Rash on Penis and scrotum

[Endoftherope]

45 year old male,blue eyes,german descent,circumsized.

The underside of my penis is very red from the tip of the glans down to and including my scrotum,about 1 inch across and the lenght of the shaft The rash is red to pink in color,not clearly defined along the edges and has a"shiny" texture to it. There are very small lesions that look like a mountain  with the top blown off,very small in size and not very many of them  but mostly just very red skin.  My dermatoligist (4 visits) has described it as rosceaca,eczema,irritation and the last time he said it was a fungus, everything but a definitive answer. He even left his nurse outside on the last visit to talk to me about my problem explaining to me that there was nothing I could really do with my "fair Irish skin" and he made me feel I was wasting his time! (I am not insured.) I might note that I have not had sex for 3 years so I know it is not a venereal disease,it started gradually on its own about 2 years ago after masturbating using hair conditioner as a lubricant. It is incredibly frustrating.I rarely masturbate  anymore,it just makes it worse.So far he has prescribed ,hydrocortizone valerate 2.0%,fluticasone propionate 0.05% and hydrocortizone butyrate 0.1% and oxystat(a fungicide) with no success. He suggested I see a Uroligist.  I know it is difficult to diagnose without seeing it but any help would be greatly appreciated. I will also note that I am on the anti-depressant mirtazapine 30mg daily for the past 5 years and was treated for blepharitis under my eyes about a year ago. This problem has crippled me emotionally and has made me very sad. I use doctor recommended soaps and am very gentle on the area in question. Any tips on a special skin care regimen , wet or dry?(soaps,oils etc.)to help my problem would be appreciated. I have been using talc with 15% zinc oxide in it to keep the area dry. Will a uroligist help? Thanks

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Messages like yours always make me feel sad.  You are describing a color change on your genitals.  It appears to be associated with no other symptoms.  Why would a discoloration cripple you emotionally?  Why would you let it?



The doctor gave a variety of labels, as we doctors sometimes do, because we are expected to give conditions names.  But leaving names aside, the question is, "What is the significance?"



Is your condition venereal?  Contagious?  Progressive?  The answer to all these questions is almost surely, "No."



There are variants in color and texture which people have on their skin.  These are visible but often lack significance, and except for camouflage--which of course makes no sense in your case--nothing can be done about them.  Antifunngal creams do nothing, and cortisone creams can intensify redness.



Except to accertain that's all they are.  But you've already done that.



If you're not convinced, invest in one more visit and check again.



And then ask yourself, "If I have red marks and they mean nothing, why am I putting my life on hold?"



And when you've asked yourself that question and realized you cannot come up with a satisfactory answer, then take the needed steps (such as confronting these issues with whoever precribed your antidepresssant), come to terms with yourself, and get on with it.



You owe it to yourself.



Best.



Dr. Rockoff

[Endoftherope]

Dr. Rockoff,

    I don't appreciate the fact you have decided to belittle my emotional state rather than actually giving me any usable medical advice. I noticed you have done this with another patient with a similar problem. I am sure if you Dr. Rockoff awoke one day and half of your penis was as red as a tomato you would simply shrug it off and continue on as if nothing had happened. In this age of stds I'm sure a potential partner will find my red penis particularly attractive. I ask you again Dr., I paid you for medical advice not a psycological profile, any suggestions?ANY?  If you don't have any medical advice I would appreciate you returning my 19 dollars.

[jack_thomas]

I do not think that the doctor was trying to belittle you or your psychological state.  He was merely saying that possibly you should consider the medical advice you already received was valid and that discoloration of the penis does not warrant putting one's entire life on hold.  I bet if you simply used a 1% hydrocortisone preparation twice daily and did not touch or examine the affected area for two weeks you would see a vast improvement.  Often times, even though we mean well, too much examination and concern only makes the condition worse.



Best to you,



Jack Thomas

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Thank you, Mr. Thomas.  I could not have said it better myself.



If doctors look and decide that there is nothing medically wrong, then the most appropriate approach is to accept that verdict--a good one after all--and move on.  That is my medical advice.



Dr. Rockoff

[Elsead]

I have the exact same symptoms as he has described.  



My doctor said it looked like a fungus, but my family has a history of Scoriasis, and I do have Scoriasis of the scalp, although it is a mild case.  The skin irritation on my scalp looks exactly the same as the skin irritation on my genitals.  I also occasionally get this same condition in my inner ear.



I am 34 yo, 6' 195 10% body fat, weight train and run daily.  This situation has emotionally strained me as a person, so I know how you feel and wish you well.

