Can Excema (or something else) react to aldara?

About 5 years ago, I noticed a raised area growing on the top side of the shaft of my penis. This was on an area that had previously (about 1 year earlier) been rubbed a little raw during sex with a girl who was promiscuous. I ended up getting a dermatologist to look at it. She did not look at it very long, but gave me some Aldara to use. It did not look like a normal wart shapewise but it was more brownish colored than the other skin on my penis. When I used Aldara, it realted with the skin which became red and itchy and peeled. Eventually it went away (although Aldara turned the skin whitish), and I assumed that it had been HPV, just not a "normal" looking wart. So 8 months ago, I notice a tiny red spot in the same general area. I immediately ordered Aldara and began using it. It again reacted but this time did not go away completely. Then it spread to an area on the underside of the shaft, which became red and almost looked like a ringworm. That area touched my balls, so it spread to them, although it was kind of hard to see it except in certain lights, but I knew it was there. Now my balls have started peeling over and over again. I have not used Aldara in about two months. They peel and the underside of the shaft of my penis peels off dead skin, over and over. I was convinced that I had HPV, b/c it reacted with the aldara, but reading about excema on here thought maybe my prayers could be answered and it could be something else. I will say I always wondered why it didn't look like small bumps like you think warts should be, but also read that HPV could look different ways. Can you tell me if this could be anything other than HPV considering that it definitely reacted with the Aldara and turned the skin around the area red and itchy?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

It doesn't sound anything like warts.  Aldara can cause irritation for all sorts of things that have nothing to do with warts.  I advise you to stop using it and not to use it again unless a doctor specifically asks you to.  Then have a dermatologist look at it, and prescribe for what I assume is eczema.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff