Scrotal rash

Hello Dr.
Last friday I had sex with my girlfriend in the night and then again the next morning, in the evening she told me that she was feeling the begining of Cystitis for which she took Uromicin.  Anihow that night I developed a rash while sleeping.  It started by itching and I thought that maybe something had stung me and then in te morning we had sex again and it was painful, my scotum was full of a rash and very little breakings in the skin.  I didn´t pay much attention since we are in the tropics and there is heat and humidity and applyed solarcaine to it which was painfull but closed the small scratches.  The next thing that happened is that it started loosing the old skin as when you are sunburned.  From then on I have been taking ketaconosol and applying ointments, but it is still very red, you can see very thin skin and I think it is spreading backwards.  I would very much appreciate any help.  I will go to a walk in clinic today but they are not expert dermathologists.

[Jasmina Jankicevic, MD, MSc, CCRP]

Welcome to the Dermatology Expert Forum! Thank you for your question. We shall give our best to provide you some useful information.

Itchy and painful redness and small, disseminated erosions and fissures ("brakings in the skin") that develop almost immediately after sexual intercourse are usually caused by friction and contact with substances that have irritant potential (possible ingredients of lubricants, topical spermicids, condoms, products form personal hygiene, topical medications , etc.).

Once skin is damaged, microbial infections (fungal, bacterial, viral) can superpose. Sweating and humid weather can contribute to the development of infection, fungal one in particular.

Therefore, your physician shall take a very detailed medical history to detect the causing agent(s), plus to investigate if there is any infection involved. Applying ketoconazole without knowing whether you have skin infection or not can give false negative diagnostic results (cultures) and postpone full recovery.

Wishing You Optimal Health,
Dr Jasmina Jankicevic