Not an STD, but I'm terrified...

[state.unknown]

Hello,

I'm just gonna go to the point:
I have noticed some strange things happening on the shaft of my penis ever since I shaved my pubic hair. The skin of my shaft is all dry and there's a couple of red zits that are growing. Also, at the base of my penis, there is some kind of rash and every time I touch it I get this burning sensation. Sometimes it really itches and I've had a couple of zits growing on my left thigh. I know that it is not an STD...but I'm very scared. Could this be because I forgot to change the razor blade when I shaved?

My girlfriend also has the same thing, but she's been using the same razor for the past three years.

EDIT:
I forgot to mention that the dry skin on my shaft only appears when my penis is erected. When it is flaccid, the skin is sort of "shiny".

[lurk]

Most importantly, how do you know it's not an STD? Have you seen a doctor and been tested?

Second most important thing, TELL YOUR GIRL TO CHANGE HER RAZOR!! Yeesh, I amazed it's still sharp even to cut.

Razor burn is a biotch. Read up on it at this wiki link to figure out if that's what it is. Some people use hair conditioner to shave "down there," since it softens up the hair and moisturizes the skin. The sweat around your crotch probably isn't helping the healing process. Try some neosporin before you put your chonies (underwear) on.

I prefer waxing for hair removal; it lasts longer, less hair grows back, and no nasty razor burn to ruin smooth skin.

[state.unknown]

I'm 90% sure it's not an STD because we had sexual relations without a condom before and we didn't have this problem. It all started as soon as I shaved "down there". When she told me about her razor blade...I had a "What the heck" reaction. I was thinking about waxing my pubic hair, but doesn't it REALLY hurt ?

[lurk]

Waxing does hurt at first, but you get used to it. I prefer to do it myself because I can control the timing and stretching of the skin (you make the skin taut when you pull the wax off). I like Nair pre-waxed strips. I've had others do it in a salon and they've left bruises because the paper slips out of their hand and they just end up yanking my skin and not pulling any hair out. Hence my prefence for at-home kits. It really only hurts as you're doing it; give a it second and the sensaion goes away and there's no lasting pain when you're done. It helps to go slowly and to cut the wax strips into smaller pieces.