Reversal of Corticosteroid Damage?

[jimmy199]

For about a year, on and off, I was prescribed various anti-fungal and hydro-cortisone ointment and creams by my doctor, and later my dermatologist to deal with itching on my scrotum and at the base of my penis shaft (where it meets the scrotum). No treatments seemed to help, so I eventually gave up on all prescription, about a year later and hoped the issue would resolve itself. It has now been a year since I gave up on doctors, and nearly two years since my problem began (august of 2009), and I find that my scrotal skin is hypersensitive. Just wearing pants causes me to experience itching and soreness. I don't know if its normal because i can't really remember how the skin used to look, but there is a "shinyness" about the skin, particularly where the penis hangs over the scrotum. In addition, the fordyce spots in this area are extra pronounced. I did a bit of my own internet research, having given up on my doc, and came across some unsettling information about steroid induced skin atrophy. I am in a panic that the cortisone treatments have permanently damaged my skin. Is this likely? I notice no striae, which i've read indicate atrophy, but the skin does seem to have lost some of its colour, and is, as i mentioned before, "shinyer"than before. Is soreness and itching a symptom of atrophy? Will the atrophy be resolved over time on its own? (I am only 20 yrs old.) In my panic I have searched the web for methods of reversing atrophy, and have come across a great deal of information about a product called "Tretinoin," which apparently helps to reverse skin atrophy. Is it advisable to use this or something similar on an area so sensitive as the scrotum? Obviously I will return to my dermatologist in person to ask, but I was hoping to get some insight from you. This condition is severely depressing as it is always on my mind.  

[flutivatehell]

i´ve had this for 6 years and surgery seems like the only solution.

[flutivatehell]

ok so i tried amlactin and it stings and hurts. I guess that´s the peeling effect that works. If I had had this problem on another bodypart i´d stick with it and see if it works a 6 months period. Problem is my atrophy is located on my penis shaft så it´s not possible for be to have this pain that long. So i give up an will now go through the surgery. Best of luck to you. I don´t think you´ll find a cure. Once atrophy is done it´s irreversible that´s my conclusion. Maybe I´m wrong but after 6 years I give up. Goodbye.

[flutivatehell]

http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.0030493

[sbovonel]

Thanks for info, dont go the surgery way, cure will be here sooner or later i am telling you. Also please check post by OnlineHelp85 in this thread regarding matrixyl 3000  :
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Dermatology/Skin-damaged-by-excessive-hydrocortisone-use/show/946411

I think it is pretty safe, and sound reasonable like 10% thickness in 2 months.

[neverhealed]

I've suffered from steroid cream-induced genital skin damage for over a decade. It has actually gotten worse with the onset of inverse psoriasis. I've been told by docs that the steroid damage is permanent & irreversible.

My sex life has become practically nonexistent. On those very infrequent occasions when my wife & I do have sex, the skin just behind the head splits & bleeds. The pain is pretty bad sometimes. Once we are finished (more often than not, before we're really "finished"), cleanup is a painful process, as soaps & creams only aggravate the split skin. Bleeding is usually minimal, but still....  Regardless of it all, I'm going strong.

All that said, your life ain't over. Don't relegate yourself to a life lived just for your ****. It truly isn't the end of the world. Hang in there. Continue seeking treatments. Be good to yourself. Avoid self-abuse. Find some hobbies to get involved in.

You'll be alright.

PS - I've read over a few more of your posts... Stop being so hard on yourself. Are you single? If you're worried what a woman might think about your little fella, you shouldn't be.  If a woman loves you, she'll overlook something like that.

I'm just trying to encourage you. There is so much life to be lived. Along with psoriasis, I now have psoriatic arthritis. I am in constant pain over about 75% of my body. My wife has Parkinson's Disease & hurts over about 80% of her body. But we're pretty happy that we've been allowed to continue on (we're only in our 50s).

[Trytoinput]

I hope i can be helpful with my post. I used to have eczema on my penis head. The steroid thin my skin that made sex painful sometimes. What help with my condition:

1. Spray 3M cavilon no sting barrier cream on the glans before sex. A couple of squirts.
2. Wear condom but lubricate the glans with ky jelly before putting on the condom

It helps.

[flutivatehell]

I contacted one of the professors that had done a study on atrophy from steoroids and he emailed me back and told me I could try this cream

http://www.*****

neverhealed" From your story it sounds lik your atrophy is located under the penishead/glans where the thin is thin from the beginning? But mine os located from the bottom  and half way up the penis thus where the skin is suppose to be thick. The shaft that is. My urologist want to remove that part of skin and do a transplant. I have waited 6 years and i´m ready to take the chance.