Blotchy red rash/irritated skin on penile head (lasted for over 3 moths now)?
Posted , 410 users are following.
Part of the skin on the head of my penis has become slightly red and is causing some pain/irritation.
It first appeared the day after I used a condom so I think I must have had a reaction to the latex or some other substance in the condom.
The tip of the penis became super sensitive and noticeably hurt whenever it touched my underwear.
The skin was and still is noticeably red close to and directly around the meatus. This redness gets worse and bigger after I've come out the shower or masturbated.
An hour or so after ejaculation, I get a slight burn/irritation at the very end of the urethra when I urinate and this can last for a few days before subsiding. This has put me off from masturbating as much now.
This has lasted for about 3 months now with no signs of improvement.
I saw a doctor and was prescribed timodine/hydrocortisone cream and this didn't have much effect and am slightly worried it may just make things worse so have stopped using it for now.
It almost seems as if the redness comes from within the skin rather than on the surface.
I don't think its balanitis as I haven't had that for over 12 years when I was a kid and that was with the usual smegma discharge etc, whereas this is just redness.
I've attached images to show how it looks straight after showering, which is when the redness is at its worst and the contrast between the normal skin colour and the redness can be clearly seen.
16 likes, 1576 replies
s90968 Jason1327
Posted
Hey Everyone,
?I've been dealing with the same problem for 1.5 months. It all started from wearing a different pair of boxers than normal, noticed my glans were rubbing against them all day causing mild pain. Everyday since then, I've experienced redness and irritation whenever my glans make contact with my clothing. It's extremely uncomfortable, as each step causes rubbing and irriation, not to mention any physical activity i.e. running, cycling, or dancing becomes a literal pain.
?Treatments thus far: I've been to the dermatologist who suggested it was just irritated, prescribed a steroid ointment (hydrocortisone 2.5%) and I used it for 1 week. Also she suggested I try cotton boxer briefs, and switch to fragrance free/dye free laundry detergent. After 1 week, I saw no signs of improvement I stopped using the ointment, for fear of thinning out the skin and causing further damage.
?After that I tried an anti-fungal cream (clotrimazole 1%) for 1 week, with no signs of improvement.
?Since then, I've been applying both coconut oil to attempt to moisturize and soothe the irritation. I apply one moisturizer twice per day following a shower. This is the only treatment that has helped, but has not resolved the problem. The only relief I find is when I'm naked below the waist, which is nice but I can't go to work naked....
?I'll be visiting a urologist next week, but after reading innumerous posts online it seems like people aren't getting much help from them. My next step is to take 2 weeks off work to give my glans a break from the constant irritation associated with walking around. I plan to continue using the moisturizers as well.
?I hope someone finds a solution to this problem!
h74656 Jason1327
Posted
hello, i came across this thread and read most of the replies. i can relate to almost all of you. around 7 years ago, i developed a redness and lesions on the head of my penis, much like those described by you all. i had no idea what was going on and, due to my anxious state, feared the worse. i went to a doctor / sti clinic many times and was tested again and again. no infection. i was given creams for yeast infections which did nothing. it sometimes went away but always came back. eventually around a year later, it went and stayed away up until around 2 years ago when it came back. it frightens me, it gives me massive anxiety. so again, i went back to the clinic again, and was given a steroid cream. the cream worked within days but it always comes back after not using it for a few days. i've been back and forth so many times to the clinic. they eventually diagnosed me with balanitis and said that i should just use the steroid cream when it flares up. i have been using the steroid cream for over a year, every few days to keep it away. but i began to notice my skin looking discoloured and i think its due to the persistent steroid cream use. i've now stopped using it as i think it is ruining my skin and recently i've noticed it isn't even working. i don't want to use the steroids so have tried many other different things. aloe vera gel, aveeno cream, neem oil, almond oil and now i've started using coconut oil. none of these things seem to work though and i'm really losing it. i don't know what to do anymore. it's affecting me really badly, i think about it too much. what shall i do next? i've heard sudocrem can work? i might as well give it a shot. also i've found a product called Suragel online. it's american and expensive but apparently made specifically for balanitis. i'm sceptical though. anyway if anyone has any advice or recommendations, please say
Sego84 Jason1327
Posted
I've had this problem for over 3 months now. It started after receiving oral sex with a one night stand. a couple days later the tip of my penis was irritated when rubbing against my boxers. I went to a sexual heath clinic and took a urine sample (all test came back negative) and was put on 1g of Zithromax witch did not help/cure me. After that I went to my family doctor and took a blood and penis swap sample again everything came back negative. I was then recommended to a dermatologist how prescribed me Hydrocortisone 1% (steroid cream) tried it for a week (was told to use it for 2 weeks) but it seemed to make it worst, it really dried out and irritated my penis head so I stooped using it. I tried some other remedies with no success (Probiotic, Natural Yogurt, Polysporin and pure Aloe) The aloe got it less dry but really din't help in the long run. The head of my penis is so irritated everyday when walking around....it's driving me crazy!!!! has anyone got rid of that feeling? I could live with a dry penis head, at this point I would be satisfied just getting rid of that rubbing irritation. I know it's a virus/bacteria or fungus because it was sexually transmitted. So I ruled out eczema or any other skin disorder.
here are some cream/trements I've read about so far but haven't tried:
Daktacort (For Thrush)
Flucanazole (canesten 1%)
Elidel Cream (for Yest Infection)
cyproflucin
Famclouir
Sudocream
I'm basically going to try one by one and see if anything works.
Any feed back or advise would be greatly appreciated.
