Hello,
Thanks for posting your query at DoctorSpring. I can understand your concern.
Its definitely herpes that you have got on the leg and wrist.
Its secondarily infected with staphylococcus bacterial infection
You would require to apply an antibiotic cream along with taking valtrex.
Asymptomatic shedding occurs from mucosal surfaces and not from the skin.
Hence the skin on your wrist and leg will not keep shedding the virus and won't be a source of infection to others.
The blister fluid and open sores are contagious, so you have to be careful that it doesn't come in contact with others.
It could be a site of future recurrences.
You can shave the area once the lesions have completely healed.
Manicures and pedicures won't be a problem.
Your doctor will put you on valtrex for a few months and discontinue it after that.
It doesn't cause any addiction and relatively free of causing resistance.
Its safe to take.
Please don't worry, it will get better. Please feel free to discuss further.
Take care.
Patient replied :
Thank you, that made me feel a little better. That is the first definitive answer I've received in weeks.
The ER gave me a 7 day Bactrim prescription for the staph, but I only have 3 days left and as you can see from the picture it doesn't look like it's going away very fast. If it is still red by the time the prescription runs out do I need a refill right away? I am not able to see an ID doc until next Saturday. Will it come back full force if I am off it for a few days and it's not completely gone? Will a topical cream like neosporin (not on the blister itself) help the bacterial infection?
Also, you can see from the pictures the blisters seem to have gone down but this has lasted a full week so far. It also looks like it is spreading underneath the skin, is that possible? On my wrist, when the blisters were broken out it was a very small area, but it looks to me like the redness has spread further up my arm and further to the left of the original breakout.
Other than medicine, is there anything I can do to make it less of a site for future recurrences? If the skin is not easy to break in those places in the future, would it make it less likely for a breakout to happen?
I'm also concerned about how much it spread from the first time. The first time there was only one big blister in each location. I'm sure the one on my leg was exacerbated by the bacterial infection, but each time it comes back is there potential for the site to get bigger every time?
Lastly, do outbreaks on places like the wrist and leg take longer to heal than on the genitals? It has been exactly one week since I first had the outbreak and I have been on Valtrex for 5 days now. During my first outbreak last month, the genital region cleared up within 3 days of taking Valtrex.
I appreciate your help. You are the only person who has listened to my concerns so far.
Hello,
Thanks for your reply.
Neosporin cream would be beneficial for the bacterial infection.
You need to continue taking bactrim fir a total of ten days. That would be enough to resolve the infection.
The blisters don't spread underneath the skin.
The redness is the bacterial infection which has spread in the surrounding skin.
There is nothing else to prevent recurrences.
Its not necessary for the site to get bigger every time.
Its taking longer to heal due to the superadded bacterial infection.
Take care