[Tos]

I understand "Endoftherope" very well and I would expect the doctors to do the same. I have a similar problem for the last couple of years. The symptoms are very similar, maybe not as intense as in his case. I have a rash which covers a small part of the left side of the head of the penis. For the last couple of years it consistently stays in the same area. The dermatologist diagnosed "eczema", I've used hydrocortizone several times without improvement. As it is painful (not very, but it is) when friction is applied (e.g. from masturbation), an act which is supposed to give pleasure is connected with something unpleasant and this affects me psychologically. I do not accept opinions like "there is nothing wrong medically" because this problem was not there and it appeared one day. Medicine is sometimes simply unable to give satisfactory solutions to "simple" problems like eczema. Very disappointing...

[widebody]

I too have symptoms similiar to these.  I developed a rash just back of the head of my penis after having sex with a condom.  The rash is not very noticeable, but I have had almost constant itching and discomfort in the genital since(almost 3 years now).  The dermatologist said he could not help, and that it wasn't contagious.  Hard for me to believe.  Anybody had any sucess with curing symptoms like this?  Thanks

[kansas]

I can understand why the gentleman (Enderhofte) finds his condition troubling, especially if there is irritation in addition to discoloration as the other writer had.  Dr. Rockoff's attitude was too cold and abrupt to be constructive.  I have had prolonged irritation with sex and it wasvery frustrating and saddening.  I would urge Enderhofte to consider allergies and sensitivities among other things. Also, definitely do go to another kind of specialist.  Rockoff's abrupt judgements to the contrary, I think that you should get the perspective of a different specialist. And try alternative medicine as well.  However, if it is just discoloration and doesn't hurt, Rockoff may have a point.  Don't assume that a woman will be turned off. Just show her your clean blood tests if necessary . Good luck

[PMB]

I have something similar and my doctor told me to dip my penis into salted water twice a day, say for 5 minutes at a time.  This is a natural method for fighting the fungus which causes eczema.  So far, it seems to have controlled the redness and reduced some marks.  I'm not trying to prescribe a cure but why don't you ask your doctor if that is a measure you could take.



As far as my sex life is concerned, the women don't have a problem.  When I tell them that the marks are exzema (eczema) and it is not contagious or an STD, they are fine.  If they trust you, then they will believe you.  You have to remember that many women also have non life threatening spots or marks in their genital areas which some men might jump back thinking "warts!!!", when in fact it is just something insignificant usually caused by stress.



I understand that some of you guys are emotionally stressed about having a sex life, but just do it.



HTH

[avgguy34]

Dipping in Salt Water twice daily for a few weeks does sound logical... At least it is something different!! I dont know if it works yet for me- but certianly willing to try. This appeared a 2 weeks ago for me. Same as most posts on this subject, I was sure I had contracted a STD, same as most the tests are negative, same as most was perscribed 'clotrimazole'  (hydrocort has done nothing to help).....and same as most, am NOT HAPPY with the fact that something that use to give me pleasure now is painful !!   As well UNFORTUNATELY-- in surfin the web on the symptoms..there's not much out there, nor much advice on treatment, and not much hope on it going away.



Something changing overnight like that is hard to cope with on any area of the body. Women have dealt with media's input and idealism for years, the perfect body, the perfect breasts, etc...and yes probably due to 'men' in positions of power and decision making. Men have not seen the pressures of that outwardly until recent years, although internally deep down somewhere- many of us have been taught 'to have a penis is to have power'....and the bigger the better. (note I said MANY, and I'm NOT saying it's right!)  I do believe other men who have NOT had something like this happen can see the psychological effects...as well, no matter HOW WRONG IT IS having the idea of one little organ defining oneself-- it has a major impact I feel....something that had potential of giving pleasure to someone else (or one's self) Is now all red, bumpy, and HURTS ! All practically overnight!



So yes, as with everything.... there is time to cope and deal and try to fix,, and then comes a time to cope and deal and move forward--and everyone does that in their own time!  Right now, I'm gonna dip myself in some salt water!! lol-- and then go buy some yogurt to eat daily!! (Dr also said it was like a yeast infection?? go figure...maybe I'll smear some of that on too!



Best of luck to everyone!!   my nickname at aol.com will get to me, if you think i'm wrong, offbase, helpful, or find a treatment, feel free to write!

[manoman]

in recent months i have had red marks on the shaft of my  penis and little tiny bumps on top of them i have never had sex so i don't think it could be warts but i don't know also i have a lump on one side of my penis but thereis very little discoloration. All the marks have the same texture as the skin.I just wanna get your idea on what it is?

[manoman]

in recent months i have had red marks on the shaft of my  penis and little tiny bumps on top of them i have never had sex so i don't think it could be warts but i don't know also i have a lump on one side of my penis but thereis very little discoloration. All the marks have the same texture as the skin.I just wanna get your idea on what it is?