Penis damaged by Locoid?

Hi, i did a big misstake. I used Locoid  hydrcortisone 0,1% on my penis for 7 weeks becouse i got peeling skin. I didn´t know how long to use it:( becouse my doctor didn´t say anything or warn me about long term use and side effects.

My penis turned very read, and i got thin skin.

It almost like it happend over 1 night becouse i never noticed it before. And i got like a bruce/wound on my foreskin on a part that i hadn´t used cortisone.

So i stoped using it and now 4 weeks later, my skin is still not returned to normal but it is better, have i got permanent damage?

the "wound" has healed.but my penis is still a bit read, and the glans (glands) is not as read as before men still it is a little bit read, but some part of the glans (glands) is not red at all any more.

If it will return to normal again how many months do you think it will take?

Is there any product you can buy that thicken the skin?

And one last ting my scrotum is red i havn´t used anything on there and i have had it for like 3months now, what can that be?  

[Bharat Chawda, MD]

Dear torguran21,

Thank you for posting the query,

Topical steroids creams are like double edged sword. If used  for a  short duration they work wonders ,but if used for a long duration then can have side effects. And if not tapered off gradually then can have withdrawal symptoms too. I would say that you are lucky that you haven't used it for very long and also that locoid is a very mild potent steroid. But on the other side penis (glans (glands)) has  a very thin skin. Steroids can lead to thinning of skin (atrophy) & can also lead to redness (formation of fine capillaries) if used for long.

The redness which you are observing could either be the side effect of steroid or even a withdrawal effect of the same. It should gradually go away. It is difficult to predict how long it will take or whether you would again get back your normal skin, but I can assure you that it is not going to cause any loss of sensation or any other  permanent damage.

There is no specific cream which can hasten the recovery.

As far as your scrotal skin is concerned ,I would like to know following things so that I can answer you better:
1) Does the scrotal skin itch ?
2) Is there any oozing from the skin ?
3) Does the groin folds also itch ?

Kindly reply me with the answers as this will help me in suggesting you better.

Hope that this information helps and hope that you will get better soon.

Thank you for using MedHelp's "Ask an Expert" Service, where we feature some of world's renowned medical experts in their fields. Millions have benefitted from our service to get personalized advice for them and for their loved ones.

Best Regards,
Dr. Bharat Chawda

[torguran21]

Here are som pictures but dont be fooled by them it looks better on pictures then reality. It is very dry just behind the glans (glands)

http://imageshack.us/g/834/skrpkollaej102.jpg/

1. yes it was itching very much and was red when it first appeard but the itching stop after 4 days i think, now it is only red and have been for many months like i said.

2. No

3.No

when all this started i hade peeling skin on my penis then after a few months i started having "cracks" on the glans (glands) and then i got som red spots that dissapeard and come back every now and then.  The weird thing is that the peeling skin has now dissapeard when i used moisturizing cream after i stopped with the cortisone.

But back to the scrotum, this happend some months after my problem with my penis began, it happend after a hard day of work i think.

[torguran21]

Please answere on my last post.


I have read that you treat Balanitis xerotica obliterans with the strongest steriods for months how can that be possible ? When i only used locoid and some people will then use stronger than i did?  

[Bharat Chawda, MD]

Dear torguran21,

Thanks for writing back.

The scrotal skin does appear red, but I do not think that you are suffering from a fungal infection. In fact, it looks more like a case of lichen simplex chronicus, in which one gets itching especially at night. You can use Locoid cream over the scrotum for few days and see the response. It should respond well even though Locoid is a mild cream. If needed, you can even use a moderately potent steroid cream over the scrotum safely.

Balanitis xerotica obliterans(BXO) is a condition where the skin over the penis is not normal, and hence it does require a potent steroid cream .

In your case, the skin over the penis was normal and thus even a mild cream could have caused a problem on long term use.

However, I would prefer that you use tacrolimus cream/ointment (0.03%) over the penis. This is basically a steroid sparing cream which can also help in cases where one needs to withdraw a patient from a steroid formulation.

As this is a prescription drug, I would suggest that you consult your dermatologist for a proper evaluation and appropriate treatment

I hope I have answered your query.

Wish you good health.

Best Regards.
Dr. Bharat Chawda

[torguran21]

Thanks for reply, I went to see a dermatologist but he didn´t have any intrest in helping me and just said it is a side effect from steroids use and it will recover.

[torguran21]

I think i will go and se another dematologist, but does tacrolimus cream/ointment helps and removes the redness?  or why should i use that?

Because like i said before the reason to why i started the cortisone treatment on the penis is now gone because i dont have peeling skin anymore.

Like you saw in the pictures the bottom of the glans (glands) was quite big purple will the tacrolimus cream/ointment remove this? and can this be rosacea?



Thanks for all the answers, the doctors in my country never tells me anything thats why i askes so many questions.