STD, but men can't be tested for HPV anyways.

Or maybe it's just a razor bump...good luck.

dear familyguyfan,
hi, im not a dr but i play one on this site...
you either have herpes or a ingrown hair boil.
and i know this because i have herpes and one time i got an ingrown hair (from shaving my panty line ) and it boiled up . both hurt, however the boil not so much.
go to a real dr and find out for sure.
sincerly,
dr penkitten

It's a time honored tradition for boys with embarassing symptoms to come on sosuave and try to get a diagnosis without having to go to the doctor. However, it's very difficult for people on an internet forum to diagnose you. Thankfully, there is a way, and as always, I'm here to help.

I know this is a little embarassing and even a little uncomfortable, but you must follow these instructions carefully or I cannot diagnose you.

First, you are going to have to disrobe from the waist down. Go ahead and do it right now. We'll wait.

All set? Good.

Now, open the CD drive on your computer. This works best with a DVD burner or CD burner, but really any CD-type drive will do. Go ahead and insert your penis into the CD drive as far as you can. You may have to flatten it quite a bit, and if you are even a little erect this will be a difficult process. Try to think of your grandmother playing baseball; this should simplify the process.

Once you've gotten your penis into the CD drive, press the button to close the drive. The drive will not be able to close all the way, but for an accurate diagnosis it's important to have the drive as closed as possible.

Once you've done all of this, post on this thread and wait for a trained medical para-professional such as myself to complete the diagnosis.