u/cat_is_0

Dates for pics at bottom. Long story short, for weeks (~5/23-6/15) I had this scaly/crusty spot by my nostril (photos in order of very recent progression) and then for over a week or so of that time I had this one spot inside my nostril that was something that’s like a cold sore or impetigo. It healed completely and I was so relieved but is suddenly back today. I did have a really upsetting day yesterday and had trouble sleeping. I know that impetigo can recur but so do cold sores. I have major health anxiety, so this has been bothering me a lot, but I know that stress will make it worse no matter what it is. That area that crusts yellow, there are no visible blisters beforehand, no pain or swelling- but last time it felt itchy. It’s like the crust forms ~12 after it’s been gently removed. Last time the color started as a dark honey color to a light yellow, today it’s just light yellow. Also when I wiped away the crust earlier thinking it was maybe snot, I could see tiny raw breaks in the skin the size of pinpoints, that’s where I believe the crust came from. There is no wound underneath, no sensitivity, just recurring crust. Not very red this time, much less or no swelling. I don’t believe I have ever gotten impetigo before, so I’m hoping that’s all it is at that I’m unfamiliar with the feeling and symptoms. I currently do not have health coverage.

I’ve been doing my best to clean the area with damp q-tips without spreading some sort of infection deeper into my nostril. I’m afraid to use any products, creams, or ointments on it because if it was a cold sore I knew that might make it much worse. I haven’t been kissing my boyfriend (he has a long mustache and yes he washes it at least once a day in the shower) or sharing food or drink in case I’m contagious, it’s been ~6 weeks. I’m so sick of this. I know this is not a place to get a proper diagnosis, but I would really love to hear what your guys’s opinions are! This is driving me bonkers. 🥲

Pic 1: 6/2, pic 2: 6/9, pics 3&4: 6/11, pic 5: early morning 6/12, pic 6: late night 6/12, pic 7: 6/14, pic 8: 6/16, pic 9: 6/27, pic #10: today after wiping away a ~2mm light yellow crust spot thinking it was dry snot 7/1

Almost 3 weeks ago I’ve been having a somewhat mysterious problem around the nostril that gets cold sores. First I got a spot just outside of my nostril that was really dry and every morning would flake skin, but would not crust. Then after a week when I was waking up in the morning, the area was very dry and covered in flaking dry skin and underneath it’s tight, dry, smooth, and reddish (like seen in the last photos). The area feels like very chapped lips and sometimes itches. Then in the one small spot (seen in first photo), I was experiencing some light yellow crusting, which for me is typical of my HSV. In the past several days, on a spot just inside my nostril I get a dark yellow crust like that of impetigo. But it seems to be a healing roller coaster, it gets better and then it gets worse, one spot will get better and then the other will get worse, and then it’s almost completely gone away and comes right back in the next coming days. The spot that you see in the first picture healed up, and the inside of my nostril where I was having some irritation had healed almost completely. Every morning, I will take a clean, damp Q-tip and gently remove flaking skin and loose crust.

Now I wake up this morning to swelling (there was some before but now it’s more obvious), the redness has come back, the dryness all around my nostril returned suddenly, there is amber crusting in that same spot just inside my nostril, and it feels inflamed. Last night when I went to bed, there was no crusting, no redness, no dryness, maybe some skin was flaking off. I’m in the process of trying to get health insurance but until then I don’t know what to do. I haven’t been able to kiss my bf in almost 2 months because I’ve been having cold sores and I’m just not sure if this is a persistent cold sore or impetigo. My cold sores USUALLY heal in under 2 weeks. I’ve never had impetigo before and information online can only help me so much. I have otc treatments but haven’t put anything on it because I don’t know what it is. I have health anxiety and this has been bothering me for weeks, please help me. 😢

Pic 1 from 6/2, pic 2 from 6/9, and pics 3 and 4 are from 6/11. I wish I had more pictures but because it seems to heal to near completion and come back I just keep thinking it’s going to go away.

Almost 3 weeks ago I’ve been having a somewhat mysterious problem around the nostril that gets cold sores. First I got a spot just outside of my nostril that was really dry and every morning would flake skin, but would not crust. Then after a week when I was waking up in the morning, the area was very dry and covered in flaking dry skin and underneath it’s tight, dry, smooth, and reddish (like seen in the last photos). The area feels like very chapped lips and sometimes itches. Then in the one small spot (seen in first photo), I was experiencing some light yellow crusting, which for me is typical of my HSV. In the past several days, on a spot just inside my nostril I get a dark yellow crust like that of impetigo. But it seems to be a healing roller coaster, it gets better and then it gets worse, one spot will get better and then the other will get worse, and then it’s almost completely gone away and comes right back in the next coming days. The spot that you see in the first picture healed up, and the inside of my nostril where I was having some irritation had healed almost completely. Every morning, I will take a clean, damp Q-tip and gently remove flaking skin and loose crust.

Now I wake up this morning to swelling (there was some before but now it’s more obvious), the redness has come back, the dryness all around my nostril returned suddenly, and there is amber crusting in that same spot just inside my nostril. Last night when I went to bed, there was no crusting, no redness, no dryness, maybe some skin was flaking off. I’m in the process of trying to get health insurance but until then I don’t know what to do. I haven’t been able to kiss my bf in almost 2 months because I’ve been having cold sores and I’m just not sure if this is a persistent cold sore or impetigo. My cold sores USUALLY heal in under 2 weeks. I’ve never had impetigo before and information online can only help me so much. I have otc treatments but haven’t put anything on it because I don’t know what it is. I have health anxiety and this has been bothering me for weeks, please help me. 😢

Pic 1 from 6/2, pic 2 from 6/9, and pics 3 and 4 are from 6/11. I wish I had more pictures but because it seems to heal to near completion and come back I just keep thinking it’s going to go away.