P.S. Jason1327 did you ever get better? can we get a update?
thebrian1 Sego84
Posted
Hey guys, brand new here. so in short i had protected sex with my ex from 4 years ago. it lasted about five mins. three days after my my penis would sting after peeing. went to the doctors and found out i had chlamydia. i took 4 pills of azithromycin one time and that was that. i gave a script to my ex to take too and she did. fast forward another six weeks and i had protected sex with her again. I only felt comfortable doing it because she had a Pap smear done and her results showed she didn't have chlymadia and that she only had a yeast infection or some type of fungal infection that was being treated. after we finished i noticed a small mark on the left side of my penis glan was red. it is localized, it sits right on top of an old scar I've had on my penis for years. it hasn't appeared anywhere else and is only visible when i shower or when i masturbate. after i get out of the shower or finishing masturbating it disappears in 5-10 mins max, every time. anyways i started to google it(mistake) and of course i leaned toward the possibility of herpes once I realized the lab that got my chlamydia didn't test for HSV! so i go back to the doctors about 2 weeks later and the doctor says it looks normal not like herpes and she gives me clotrimizole to put on it. anyways after reading other bs on the internet i got scared about having herpes because I read statistics saying that most people don't know they have it and never get tested for it since most panels don't test for it..so i went two days ago to have an IGG done for HSV1 and HSV2. my point is..how do we all know that these symptoms were having aren't from herpes? since doctors don't test for them unless you have blisters the size of golf balls?
thebrian1
Posted
oh and the clotrimizole does help so far..and i have seen small (very small) pieces of skin come off the red mark. it does not hurt, it does not sting. soaps irritate it though that's for sure! i don't think herpes appears when water , soaps, or friction hit it lol and then disappear once it's over in 5-10 mins..I'll let you guys know what my results are though(scared s**tless) thank god I found this form.
Pauly77 thebrian1
Posted
thebrian1 Pauly77
Posted
Hey, I tested negative for both hsv 1 and hsv 2..clotrimizole seemed to have worked because when I get out of the shower now it's pretty much non existent. i cut out all sugars(except oranges for fiber) and cut out alcohol completely! i haven't had sex in 3 weeks since I got this so I'm scared to see what happens...also haven't masturbated in a week so idk how my penis will react.
jon5211984 thebrian1
Posted
Perrierlime Jason1327
Posted
Perrierlime
Posted
rich90249 Jason1327
Posted
Hi guys, I've been suffering with the same condition for a number of months now. All started after taking a course of Lymecycline for acne, sex seemed to trigger it all off. I've tried canesten, daktacort, and now on clotrimazole. I tried a fluconazole tablet while on the antibiotics, and since coming off the antibiotics I tried another fluconazole which didn't really help much. My symptoms were worse at the time I got it, but nowadays it's only worse when the weather is warm. Doctor looked in my mouth and at my penis and said she thinks I have lichen planus and to not worry about it, but we know our own bodies!! I think our conditions are all related.
Yeah-nah Jason1327
Posted
Yo!
So same problem with me. Unprotected sex and consequent red blotch/blotches.
It has been about 4 months now.
Have tried, canestan, canestan plus, fluconozole - all with no improvement.
Some days are better than others and on the days I am active/exercise I use a gauze to wrap around my penis to prevent rubbing.
This is quite effective.
Given it is something fungal I have cleaned up my diet - no sugar and no products containing yeast. This prevents it flaring up.
Two weeks ago I tried a cream, Eleuphrat. I was told to just use it for 7 days as it is quite strong. After 7 days the redness had subsided completely! Unfortunately it wasnt a permanent fix as it has started to return (although far lighter in colour). But for 7 days it was totally clear.
After thinking about my situation and reading the other posts I believe it will just be a matter of time until we are back to normal. It isn’t anything sinister or permanent, just something the body has to deal with.
My philosophy is stress less, eat healthy and if i have some ‘special time’ planned i want to be looking good for, I’ll use the Eleuphrat cream for a few days ?????
thebrian1 Yeah-nah
Posted
Im going to to see a doctor finally and see what they think. I been so focused on my penis I think it's becoming unhealthy. I find myself questioning every little flaw and getting worried if these symptoms are normal. Day to day I can't function anymore because I think there's something terribly wrong with me. One thing I have realized though is that woman go through so much trauma with their reproductive system and they leave with it so I think I'll be okay with a small amount of redness or small red dot here and there.
Yeah-nah thebrian1
Posted
It can really effective your mental state however I think you just need to focus on the positives in your life and let it pass (because it will- it’s just a matter of time).
Sounds like it’s easy to say but at the end of the day, I am in the same boat as you..
MaxMaxed Jason1327
Posted
Ok, I've got exactly the same issue 3 weeks ago. I happened to have oral sex with a masseuse and I had a condom on all the time. I was drunk and didn't feel much during it, so it's likely my penis head hit her teeth from time to time, but condom wasn't punctured (visibly). Next morning I woke up with irritated penis, obviously from intensive rubbing/oral sex she did during the session. Redness went away, but sharp sensation in penis head remained. Just in one spot. I expected it to pass in few weeks, but it's been over 3 weeks and I experience exactly the same symptoms like all of you above.
There is practically no redness of any kin now where it's hypersensitive on the left top side of my penis head. It's just kinda uncomfortable to touch or when it touches underwear, almost like there was chaffing and it stay there. Sometimes this sensation goes away completely, but comes back. I had several occasions of unprotected vaginal and oral sex since that, this sensation never was obvious during sex. It's mostly occurring when I'm soft and just touch penis head or underwear touches it. I have no idea what it is, why it got so sensitive without any visual signs? It's no HSV2, which would manifest as blisters already, it's not HPV (at least not warts). It appeared in just 8 hours after mechanical action on my penis and doesn't go away. Can it be a damaged nerve? Or maybe some kind of fungus came through from her teeth to my penis head? I'm not sure but it's really frustrating. I will try hydrocortisone myself and if it keeps bothering me, will go to urologist.