Irritated Skin

[jdv2020]

On Nov 13 I had unprotected oral with a stripper. I had been suffering from horrible dry skin the month and a half prior to that incident all they way up until a few days ago. There was never any redness only irritation from itching. I spent thanksgiving weekend in a Warmer climate and the itch got better. Got back home and the itch was still there but not as bad. I went to the derm and he said it was eczema. I let him know that I had bought a cheap detergent and the itching started. I switched detergents toa  better one 2 weeks ago just about the time the itching started to get better. I have it on the top part of my hands as well (knukles). He gave me Locoid to put in it. He said I could use it 1 daily on my groin and 2-3 times daily on my hands. The first time I applied it was Tuesday night. Woke up Wed morning and everything was normal. I did a thourogh examination on my own after I got out of the shower and all was normal. I decided to wear no underwear to reduce the irritation that day. Got to work and examined myself around 10am while taking a bathroom break and noticed that on the top part of the shaft of my penis, near where it meets my lower abdomen, that i had two slightly raised scaly spots. One was the size of a pen mark and one was a bit bigger and longer. It literally appeared withing a 3 hour time frame. It is does not itch however that area was itchy the last couple days. They do not hurt either. They are about the color of my skin, maybe a bit darker. Could it be irritation/reaction from the cream? Eczema? Genital Warts? Do genital warts appear that big within that short of a time frame? I have researched everything I could on the internet and saw 20 different skin conditions is looks like. They are not white, or dark, or blistery or pus filled. I have been in a relationship for 5 years. Had protected sex with a girl 4 years ago and then this incident where the only two. Please help.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

The appearence of eczema and many other rashes can vary quite a bit from one body part to the next.  If you remain concerned, return to the dermatologist for conformation that you don't have two different skin conditions.  But whatever you have, the description does not suggest any STD.  This has nothing at all to do with the sexual encounter you describe.

Feel free to report back the dermatologist's second opinion, or the result of a visit to another provider.  Until then I'll have no further comments.

[jdv2020]

Thanks for the help on this. My only concern is that the raised skin appeared farther up on the base of the shaft rather than the area where my penis and skin folds meet which is where the original eczema was diagnosed. Also,the raised skin is different in appearance from the other areas of eczema. I may be overeacting. I will see if it gets better over the next few days.  

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the STD forum.

Eczema is a dermatologist's bread and butter.  Misdiagnosing eczema would be like me not recognizing gonorrhea.  Since a dermatologist believes your rash was due to eczema, that is also my belief.

Oral sex is safe sex.  There are STD risks, but they are low; and if you caught an STD by oral sex, the only possible manifestations would be penile sores, blisters, or discharge -- or maybe painful urination.  Nothing else.  Most likely the "scaly spots" on your penis are simply due to eczema involving that part of the body.  Your description doesn't even hint at genital warts, and you cannot catch warts from oral sex; and warts cannot appear less than 4-6 weeks after exposure.

If you remain concerned, return to the dermatologist.  Or feel free to get a second opinion from your nearest public health STD clinic.  But in the meantime, relax.  Nothing you mention suggests any STD.

Good luck-- HHH, MD