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STDs (Expert Forum)
Whitehead on leg
Answered by
University of Washington
Seattle - WA
This forum is for questions and support regarding STD issues such as: Chlamydia, Crabs (pubic lice scabies), Gonorrhea, Hepatitis (viral), Herpes, HPV, Molluscum Contagiosum, PID, Rectal Infections, Syphilis, Trichomoniasis, Warts, Yeast Infection.All questions will be answered by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D. or Edward W Hook, MD.
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Whitehead on leg
by madtown_05, Jan 12, 2005 12:00AM
I occasionally get one or two whitehead looking things (smaller, total size maybe 2 mm in diameter - largest one was maybe a cm in diameter) on my inner thigh, where the crotch of my pants rubs the leg. I get similar things on my nose, sometimes my chest, and other parts of my legs, and once at my waist line above my pubic hair.
I usually just pop them, but some antibiotic cream on them and they totally dry up with a day or so, with just a little red mark that lasts maybe a week.
Is this something I should worry about? HSV or maybe just a pimple?
I usually just pop them, but some antibiotic cream on them and they totally dry up with a day or so, with just a little red mark that lasts maybe a week.
Is this something I should worry about? HSV or maybe just a pimple?
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Jan 13, 2005 12:00AM
, Jan 13, 2005 12:00AM
Location on leg: I sag my pants a bit, so just above mid thigh
Last encounter: 3.5 months ago I had mutual masturbation with a young lady (we talked about STDs both before and after, she said she had never had any sympotms). During that time our thighs rubbed, genitals touched hands and legs - no sex (oral, vaginal, anal).
Personality: I'm parinoid, when I read that herpes can cause tingling before an outbreak (about 8 days after previous encounter), within an hour both of my thighs tingled like you wouldn't believe for almost 3 days (at which point I noticed the white head on my waist (~1-2mm in diameter) popped it and it was unnoticable within 30 hours). I called a nurse and told her what I wrote - she said HSV wasn't a concern and within an hour all tingling stopped.
Why I'm concerned now: I don't know how long I've been getting these white heads on my leg, since I've got acne elsewhere that looks like (or kinda like) these things I didn't really worry. The tend to happen around this location on my left leg, with other very similar whiteheads like objects (if not identical) occuring on my face (mostly nose), chest, shoulders, waist, and knees (and other leg parts). Yet my current girlfriend (no sex yet) got really upset when I told her after I popped two of them (about 1-2 inches apart, one larger (~1 cm redness, small white head) one quite small (really only a white head with a small ring of redness) ).
I went to the doctor and he said, "since you get one or two of these and they heal so quickly - don't worry." I demanded a blood test and all they could offer was one on general HSV antibodies (results come in on Friday). I got another white head like thing about a week after my visit (about an inch away) and will get a culture from that. The doctor said, "it looks like an inflamed hair folicle - plus since there is only one with such slight redness - don't concern yourself with it." Results come Monday. Again, he said since this is where your pants rub, don't worry - he said he'd never seen herpes like that before (but he is a family doctor).
Any info/help/advice would be great - I haven't been able to sleep or eat since the weekend.
HHH, MD