dry flaky skin

Hello -

I am a 28 year old healthy male.

Three days ago I notice some dry flaky skin on my scrotum, and a little up my shaft.  I started to apply 1% hydrocortisone, twice daily.  It seems to minmize the flakyness, but the area still is redish, slighly irritated.  Now I noticed some flaky skin right on the top of my shaft, in fold of shaft and head.  Some of the dry flakyness seems to have a hair follicule associated with it, so it looks like dry skin around the hair follicule.

I do from time to time shave the area, and I did shave the area last week and applied lotion.  Also, my girlfriend and I used KY Touch Massage oil as part of our intercourse.  Outside of that, I can't think of anything that is different that would cause this irritation.

I have not shaved or used the KY or applied the lotion for 6 days.

My concern is that the flaky skin near my head is new to me today.  Can a reaction from the shaving, lotion, KY or a cominbation of them be that delayed?  If I stopped shaving and applying lotion and using KY, thus hopefully elimanting the irritant, how long will it last?

I see no lesions, just some general redness, flaky skin, a little itching, but not much.  Seems confined to my penis and scrotum for now.

Is it fungal, baterial, should I use mild moisterizing lotion, keep using hydrocortizone?  Can it spread?

thanks

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

It sounds like irritation or mild eczema, not like fungus or bacteria.  It's unlikely to be an allergy to anything in particular.  It sounds as though the hydrocortisone has helped--when it works, it leaves the skin red for a while.  Eczema often affects the penis and scrotum, and is aggravated by friction such as intercourse.  I advise you to lubricate well, use hydrocortisone from time to time as needed, and show the rash to a doctor if it persists.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[excema]

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