Long Lasting Scrotal Redness Please Help

[football456]

Hello I have had this on going scrotal redness since January. It all began after having protected sex with my girlfriend. Following the next morning i woke up with a red scrotum, I thought it was from not cleaning up after sex. So i ignored it for a bit but it didnt go away. Within  a week after the event i went to the doctor and he said it was nothing but a irritation, and he said just to keep it dry. Then in february and march the redness continued , and in both months i continuously went to the doctor to figure out what it could be. During these visits the doctor said it was tinea, then a yeast infection. All the prescribed steroid creams, and all the OTC powders and creams did not work. So in april I went to a dermatologist who said on the first visit that the skin was very thin due to applying cortizone cream constantly on the scrotum. So she prescribed a barrier cream to protect the skin, but the redness remained. On my second visit to the dermatologist she conducted test for fungus and yeast and the tests came back negative, then upon closer examination she saw bacteria on the scrotal skin so she prescribed me a silver sulferdazine cream which helped for about a month then in may the redness came back, and is still lingering. I have occasional itching but that is it. My girlfriend and I both got full STD tests and we both came back negative.  What could this be? it is killing me to constantly see a red scrotum. The redness covers the full scrotum and a little bit of the underside of the penis

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Eczema is a sort of dermatitis skin and psoriasis is a skin problem that causes skin cells to grow too quickly, resulting in thick, white, silvery, or red patches of skin. So both these conditions can cause redness of skin.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your dermatologist. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.

[football456]

One last thing Doctor the redness on my scrotum feels similar to a sunburn could that be a symptom of the different diagnoses you have noted?

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
It does not sound like herpes. Most individuals have no or only minimal signs or symptoms from HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection. When signs do occur, they typically appear as one or more blisters. The blisters break, leaving tender ulcers (sores) that may take two to four weeks to heal the first time they occur.

I hope it helps. Take care and regards.

[football456]

Doctor does this sound like herpes or anything contagious? previous to this in my whole life i never had any redness down there or blisters or anything, just sometimes a rash in the groin folds because in high school i was active in sports.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Since fungal and bacterial infection has been ruled out so it can be due to dermatitis skin or any other skin condition like psoriasis , eczema etc. I suggest a biopsy skin to be done to confirm the diagnosis.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.