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Dermatology (Expert Forum)
lichen Planus or Genital warts
Answered by
Alan Rockoff, MD - dermatology, Child Skin Problems
The Rockoff Dermatology Center
Brookline - MA
Welcome to the DERMATOLOGY FORUM! Questions in this forum are answered by Dermatologists from St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital, under the direction of Andrew Alexis, M.D., M.P.H.
lichen Planus or Genital warts
by maineman207, Sep 20, 2008 06:02AM
Hello Dr. Rockoff
I had written you earlier this month about a raised red lesion on the head of my penis, about a quarter inch long, that doesn’t itch, burn, turn white with vinegar, have any fluid in it, its just a discolored area on the penis head and its been there for months. When you stretch it out there is a faint outline of it but it’s all but gone. It doesn’t look like any of the pictures of genital warts on the web but I know those are extreme cases it looks more like lichen planus or psoriasis pictures, but I don’t have psoriasis anywhere else that I know of. I have an appointment with a doctor but I can’t get in until November, so, I had a few more questions if you don’t mind answering them?
1: what is my risk for genital warts after receiving oral sex and touching her genitals then touching my genitals right after? This is the only sexual contact I have had for almost a year.
2: I have been using 1% Hydrocortisone cream on the lesion for about a week now, it doesn’t seem to be changing shape or getting smaller but it does look like it is fading and the skin is very thin over it and shiny. Do I just need a more powerful cream to make it go all the way away?
3: If this is lichen planus does lichen stay around for months without treatment? Is it a fungus or something else? Should I be using anti fungal or hydrocortisone?
4: I have read that Lichen planus can sometimes be caused by the use of NSAIDS I have been taking them all summer for an operation I had that’s taking some time to get back to normal?
5: I have read in the posts that genital warts on the head of the penis are rare, how rare are they?
6: would a genital wart get redder after a shower
7: how long exposure to HPV does it take to get a genital wart? Can it take like as long as five years to show or something?
8: has what I described above sound anything like a genital wart?
Thank you so much for your time
I had written you earlier this month about a raised red lesion on the head of my penis, about a quarter inch long, that doesn’t itch, burn, turn white with vinegar, have any fluid in it, its just a discolored area on the penis head and its been there for months. When you stretch it out there is a faint outline of it but it’s all but gone. It doesn’t look like any of the pictures of genital warts on the web but I know those are extreme cases it looks more like lichen planus or psoriasis pictures, but I don’t have psoriasis anywhere else that I know of. I have an appointment with a doctor but I can’t get in until November, so, I had a few more questions if you don’t mind answering them?
1: what is my risk for genital warts after receiving oral sex and touching her genitals then touching my genitals right after? This is the only sexual contact I have had for almost a year.
2: I have been using 1% Hydrocortisone cream on the lesion for about a week now, it doesn’t seem to be changing shape or getting smaller but it does look like it is fading and the skin is very thin over it and shiny. Do I just need a more powerful cream to make it go all the way away?
3: If this is lichen planus does lichen stay around for months without treatment? Is it a fungus or something else? Should I be using anti fungal or hydrocortisone?
4: I have read that Lichen planus can sometimes be caused by the use of NSAIDS I have been taking them all summer for an operation I had that’s taking some time to get back to normal?
5: I have read in the posts that genital warts on the head of the penis are rare, how rare are they?
6: would a genital wart get redder after a shower
7: how long exposure to HPV does it take to get a genital wart? Can it take like as long as five years to show or something?
8: has what I described above sound anything like a genital wart?
Thank you so much for your time
Doctor's Answer
by Alan Rockoff, MD, Sep 20, 2008 09:41PM
, Sep 20, 2008 09:41PMTo: maineman207
1: what is my risk for genital warts after receiving oral sex and touching her genitals then touching my genitals right after? This is the only sexual contact I have had for almost a year.
Very low.
2: I have been using 1% Hydrocortisone cream on the lesion for about a week now, it doesn’t seem to be changing shape or getting smaller but it does look like it is fading and the skin is very thin over it and shiny. Do I just need a more powerful cream to make it go all the way away?
No, stop using anything till you see the doctor.
3: If this is lichen planus does lichen stay around for months without treatment? Is it a fungus or something else? Should I be using anti fungal or hydrocortisone?
No, see answer to question 2. It's not a fungus.
4: I have read that Lichen planus can sometimes be caused by the use of NSAIDS I have been taking them all summer for an operation I had that’s taking some time to get back to normal?
I don't know whether you have lichen planus. The cause of that condition is usually unknown anyway.
5: I have read in the posts that genital warts on the head of the penis are rare, how rare are they?
Very.
6: would a genital wart get redder after a shower
No.
7: how long exposure to HPV does it take to get a genital wart? Can it take like as long as five years to show or something?
Yes.
8: has what I described above sound anything like a genital wart?
No.
Enough questions, Maineman. You'll get the answers when you see the doctor.
Thanks.
Dr. Rockoff
Very low.
2: I have been using 1% Hydrocortisone cream on the lesion for about a week now, it doesn’t seem to be changing shape or getting smaller but it does look like it is fading and the skin is very thin over it and shiny. Do I just need a more powerful cream to make it go all the way away?
No, stop using anything till you see the doctor.
3: If this is lichen planus does lichen stay around for months without treatment? Is it a fungus or something else? Should I be using anti fungal or hydrocortisone?
No, see answer to question 2. It's not a fungus.
4: I have read that Lichen planus can sometimes be caused by the use of NSAIDS I have been taking them all summer for an operation I had that’s taking some time to get back to normal?
I don't know whether you have lichen planus. The cause of that condition is usually unknown anyway.
5: I have read in the posts that genital warts on the head of the penis are rare, how rare are they?
Very.
6: would a genital wart get redder after a shower
No.
7: how long exposure to HPV does it take to get a genital wart? Can it take like as long as five years to show or something?
Yes.
8: has what I described above sound anything like a genital wart?
No.
Enough questions, Maineman. You'll get the answers when you see the doctor.
Thanks.
Dr. Rockoff
