Dear Dr. Rockoff,
For the past 6 months or so, I have been dealing with two different (though probably related) rashes. One is a small red itchy rash in the crevasse of my butt, just above the anus. The other is a red itchy rash covering the inside of my foreskin and the head of my penis.
I have been treated by a dermatologist numerous times for both issues, but neither problem seems to want to go away. One doctor figures it is some kind of dermatitis and the second doctor I saw said it's probably inverse psoriasis.
I have used Desoximetasone 0.25% cream for a couple months at a time on each area (twice a day), which seems to help lighten it and help with the itching, but it comes back as soon as I stop treatment. Even if it does lighten up, the skin is still shiny and kind of reddish and gets worse with friction (ie: sex) or if I stop using the cream at all.
I have had numerous Kenalog injections, including site injections and intramuscular injections (kenalog 10 and kenalog 40). The shots didn't seem to help. Most recently, a doctor prescribed Protopic ointment .1%, and all that did was help with the itching some, but it made my foreskin rash even redder and inflamed.
I tried a fungus cream and oral fungal pills earlier on with my butt rash (before I had the foreskin rash), just in case but neither of those worked. I am really starting to get frustrated. The only thing that seems to have helped at all is the Desoximetasone, but since that is a strong steroid, I know it is not for long term use due to skin thinning side effects.
I figure the next step is probably a biopsy, but I want to avoid this at all costs. Any suggestions?
Thank you.
This discussion is related to
Red Rash, Itchy Skin .