Penile Rash/Balanitis Not Responding to Treatment

Posted , 170 users are following.

This all began when it started to burn while I urinated. I went to the doctors because I thought it was a UTI, but the test came back negative. Got tested for STD's, the tests also came back negative.

Ok no big deal, I thought. Maybe this will go away on its own. I then started developing a rash on the tip of the penis and along the base that burned post urination and during ejaculation.

I did some research online and thought it was probably a yeast infection. Bought some Canesten and tried applying it twice a day for a week. I also took the pill (Fluconazole). This resulted in no change in the symptoms.

Went back to the doc, who then prescribed Fucidin H cream (Hydrocortisone 1% Fusidic Acid 2%). I rubbed it on twice a day for a week, no change.

Went to a Urologist who did an examination (but no further tests) and told me I could get circumcised, but apart from that offered no further solutions. Told me it could be prostatitis.

I then went to a Dermatologist, who looked at it and prescribed me Loprox anti-fungal cream with hydrocortisone (1%) told me to use it twice daily on the area for one month. I then switched to just Loprox because it appeared as though hydrocortisone was making the irritation worse. The Dermatologist told me to go see the urologist again if symptons don't improve.

I'm still applying Loprox two weeks into treatment, and the changes are minimal if any. The rash goes down at the tip and expands at the base, almost triangular in shape. There are small scales (or maybe cracks) in the skin, and the area is red, almost as if inflamed. I have no discharge from the penis. Any kind of friction (i.e. masturbation) makes the redness and burning much, much worse. I have been abstaining from that for now and only washing the area with warm water. I have thrown out all my heavily scented soaps.

I am in the process of attempting to get an appointment with another urologist in order to get a second opinion. Topical creams don't seem to be doing much, but I am going to keep putting Loprox on it for now. I feel like the Docs have been kind of brushing me off/don't want or don't know how to deal with balanitis. Nothing I am really doing is working, so I'm wondering if anyone else has any solutions.

The following links I will attach contain some photos of the condition I'm experiencing:

Moderator comment:I have deleted the links to the images as they went to a site unsuitable for inclusion in the forums. Users can upload images directly to this site by using the image icon at the top of reply boxes.

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  • Edited

    hi, i seem to dealing with similar issues to a few people who have commented. has any1 had any luck with this as i have had every test i can think off, all negative l. tried a few creams and no change at all. cheers

    • Edited

      ive had all the issues you guys have had and had some success in treating it. everytime I've tried to post it I get censored. I used an over counter product which eventually cleared my balanitis. (a type of soap)

      I suffered for years which my glans flaring up. skin peeling etc and often a musty smell from my groin. tried all the antifungal products and nothing worked. even ordered a cream from the US that would ease the symptoms but not fix it. damaged my sex life to the point i was ready to give up. im living without balanitis now. I'm happy to share information, it might not work for everyone but I really want to help if i can. i know how it impacted my life. Hopefully I won't get banned again

    • Posted

      hopefully not then. what have you been using? im desperate at this point to help this ease.

  • Edited

    i have been having similiar issues, tested for all stds with urine culture and antibody tests, all negative. Started with buring while peeing, that has went away, but the tip often feels like it has icy hot on it, now discolored bluish hue, while erect its extremely red and bumpy looking, urethera is red. seen a uroligist who gave me doxy and a shot, symptoms still the same, a week later he did a cythoscope with nothing abnormal. he and GP said its stress and im fine, but my tip often feels cold, have testicle pain, does anyone think it mighy be hpv? since they cant test males for this?

    • Edited

      i feel like we have a bacteria somewhere . do u have recurring uti or wbc in your urine or leukocytes

  • Edited

    reading this forum worries me. thanks for your input everyone. i had balanitis for 6 months now.

    tried, kenakomb, eleuphrat with no luck. urologist now gave me athlestes foot cream and a tablet called resprim forte.

    do we know anyone who cured this.

    i feel like things settle down when i stop all creams and medication. but it doesnt completely go away. does it get worse before getting better.

    sometimes i was the head of penis with dialuted mouth wash. it fixes the itchy ness for 10 - 12 hours.

    aany help is appreciated.

    • Edited

      Have you tried pimecrolimus or tacrolimus cream? Give it a try and tell us if it improves your symptoms .. mine got better immediately (yet not being resolved)

    • Edited

      thank you, my urologist recommended to use tolnaftate powder. ive been using it wvey night and it seems to have resolved the issue.

      im worried to stop the medication. ill keep you posted.

  • Edited

    Hey all, just throwing my hat in the ring for this journey we are all on.

    can't really tell when mine started, but I had unprotected sex four months ago that caused epididymitis and balanitis. STI for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV, syphilis all negative. but I've also dealt with w/3 significant stress life events in-between, used alcohol and recreational drugs.

    my symptoms seem to have changed, initially from a some minor inflammation, to red pimple dots, to tiny spider blood vessels, to discharge. I had three rounds of antibiotics for my epididymitis which I am 90% sure is the core reason for causing a yeast infection (I had cottage cheese like discharge confirming). had a few blistery looking marks too but again sure this is from yeast/balanitis. some passive stinging from uretha. thing is I performed oral as well as unprotected sex and I have no oral symptoms.

    clotrimazole and fluconazole 150gm 1 round hasnt helped so far. masturbation makes inflammation alot worse (common here)

    what i can tell from reading this thread is we ere all desperate for an answer and will go to extremes to get one when our doctors fail us.

    it seems best to rule out bacterial or fungal via tests. I am awaiting uretha swab test which I should get tomorrow and then a urine sample maybe by the end of the week.

