what kind of rash is it?

i have had this rash like redness in my butt crack for about 3 weeks now.  its nearly the entire butt crack and extends roughly an itch up on each butt cheek.  i have been applying neosporin every day and it doesnt seem to help.  There are also two cracks/splits down the center of the crack that are very painful.  I am pretty itchy and the cracks sting a bit.  I have also had some pain while passing bowels which results in bright red blood on the toilet paper.  I wasnt sure if this was from dry skin, hemmorhoids or worse yet HIV and herpes.  Any help would be great because I am really struggling with this and very worried.  Thanks for the help.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

Anal itching is also called pruritis ani.Causes of itchy anal rash include moisture(due to sweating or frequent washing), the abrasion caused by clothing,the pressure of sitting,chemical irritants like laundry soaps, colognes and scented toilet paper,certain food irritants,medicines like some antibiotics and laxatives,infections like STD’s and pinworms,anal abrasions and fissures and skin problems such as psoriasis, seborrhea and eczema. Sometimes hemorrhoids will start off as red rash and anal itching.

Treatment of anal itching depends on the cause of the problem. It may include self-care measures, changes to your diet, treatment of infections or, rarely, surgery to correct an underlying problem.So pls get an examination done by a surgeon to confirm the diagnosis.Till that time,try an over-the-counter (OTC) cream or ointment containing hydrocortisone (Cortaid, Preparation H),but it is to be applied sparingly to the affected area. A protective ointment that contains zinc oxide (Desitin, Balmex) also may help. If your symptoms are worse at night, pls take an antihistamine like benadryl to reduce itching until topical treatments take effect.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep us posted if you have any additional queries

[pray_for_a_negative]

thank you somuch for the response I will be sure to try some things out.  I just bought caldesene powder so i will see how that works out

[pray_for_a_negative]

I'm thinking it could possibly be a yeast infection but I had a few questions to the symptoms of an anal yeast infection.  I have searched the web but can only find good information on vaginal yeast infections but considering I am a male that is not very helpful.  Here are my questions....

1.) Can the yeast infection last 5 weeks?

2.) I have noticed a glue-like whitish substance forming on the rectum and crack (not sure if its a form of discharge or from the skin), is this a possible symptom?

3.) Can herpes cause a yeast infection or are they typically 2 separate infections?

4.) Can a yeast infection cause rectal inflammation, rectal bleeding during bowel movements and small cuts on the rectum?

Thank you for your help