Treatment for bad flu, pressure in head.

Hello

Thank you for posting your medical query to DoctorSpring.com and also for your kind patience while awaiting a reply. I can understand your concern.

Herpes infection can be detected by blood tests usually after 12 to 16 weeks after the exposure. But they are not very accurate. This is for your reference.

http://www.ashasexualhealth.org/stdsstis/herpes/herpes-testing/

In your case is difficult to say whether your symptoms relate to herpes infection or not since you do not have any blisters yet. Usually the incubation period for genital herpes is 2 to 12 days. In your case is been 3 weeks and the sex was 'protected'. Still it would not be wise to comment on whether it's herpes or not without seeing the lesions. Since you cannot see the lesions on your buttocks it would be best to visit a dermatologist and let him have a look so treatment can be immediately started should they be suspicious for herpes.

Hope this helps, feel free to discuss further

Thank you for the response!
When I say the sex was protected, I mean it was vaginal sex and I used a condom that remained intact.
As for the lesions on my butt, those bumps actually went away (in less than a day), but my skin on my butt and thighs is still very sensitive. Sometimes it's a cold sensation and other times it's a warm / itchy one. I have noticed that it is worse when I am sitting down.
Regarding blood tests, are you saying there is no value to having one done before 12 weeks? What if I go at 4 or 5 weeks?

Hello,
As the attached reference explains, the value of doing a test to check for antibodies before 12 weeks (following exposure) is questionable. Therefore get the test to check for IgG antibodies to HSV - 2 12-16 weeks after the exposure. By this time, sufficient antibodies if present, would have developed to be detected by the test.
Hope this helps, feel free to disucss further

Ok, now going back to potential symptoms, given that I don't have any consistent lesions but still have sensitive / irritated skin, could that be a symptom of herpes?

Your described symptoms do not appear to provide any inidcation of genital herpes.
There are no tell-tale signs which indicates you have been infected but Irritated or sensitive skin could be a prodromal symptom of herpes before the rash appears.
Symptoms of genital herpes in men would include the formation of blisters which group together on or around the penis which appear several days after the exposure. Sores can also appear in the buttocks and anus. In the first outbreak people also experience fever, body aches and tender and swollen lymph nodes in the groin area. All of this may last up to 2-4 weeks.
Hope this helps, feel free to discuss further

Hello,
No herpes normally does not present with sensitive skin.
When there is an outbreak following an exposure, it presents with a cluster of painful sores and a rash.
Regards.