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Dermatology (Expert Forum)
Balanitis - Glans problem How quickly to heal?
Answered by
Alan Rockoff, MD - dermatology, Child Skin Problems
The Rockoff Dermatology Center
Brookline - MA
Welcome to the DERMATOLOGY FORUM! Questions in this forum are answered by Dermatologists from St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital, under the direction of Andrew Alexis, M.D., M.P.H.
Balanitis - Glans problem How quickly to heal?
by g4g8f, Sep 07, 2005 12:00AM
Three (3) months ago went to doctor w/ what I imagined was folliculitis in the groin area (jock itch) combined w/ irritation in the eurethra opening. Doctor thought it was possibly a staph infection, gave me a week of Cipro, ran tests just in case, all negative (there was never any discharge or pain urinating, spots, anything like that, etc.). The folliculitis is gone (used jock itch cream), but there remains irritation in the very inside edge of the opening...talking very thin amount of skin on each side of the urethra opening...just inside where it's smooth and the mucous lining begins... I am not sure what this is due to...could be new detergent (did start using this 'new' blue stuff), using lots of epoxies and using latex gloves, excessive washing (which I was doing), etc. I read a lot of posts by Dr. Rockoff to lead me to believe it's probably (probably) not anything serious, but it's not healing quickly. I originally was using Neosporin, then Lamisil, then Hydrocorisone...all which sounded like were just irritating things. So, I switched to just keeping the tip lubricated w/ Eucarin (sp?) and Vaseline... lately using Vitamin E and Eucarin...and for about a month using a bandaid to reduce frictin. Anyway, it is getting slightly better, but taking forever to heal...is this normal. Should it all be ok in a few weeks, or is it ok that it's taking months. Wondering if it's not healing b/c it's got urine streaming by it 8 times a day... Also, the irritation has been constant, doesn't fluctuate good/better/worse...it's just there. Seems to be getting slightly better... Visibly: no more red, just looks like normal flesh color...however, the edge of the inside opening...I'm talking 1/8 inch on one side, and maybe 1/16th on other (like I said, small but still irritating) seem like the mucous lining is gone and the skin is a bit rough. It seems like it's trying to heal...I think...but slowly. I've just started taking Goldenseal as well, which I've heard is good for mucous linings... My primary question is, am I on the right track and when you say it can take a while...can it take MONTHS to heal?? Like I said, no spots, no patterns, no discharge, no puss, no redness per se, not getting any bigger than original infection area...just mild (but annoying) irritation/scratchiness if it contacts clothing. (or if the inside of the bandaid gets dry after a few hours when Eucarin wears off) Just getting nervous w/ the amount of time taking to heal. Maybe I'm keeping it too moist, don't know. Should I try to 'air' it out somehow? Maybe it is candida, but just don't know...also afraid in case its serious of somehow infecting my girlfriend, but I'm mostly over the paranoid phase. Please help, any other things to look for? I can and will go back to the doctor, but just looking for some peace of mind. Thanks.
Doctor's Answer
by Alan Rockoff, MD, Sep 07, 2005 12:00AM
, Sep 07, 2005 12:00AM
I think you are spending entirely too much time looking at the inside of your urethra. I'm not really sure what you mean by saying that the area "hasn't healed." What hasn't healed about it? I suspect that you are overinterpreting what you're looking at. I advise you to so nothing and use nothing and not look. In a month let a doctor take a look to confirm that you're OK, and then forget about it.
Take care.
Dr. Rockoff
Take care.
Dr. Rockoff
Member Comments (3)
by g4g8f, Sep 08, 2005 12:00AM
thanks. I will try and take it easy. However, just to clarify, what I meant by 'it hasn't healed', there is clearly irregular skin on the inside edge...on one side more than the other...where it looks as if the mucous lining has dried up and it should be there...almost like a scar, or maybe a really dry chapped lip, instead of smooth and shiny... something is definitely causing this discomfort...just hope that it will heal and it will go back to normal. Thanks for your posting though...I'll wait it out; any tips though on how to heal the skin would be great...but sounds like your advising to just not put anything on it.
by gangster, Oct 17, 2005 12:00AM
I've been to the urologist several times. I have a whitening of the skin on the foreskin. They first said it was Balantis then after a few more visits they are calling it Viteligo. I still think they are in-correct! My General practisionar said I need to get Circumsized. I believe he may be correct.
