Itchy srotum and flakey skin

[Randolfus]

Help... Im a 51 yr. old male who has the following symptoms; a very scratchy scrotum and flaking of it's skin,[It scratches off like a bad case of dandriff.]accompanied sometimes with an iritable redish coloration in the folds of the groin area that may feel somewhat like diapper rash if I can remeber right? ha,ha.  Under both arm pits I have what looks like a quater sized redish rash that looks slightly wrinkled? at times that also itches. Also on the tips of my thumbs and fingers  I sometimes get a little sore, flakey, and can crack open. This really bothers me because I'm a guitarist..I can build my callisus up like billfold leather and then within 4 or 5 days they can flake off. Sometimes I have to crazy glue the tips just to make it through a gig.  I'm not sure if all of these symptoms are related or not but they all seemed to have arrived at the same time 4 years ago after a very stressful divorce.  With the finger tips I've thought that at times if I drink too much diet coke they seem to flake?  There are times when I've quit drinking it for a month or so and the fingertips at times can seem to go back to normal. It sometimes seems to be a coralation there but not sure if it's my imaginenation or not?  The pop doesn't seem to have any effect on the scrotum issue one way or another. My general MD prescribed and anti-fungal cream a while back but that did not seem to do anything.  I have tried hydrocortizine %1 and that seems to help the crotch area but not the fingers.  In fact I think it makes the skin on my fingers thinner?  Is there a Doctor House in the Audience? Any suggestions, diets, clues?  I'm about 30 lbs. overweight and also have a stressful job as a Mental Health Soc Worker...yks.......  

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I think you have eczema in all 3 locations.  You need a prescription-strength cortisone cream, with a different one to use in the scrotum and under the arms and in the groin and a stronger one for the fingers.  I advise a consultation with a skin doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.  You're right about the diaper rash, by the way--babies get eczema in some of the same places.  This is a hereditary condition, which you should be able to control even if you stay under stress.  Fungal creams won't help, because it isn't a fungus.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff

[scott diburro]

i think thats what i got too. mine is where my thing is. my skin is really ichy and flakey and it sweats or ***** and the skin is cracked i had this for along time. i use cream for it. that is clotrimazole. it seems it get worse when it is muggy or humid out. when the weather is dry out it seems it not as bad.
it keeps me up all night for itching it i try not help it not itch it i like to clear it up how long does it take to clear it up with the cream. when i take a shower it really hurts when the water touches it. i try not take a shower for some many days till it dry's up some not been so raw. i tryed some poweder with cornstarch in it but i think that make it more worse i think it casue's more sores's can you help me. i been staying home for awhile from work i been missing alot of days i work at a workshop for special needs can some on call me or email about it my phone number is 978-388-5105 if you get my machine just leave a message about what i was talking about here if then i am home i will pick it up. i do not usally get the phone till i know who is calling. i get alot of people trying to call selling me things thats why i do that. all right bye now...