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About Mark Behar
Expertise
Almost any question or concern about sexually transmitted infections, abnormal Pap smears, anal cytology (anal "Pap smears"), gay men's health issues.
There is no such thing as “d/d free” or “clean” (free of infection), so why do so many of us deceive ourselves into thinking that some people are indeed totally free from a potentially infectious disease, like HIV, herpes, hepatitis, syphilis, chlamydia, warts, gonorrhea, etc., just because they say so? Clinical laboratory tests are not perfect, and having a “negative” or “nonreactive” test does not mean that a person is free from infection. Perhaps at the moment the test was taken, the person was uninfected; or, perhaps, the test wasn’t sensitive enough to detect presence of the infection. There is really no way that anyone can determine that they are truly “disease free,” and there are over a hundred of infectious conditions that can be spread without your knowing anything.
Rather than trying to “prescreen” or “serosort” a potential sex-mate with deceptive questions that are impossible to know by today’s technologies, a wiser option may be to consider everyone infected with something, and either use appropriate protective measures (“safer sex”), or accept the responsibility and conseqences of possibly “catching” something from someone who’s hotter than expected (pun intended!).
There is much research that supports the contention that an HIV positive person reliably taking HIV medications, and having an undetectable viral load, presents a lower risk for transmission of HIV than people who may think or say they are HIV negative, but are not. Food for thought!
Experience
Family Practice PA since 1981;
Volunteer Clinician for Brady East STD (BESTD) Clinic, Milwaukee, since 1977; answer STD questions submitted to their web site.
Professionally lectured at national and regional Physician Assistant and Nurse Practitioner conferences, and at national gay & lesbian health conferences on topics including HIV/AIDS, herpes, hepatitis, STDs, human papilloma virus (the cause of venereal warts), abnormal Pap smears, gay and lesbian health issues, among others.
Organizations
Distinguished Fellow, American Academy of Physician Assistants; Co-Founder, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Gay Physician Assistant Caucus of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, Inc.;
Wisconsin Academy of Physician Assistants;
Florida Academy of Physician Assistants;
American Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP)
Publications
Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (JAPA)
Education/Credentials
Physician Assistant Certified, since 1982;
Masters in Physician Assistant Studies;
Colposcopy Recognition Award, American Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP);
Awards and Honors
Colposcopy Recognition Award (CRA), from the American Association of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology
Past/Present Clients
Brady East STD Clinic, Milwaukee, WI
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You are here: Experts > Teens > Health for Teens > Sexually Transmitted Diseases > is it possible..
Expert: Mark Behar
Date: 10/15/2008
Subject: is it possible..
Question
QUESTION: is it possible to have a allergic reaction on the outer lips of your vagina to anything? i have slightly painful itchy bumps on the outside lips(more so on the outside) they sting when urnine touches them. I have had them for 3 days and the day i got them i had given my cat and my dog a flea bath. I do not think it is an STI because there is no pus and they are starting to scab over a bit. I have also been with the same person for 8 months. is it more likely a bacterial infection from a dirty shaving razor? or possibly razor burn? I really don't feel comfortable sending pics. sorry.
ANSWER: Hi Kristina,
It is possible to have a contact irritation type of condition on the labia (lips) minora of the vagina. An allergic reaction is more generalized and usually affects a broader area of skin than the actual area that was in contact with an irritant.
The pathophysiology may be similar-- how the immune system causes a reaction in the skin, the resultant itching, redness, pain, swelling, etc. Whenever the nerves are irritated, you may notice itching, stinging, numbness, etc. Razor burn can indeed cause this, as can shaving too close to the skin, so that when the previously very curly pubic hair are growing out, grow into the skin causing even more irritation, and sometimes hair bumps or localized folliculitis.
Keep the area clean and unirritated for a few days. Use plain water rather than soap and water for washing. Hot soaks may be helpful. Give it a few days, avoid further irritation, and it should get better.
Good luck!
--mark
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: thanks!
i just wanted to ask this to make doubly sure
it doesn't sound like an STI to you right?
i know you can't really tell over the internet, but just to ease my mind haha
i'm going for a physical soon so i'd know then, but i worry too much as it is xD
Answer
Hi Again, Kristina,
NO it absolutely does NOT sound like an STD from the information you have given me. Could it be an STD?? Like herpes?? Or another infection? Impossible to say. If you were exposed to an infectious virus, like herpes, from a sex partner who had oral or penile sex with you, than it is possible that the signs and symptoms that you have experienced are in fact due to something like herpes. But it doesn't sound like it based on what you told me.
The only way to know for absolutely certain, is to see your health care provider at the time you are having symptoms; not after they have healed. Good luck!
--mark
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