chafing & freckles on penis

I have two questions.

#1 I have had chafing and redness coming and going for years on the shaft of my penis.  It does seem to coincide with masterbation (masturbation) and/or sex.  In other words when these activities increase this is most often when the redness/dry skin/chafing appears.  It is almost always in the same area below the head on the shaft.  Is this just from the friction?  Usually the skin will become red/"raw" a bit then quickly start to become dry/chaf until it heals. How common is this?  Should I be concerned this is an STD?

#2 I recently noticed a significant number of "freckles" appear on my penis, that I never noticed before.  They are quite small, fairly round, and pretty much all the same color, pretty much brown.  They look pretty much exactly like freckles or "sun spots".  But since I havent been sun bathing naked, what could cause this?  How likely is it this is cancerous or some other disease?  Is this common?  Should I be worried?  I have also recently had other "sun spots"/freckles appear on my shoulders and arms as well, but that I believe WAS from the sun as they appeared in areas that were exposed.  I have also had a problem with keratosis pilaris recently as well (any possibly connection?)  I've been told I have a protein absorption problem.  Any connection there possibly?

Anyones advice would be greatly appreciated.  These things are really freaking me out.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Chafing occurs when the skin becomes irritated by the friction caused by rubbing – either against other skin or against a foreign material. Wash the areas several times with fresh water. Do not use any cosmetic products at the sites. You can apply some calamine lotion at the rash as it will help in soothing the skin. Also wear cotton undergarments. Application of mild corticosteroid cream and oral antiinflammatories like ibuprofen/acetaminophen are also helpful. If the symptoms are severe then it will be best to consult a dermatologist.
For freckles, you cannot remove them at home. Cryosurgery using liquid nitrogen and laser are the main treatment modalities. Although there are many skin creams like hydroquinone and salicylic acid, but their use needs prescription .I would recommend a dermatologist’s consultation for this.

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.