Hi. I'm becoming more and more concerned about possibly having genital herpes. I was hoping someone could possibly help me before I make up my mind to go to the doctor and get tested. Thanks in advance for your time.

Heres my situation:
I'm 20 years old and I've been suffering from little pimple like bumps around my genitals for the last 7-8 years. They are almost exactly like pimples. They start out as little red bumps, that are sore, eventually come to a head, and then either I pop it or it pops on its own. A little yellowish or wite fluid comes out, and then it goes down. It becomes less sore, and eventually is completely gone in about two days after it's popped.
I have never had more then one at a time. I rarely have more then 3 in one month, but sometimes I have none for a month or two. I've never really thought it was more then just having a pimple in an odd place, until a friend of mine was diagnosed with herpes herself, and was telling me some of her symptoms.
I've never had any problem with being sick, or anything that wasn't explained with another condition.
I would go to the doctor and get tested if I really did think it was possible for me to have herpes, but I have a reason not to.
I didn't even get my first kiss until I was 18.
I was a virgin until about a month before my 19th birthday. And I don't mean I just had my hymen, I had never had any kind of sexual contact with anyone consentually.
I add consentually, because there has been one time where I was touched in a sexual mannor before I was 19. I was molested when I was 11 years old by a family member, but it was very brief and happened once. I don't want to go into detail, but unless you can contract herpes from someone touching your labia with their hand, then I don't know how I could have it.

Sorry for the long, almost rant, but I've been becoming more and more concerned with this for the last couple of weeks.

Does this sound like herpes?
Could I have gotten it when I was 11?
Are there any other things I could possible have, or am I just turning this into more then it should be?
Any information or advice will be greatly appreciated.

Why not go get a type specific herpes igg blood test for the peace of mind as much as anything? It's also important to know your hsv1 status for partners so go get one and then you have a baseline test to compare any future tests to.

could you have gotten herpes when you were molested? yes you could've but testing is the only way to find out. If you can get a blood test and also a lesion culture the next time you have active symptoms ( don't pop them before you have been seen ) you can hopefully rule out herpes as the cause of your symptoms. if they are due to herpes then at least you know and can start treating them. This may be a hormonal type skin issue even - plain ole pimples but without a full work up you can't be sure.

It's hard to make that first step to see a doctor and talk about possibly having a sti of some sort but it's well worth it - especially if you find out it wasn't one!!!

betsy