Abrasion of Penis

Over a month ago I had an erection while attending an event where I could not "relieve" myself. I was wearing boxers. Over the course of the afternoon part of the underside of the head of my penis rubbed continually on the boxers and it began to be uncomfortable.

When I returned home I found that I had a large very reddened area that was very painful. The reddened area covers part of the shaft of then penis as well as part of the glans (glands) where it wraps around the underside of the penis.

It was very, very slow to resolve and, I thought, was healed. I have had erections since then and not noticed any pain, though I have not "inspected" the area for several weeks.

Yesterday, while taking a shower with a lover, I had an erection and I began to feel the same pain again. After getting out of the shower the same area was very red and was painful. I expect the stretching of the skin due to the erection combined with the hot water and soap reinflamed the area.

Without doubt, this is a very embarassing and difficult problem not to mention painful.

How do I resolve this problem? Originally, I did nothing and let it heal naturally. Yesterday I began putting neosporin ointment on it but am concerned since this seemed to re-occur almost a month later.

Why is it taking so long to heal and is there anything to hasten it? Is there anything else I should be doing?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Not sure, but it doesn't sound like anything significant.  Maybe it got irritated again in some minor way.  I suggest avoiding friction, moisturizing, and otherwise leaving it alone and waiting it out.  If that doesn't do it in a week, have a doctor take a look.  But the reocurrence doesn't sound worrisome to me, just annoying.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff