Balanitis, Hsv, Confusion

So this all started about five months ago. I was out partying and ended up hooking up with someone. She gave me unprotected oral, but before things went further, she asked if I had a condom and casually mentioned she might have HSV. She said she’d never been tested but wasn’t having an outbreak. That was enough for me to stop things right there.

Still, it freaked me out, so I went to get tested for peace of mind. The doctor recommended against HSV1/2 testing unless I had symptoms because the results can be inaccurate, but I asked for it anyway. When the results came back, everything was negative except for a low-positive HSV2 IgG at 1.23. Naturally, I panicked and got retested about five days later, and the results were the same.

The doctor told me that, based on the timing and how low the number was, it was likely a false positive. I tried to move on, but I kept checking myself obsessively. That’s when I noticed some red dots or a rash on the tip of my penis.

Here’s What’s Going On with the Redness: • It’s not painful, itchy, or blistered—just red. • No pus, bumps, or open sores. • It gets more noticeable after I shower or masturbate.

This sent me spiraling again, so I got retested about 2–3 months after the possible exposure. All tests were negative, and my HSV2 result went from low-positive to equivocal.

More Tests, More Confusion: I started digging into HSV testing and found that the Quest HSV2 Inhibition test is supposed to be the most reliable. I got that test done at around 3.5 months, and here’s what came back: • HSV2: Negative • HSV1: Positive (IgG at 1.2)

This threw me off because I’d tested negative for HSV1 multiple times before. I didn’t even ask for HSV1 testing this time—it just came with the panel. Now I feel done with testing because it’s all over the place, and I’m just stuck with this lingering redness.

Other Details That Might Matter: • I got a kitten around the same time all this started. One day, she tried to jump into my lap, and her claw scratched my penis. I cleaned it and put some antibiotic cream on it, but could this be trauma from that? • I’m circumcised. I don’t use soap directly on my penis in the shower. I even switc hed detergents and went from boxers to briefs, but nothing has helped.

What I’ve Tried: My primary care doctor prescribed Clotrimazole-Betamethasone cream, but it hasn’t made a difference. I also saw a urologist recently, and he said everything looked normal.

What I’m Hoping to Figure Out: 1. Does this redness sound like it could be HSV, balanitis, or something else entirely? 2. Are there any treatments or remedies that could help clear it up? 3. Could the redness be related to the kitten scratch, or am I overthinking it?

I’d really appreciate any advice or thoughts. This whole thing has been super stressful, and I feel like I’ve tried everything.