Genital Acne or STD?

"Genital acne" is a term used by some doctors - not all - to describe a condition where bumps appear on the skin on the genital area. While curious, this condition is not uncommon, and is usually temporary. However, it could cause alarm since it sometimes comes with discomfort and even pain.

The condition called "genital acne" is actually called other things in medical terms: acne inversa, or hidradenitis suppurativa. It is not quite acne in the sense that it does not involve sebaceous glands, as in the face, but instead involves apocrine glands, which are found primarily in the armpit, nipple and genital areas.

When a person sweats much in the genital area, also incidentally an area where the body comes into constant friction with cloth, apocrine glands become blocked. This leads to the formation of a bump filled with a liquid that looks like pus. These characteristics make it so easy to mistake the bump on one's genitals for a pimple, specifically a pustule. And like pimples, these bumps also go away in the span of a few days. Showering regularly and using an antibacterial soap on the inflamed area ought to reduce the rate of occurrence.

Even if the condition goes away, it can recur if the afflicted person does not change his or her method of wearing clothing (such as try to wear looser-fitting underwear), or hygiene habits.

A common assumption is that these bumps are symptoms of a sexually transmitted disease (STD). But one thing that must be made clear: STDs do not cause pimples, or bumps on the skin that may look like pimples. They may produce lesions and warts on the genital area, but bumps that resemble pimples immediately rule out STD.

If you have never had sexual intercourse, the chances are high that you do not have an STD, although oral sex may transmit herpes. If you find yourself showing signs of more serious symptoms than bumps on the genital area, and you are sexually active, you should consult a doctor immediately. Otherwise, there is no need to worry that you have STD if you only exhibit symptoms that more resemble genital acne.