things which can be mistaken for herpes, but are not.

What conditions, particularly on a woman, mimic herpes but are not herpes?

By mimic, I don’t mean the whole cycle of tingle-blister-break-weeping sore-heal. I jsut mean things which could produce something which looks like the middle stage, meaning just a pink, raw patch on the surface that stings for a few days, very small.

I ask because I’ve had these periodically my whole life, and several doctors have told me that they are NOT herpes, but I can’t get an answer that makes sense about what they ARE.

Additionally, it is said and I have been told that a definitive diagnosis of herpes requires a scraping to detect shedding virus cells. Okay… this leads me to believe that there are in fact things that are herpes-seeming but are not actually herpes, because if there were not things which mocked herpes, there would be no real need for a “definitive” test, since the appearance alone would be enough, seeing as how nothing else would look/feel like that.

So…anyone want to contribute some suggestions?

(Also, I have never curbed my sexual activity when these things crop up, and none of my sexual partners has ever shown up later with herpes , more evidence that the doctors may be right. I’m just needing a hook to hang it on to explain it. Oh, and it’s not simple abrasion, either, because it happens when there is no abrading activity.)

Well, I’d do the test to rule out herpes first - it’s not always going to act like the text book, plus you can’t really tell by looking. Partners may never show symptoms like the sores themselves. It’s a good idea to go to an STD clinic since they see more stuff than regular doctors.

It may be Molluscum Contagiosum. Link

I’m doing <a href=“The page you’re looking for isn’t available | NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases”>this herpes vaccine study</a> and they’ve tested me repeatedly for herpes. With a blood test. No scraping.

The blood test only tell if you have type 1 or 2, but doesn’t tell you where it’s located. (Type 1 is typically associated with the mouth and type 2 with the genitals, but either can be either place.)

hey my link didn’t work! (oh i see, sd has a link thingy. sorry guys)

This could be a Jeopardy! category.

I hope I’m not being hopelesly desnse, but did your doctor tell you these recurring lesions were not herpes based on observation, or did you have scrapings from the lesions cultured, and the cultures were negative for herpes?

This isn’t really about whether I have herpes or not.

What I want to know is: what kinds of diseases, disorders, damage, whatever could mock herpes?