Blotchy red rash/irritated skin on penile head (lasted for over 3 moths now)?

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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.

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  • Posted

    Hey all.

    So my quick story.. about four 1/2 months ago I had unprotected vaginal sex with a hooker. I immediately started a month of PEP treatment for HIV three days post. Through weeks of negative STD tests.. I woke up about two 1/2 months post with a burning urethra, generally when I pee or ejaculate is worse.

    Immediately visited the doc, said my prostate was mildly inflamed and I had two very small HPV warts. The problems I had were the same, blotchy penis tip after erection, little red veins along the shaft with erection, rashy looking parts in my penis folds and on the tip. I was put on 10 days of ciproflaxcin AND treated for gonorrhea/chlamydia as a precaution... but all STD tests are still negative today. The burning pain came back and I am today (again, 4 1/2 months post) finishing a 21 day course of doxycycline. I'm sure the redness in the tip isn't due to antibiotics as I started those after it appeared.

    I also have achy testicles, swollen groin lymph, and breathing trouble with an inflamed stomach (cuz of the doxy I'm sure)

    So antibiotics aren't fixing these issues. Any thoughts or likeness to my story? I am going to seek out a specialist as my doctor just wants to load me with antibiotics when I think it's a different issue.

    • Posted

      Also I forgot. I applied cloterimazole for days on end. Relieved itching a little bit but didn't affect the subdermal redness or last beyond using it.

    • Posted

      i am in the same sort of boat as you. I have achy testicles. sometimes burning in urethra. red on the head. some small black dots that have appeared. burning and more severe redness after ejaculation or shower.   also previously had chlamydia and was cleared after medicine taken. im getting the urologist to stick a camera down my pipe to see whats up. will keep ya posted
    • Posted

      Hey youngbuck.

      I have 1 black dot as well, about half a mm wide, it is quite a fresh thing, would love to hear more from you.

      This dot only appeared almost 1.5 years in into this condition but I don't see others mentioning it.

      Make sure you report back after your appointment, please.

    • Posted

      please do mate, your findings might help someone here with similar symptoms.

      Your black dots, do they look like skin pores? I can see few under he skin, not sure if they are black, dark blue. I'm also not sure if they were always there because I never paid much attention, easier to observe if you put some pressure on the skin. My thought was they become darker and more visible because of inflammation somewhere inside. Have you ever tried to observe inside of urethra, as far as it is possible without any instruments?

    • Posted

      Any "picking" "burning" itchiness around the area or whole body. Like you've just come in contact with a prickly bush plant? Any crawing sensations? any numbness?

      I'd research about lyme disease, not saying that's what you have but if you follow this whole thread, you'll see my story. The black dots could be collagen fibres trapped under the skin as the lyme bacteria hijacks skin cells and produces tiny mutated fibres (which are essentially just malformed hairs). That doesn't always happen to everyone infected with lyme but it does happen.

    • Posted

      hi Shane,

      i have the exact same symptons as this- been suffering witu it for nearly a year.

      did you ever get to the bottom of this? or did anything help alleviate the pain / rash.

      Any updates / pointers you can give would be massively appreciated as im strugglinf here and feel like im being sent round the houses by various doctors and specialists and not getting anywhere.

      cheers!

  • Posted

    Hey Jason ,

    Not sure if you're still updating your post, but I have the same problem. I am uncut. I generally have redness on the head of the penis and if left untreated it won't go away. The doc has prescribed me anti-fungals and it has been working ,ONLY while I'm applying the cream, as soon as I stop it returns within a day or two, sometimes I'm lucky to get 3-4 days.

    I was with a woman for almost 4 years and this never happened, I become single ,start playing hockey again and having unprotected sex constantly with multiple women and this is my karma ! Just wondering if you have any updates or has it since returned etc? I've been dealing with this for about 6 months or more.

  • Posted

    Hi I have the same thing going on as well for couple months now did full std screening and everything came back negative and im using clotrimazole-betamethasone cream and no help hope someone finds a answer for this
  • Posted

    There is one thing that I don't understand about this forum here...

    I read all comments, and everyone is just describing the problems.

    Person after Person. But no one is giving a solution or a good answer.

    This thread and this forum leads to just confusion and depression and not really a help.

    What is the point of this place?

    I read all in order to find an answer to my similar problem but it seems like it will never be possible here.

    And people who are healthy again they don't Comment :D

    • Posted

      Yeah man I wish someone had a answer to treat this. Hopefully someone has comes up with something.
    • Posted

      sorry I guess I didn't see the second page on my phone before posting my two cents. I can see you're using clotrimazole as well. Can I ask how your problem came about?

    • Posted

      Hi I actually stopped using the clotrimazole-betamethasone cream because it wasn't helping and I read the instructions on it and it says not to use more then two weeks and I used it a little longer then that but not using it anymore but my problem is about the same it's on and off sometimes fine others times it's flared up really frustrating wish it would just go away already had it just a hair over 3 months now I think

    • Posted

      Hi Jack- I was on this thread a while back but haven’t been on it for a while as things have gotten better.

      The symptoms I had were similar to some of what has been described on the thread. I tried anti biotics (a few different types) topical creams (natural and medicinal) all under the guidance of a GP and dermatologist.

      I would see occasional change however things would always come back.

      I opted for a ‘let my body sort it out’ approach.

      I washed with just water, kept everything dry and when I was doing anything active I would wrap up penis with a light bandage (to prevent rubbing which seemed to cause a flare up).

      I stopped having dairy, gluten and sugar and tried to eat as much organic produce as I could. 

      It’s been about 3 months now and I have zero symptoms (and now back having sex lol).

      I am still cautious when exercising but aside from that have resumed normal life.

      May not work for others but it has for me.

      Good luck, everyone!

    • Posted

      Hi Yeah-nah,

      I am with you on the gluten free thing and eating organic so this is something gut related for sure. But my dermotologist is not accepting that is the case. Could you share how long it took you to her better as I am in month 4 and still slightly red irritates quickly and urine dribbles after pee. I am uncut and I have my foreskin doesn't go all the way back either .

    • Posted

      The symptoms started for me about a year ago. I started my ‘natural’ protocol about 8 months in. It then took 1-2 months to get better.

      You just need to find a way of keeping it clean, dry and covered.

      Doctors won’t say that it is gluten because it isn’t part of what they learn. But for me, it worked.

      Doctors don’t know everything and often just prescribe medication to treat symptoms, not address the cause.

    • Posted

      When you say light bandage what do you mean? What do use to cover it with like an actual bandaid? Also are you circumcised? Thanks so much been dealing with similar issues

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