    I will request a blood test for herpes and HSV to rule these out. if all of those come back negative, it could be right to assume it is brought on by a multifaceted factors related to stress or life change as well as risky sexual contact.

    top potential diagnosis

    psorias related

    prostatitis related

    stress related

    bacteria related from UTI/yeast infection

    fungal infection seems unlikely in my case but could be there

    treatment options - most extreme to easiest

    antibiotics- Ciprofloxacin seems to have worked for a few

    triticum vulgare extract and phenoxyetganol cream

    mild steroid natural moisturiser

    avoiding friction via sex or masturbation

    washing regularly with cold water

    looser fitting boxers

    i shall update with any improvements

    • Edited

      i have hsv 1 and 2 if that herpes and had it since 2012 this isnt it i believe the balantitis is from some sort of bacteria thats not easy to test for i did every kind of screening for stds and urine i also did yeast pills with 2 different yeast creams i did a month of antibiotics which seemed to help but when i got off the pills it came back

    • Posted

      thank you Jo, i find this reassuring that is is not herpes but some form of virus or bacteria (Candida likely).

    • Posted

      hey all, so i stopped using the clotrimazole as i didn't feel was making any affect.

      my urine and uretha samples back and no further action required.

      I used Palmers Cocoa cream and it appears to have helped with swelling/inflammation/dryness.

      however, little red skin spots, blotching and spider blood vessels somewhat present. not sure if within normal range.

      will provide further update Monday.

    • Posted

      dont get too excited i dont believe its candida i did 2 creams and even with a pill for 1 month with no help to cure it

    • Posted

      hey all

      so I went to gp on my birthday (lol) and he basically told me it's all in my head and nothing wrong. I had uretha swab (self test) and urine tests back come negative. releived as i was to hear I am being delusional (/sarcasm), I sought follow up result via seuxal health clinic.

      Thus, I was uretha swab tested by a professional and they told me straight away there is a certain bacteria in there, how this was not found via gp testing, you have to assume incompetence of some level in the analysis.

      mine and the docs assumption is that it is either trichomoniasis, MGen (google it) or some other non sexually transmitted bacteria. I had unprotected sex last on 25th February, so if this is the case, it's a long gestating period for symptoms to show.

      never the less, my inflamed glans is continuing either way, but I have been prescribed doxycilline 100mg for 7 days, metronidazole 400mg for 7 days concurrent, 4 x 500mg azithromycin tablets taken after the initial course, as well as daktacort ointment for the inflammation. let's see how we get on, I'll report back with any progress.

    • Edited

      so guys, through intensive and obsessive searching and multiple sex health clinic visits, I think I'm close to a genuine diagnosis.... but a cure may be a ways off if at all.

      I was tested positive last week for some bacteria in my uretha, but they couldn't say what, so it's called Non Specific Utheris, which can caused by anything from E Coli to sharing a swimming pool to dirty dog sex. specifically, at some point, I've contracted a nasty bacteria(s) called Trichomoniasis and potentially Mycogential uretha plasma (or something, it's called Mgen). THESE DO NOT SHOW UP ON ROUTINE STD checks.

      over time. I've suffered epididymitis, ball ache, inflamed glans, yEast infection, balanitis and just generally a s**t time.

      I don't have a formal diagnosis but I may have prostatis, this may be caused by the trichomoniasis.

      this diagnos will not apply to all of us. but if you had unprotected vag or even oral (by nature of you giving, then kissing, then receiving) you could be living with trichomoniasis.

      trichomoniasis is very hard to diagnosis in men through tests, but very easy for women to be tested. get your women tested if you can to either rule it out or confirm a diagnosis. this is not possible in my case cus was a one night stand.

      if you have either trich or mgen, you can get treated with Metronidazole quite easy to clear the infection, however I can not yet comment on whether it will reduce or get rid of chronic inflammation (unlikely, this will require long term self repair and sensitive hygiene).

      creams especially can ware aware the dermatitis layer on the penis head and show these redness, spots, blood vessels, pimples etc. they are proven to have this reaction in some people and with over use'

      to me, as long as you are not infectious with anything, is it really that big of a deal, as long as it dosent cause pain. if you have a red rash on penis, in amy form BUT WITH NO PAIN and you have tested for every std including trich, my analysis is you do not need to worry. you can try to use creams, as it works forskfor someme but not all. you should really just try to use nothing or maybe like e45 cream if you experience swell ups.

      let me be clear, this is not the end of my journey, but I feel I have finally found a cause, which should now allow me to work on reducing, but I don't think it will ever look the same again. I've accepted that and as long as I can't infection othere, I can live with it..

      salute gents to finding peace with our red heads.

    • Posted

      final update from me for a while I guess, but I ended up in a&e through directing from 111 from burning/stinging, I saw a urologist who, you'll NOT be shocked to hear, told me there is nothing to worry about.

      at this point, I've seen that many docs and nurses I'm just accepting my dicks changed after being exposed to a fungal vag months ago and that's how it is now. I'll try some home remedies like apple cider vinegar and salt water, but im no further along to any diagnosis.

      maybe it's all in my head.

    • Posted

      so no luck huh ? i heard one guy say its a fungal in the bladder and needs a urethra camera to go up there and see im gonna try that also when i have the chance

    • Posted

      i went back to a&e two days ago for unidentifiable stinging in the frenulum area, i was seen my two urologist who could not identify anything, even had a finger up my ass to check my prostate. he said could be abit inflamed but not much.... reccomended ibuprofen and time lol. that's three urologists and no answers.

      the only thing I haven't done is a HSV blood test, but I doubt it is that. Guess it's the last thing to try.

    • Posted

      me also at a loss have u got a camera up ur urethra i seen another have fungal infected bladder i have balantitus also

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