Here's what it looks and feels like:

It starts out is tiny white bumps, about 20 or so on my upper lip.
it's usually the size of a pinky nail, maybe smaller.  It's just
sliiiightly puffy.  Then it gets rough, like a cat's tongue.  It's not
really discolored and unless you're upclose, you don't notice it.  It
doesn't itch or burn, but when i first started to get them, it was a
little throbby.  I just don't want to give this to my girlfriend - on
her lip or, you know, down below.

When it first started, I got Valtrex and took 2grams in the morning,
then 2 grams at night and it went away.  But it kept coming back after
about a week.  So I'd keep doing the Valtrex 4gram per day routine to
make it go away.

Made an appointment at my dermotologist, but of course when the
appointment came around, the herpes was gone.  So he had me take 1gram
per day for about a month to see if it will keep it at bay.  It's not
as frequent as it was, but now and again it'll TRY to surface.  Should
I be taking 2 grams a day?  Is it bad to take Valtrex for an extended
period of time?

My belief is that I got it from a microphone (i sing in a band) and
twice a week I'm practicing with my mic (i since got a new, clean one)
and when I play shows, I'm at the mercy of whatever mic is on stage,
but i do stay well away from it)

If anyone can shed any light on what it may be, it would be helpful.  

Is a dermatologist who I want to diagnos the problem?

Thanks so much in advance,

John