Question:


Hello everyone, I'm sure I'm like everyone else who is concerned. I'm a 19 year old male and I just recently lost my virginity a week ago to my girlfriend in a dedicated relationship. We touched each other a bit, she gave me oral sex, I too had given her oral sex. And on the following day we had protected sex.

As an overly cautious person (unfortunately not cautious enough to have her tested before proceeding to the previous events), I felt paranoid when I saw a small bump around my belly button the other day. I tried to squeeze it and stuff. I suppose it is probably just a pimple and I have aggrivated it by squeezing/pinching it to see if a regular pimple puss may come out of it, but nothing did so I've kind of left it alone.

I've read about herpes extensively and looked at imagery of it. I don't have abdominal pain, nor soreness when urinating or itching. No rash or bumps on my genitals/mouth. I am still worried, I called my gf to ask her if she's had anything and she replied with no and that she wouldn't lie to me if she's had/felt anything. She told me that if I or she had anything it would most likely appear around the genetals or by the mouth. She's willing to be tested. My concern is if herpes could start at my belly button area?

My primary questions are.

1. Does my photo of my belly button resemble anyone's peliminary stages of herpes exposure?
2. How much does testing for std/herpes usually cost around? I have no clue.


Anyhow whether I do find out or get suggestions to whether I may or may not have contracted an std, I hope not anyhow, but either way I appreciate a greater concern and knowledge of these conditions and a greater respect I have for it all now. Thanks a lot for your help and assistance!

Answer:
mmm..I really don't know. They are kinda dried up looking, how long has it been there? My first guess is no, it doesn't look like herpes, but herpes looks different on different people. They range from bumps, to lesions and everywhere in between. Is it painfull? I would wait and see what happens. Have you put anything on it? I would try some cortizone cream and see if that helps, if it doesn't you need to get to the doctor so he can do a scrape test on the site of infection to determine what it is.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Answer:
I don't know either. I'm impressed you could post such a good picture of it. To muddy the water, I've been wondering how something called "molluscum contagiosum" which I had never heard of until recently, could be around and not appear to come up in the forum given how it looks and gets transmitted. Here are 2 links with some photos:
http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic317.htm
http://a9.com/molluscum%20contagiosum%20