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Avatar universal

balanitis won't go away!!

Please for the love of god someone give me some advice....Here's the scoop in a nutshell:

-uncircumcised
-around late december of 07 i developed what i now have learned was a pretty nasty case of balanitus
-early february 08 i saw my primary care doctor...he diagnosed balanitis and perscribes ketoconazole and said it would be gone in two to three weeks
- early march there was no difference in condition....went back and he perscribed hydrocortisone 2.5%....again said it would be gone in two more weeks
- conditions improved extremely slightly, but with any masturbation or sexual intercourse immediately returned
- early april went to specialist...urology...again said it was balanitus and perscribed nystatin/triamcinolone combo cream...said it would be knocked out in two weeks (notice a pattern?)
-early may...STILL not ANY better (symptoms appear to get slightly better for a day or two, then come back)....went back to primary care who then perscribed a ten day course of diflucan...it FINALLY seemed to be working...
- i would say it was about 80% better by day ten, so i asked for a refill because it still wasn't all better....i am now on the 4th day of the refill of diflucan, and once again, it seems like i'm going backwards in time, and the symptoms are still lingering and there seems to have been a climax in healing--and im just not getting over this thing...it's driving me nuts...

I did recently have an std test for everything except herpes...i came back clean...and my doctor did not test for herpes because he said that it would not only show up in my girlfriend's pap smear, but that this simply was obviously not herpes--at least according to him...and i don't think it is either...

my symptoms right now:
there is currently and have been since the beginning an inflamed red ring around the bottom of my glans...only see it when the foreskin is rolled back all the way...and it takes up probably the lower third of the glans....in one spot especially towards the side (where there tends to be friction during intercourse anyway), it is very very uncomfortable and painful to the touch...I was told be my doctors that this is a lesion from the balanitis that simply has not healed yet....

i'm really, really, really at my witts end....every time it seems to get better, i masturbate, or something, and it comes right back...and now the diflucan (the one thing that's supposed to knock it out) is seeming like it has no effect at all anymore....i cant stand this and don't know what else to do...i really seriously just want my penis to look and feel normal again, and especially for the one "lesion" (it's not open or blistered, just simply looks very red and irritated) to heal so i can go on with a normal sex life and not cringe as it currently feels like a bad friction burn.

i'm sorry for rambling but any help would be extremely appreciated...is this just a really bad case that has being stubborn? should i take more than one 150mg diflucan pill a day? please help!!!
18 Responses
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Avatar universal
No no no std balanitis not cure in allopathy.... dear all patients this is very good news for you that DR RAVI SINGH, HOMEOPATHY HAS A CURING MEDICINE... 100%.... I WAS THE PATIENT OF BALANITIS.... CALL ME ON +918116715695... DR RAVI SING IS THE GOD....GOD AND GOD...
Helpful - 6
Avatar universal
Uncircumcised male here. I've seen 3 doctors and tried the prescriptions such as clotrimazole, betamethasone dipropionate cream, and flucanazole (which would work for a while and then come back, particularly during masturbation). I tried everything I read on here from the hair dryer method to the coconut oil to consuming less sugar (all of which didn't do much). NOTE: the first two creams only work temporarily as they tend to thin your skin lining, as was described by my Dr.

And granted, I'm only like 90-95% there, but THE ONE THING that really helped long term was a prescription for tacrolimus ointment (0.1%) - twice a day for six weeks.

Keep in mind:
1. It's expensive if you don't have insurance. Go see GoodRx.com for a coupon.
2. You need a prescription - I would go to a REPUTABLE dermatologist (my first guy was horrible). Yes, see a dermatologist, not a urologist.
3.  It burns a bit and is sticky/hard to clean off.
4.  After use of 6 weeks, it seems like it didn't work when you stop using it - give it a few weeks.

Again, I hope this lasts but now I can resume my dating life and get to keep my foreskin!
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
c45
Treating Balanitis

Having dealt with Balanitis several times throughout my life, I have found an effective method that clears up the symptoms within a matter of days, and sometimes within a few hours depending on the severity and how soon I get to it.

Please keep in mind, I am not a doctor and this is only a method I have found through my experience and it seems to work. Please consult with you doctor if you have any serious concerns.

Things you’ll need

Raw Garlic
Zinc (25mg)
L-Lysine (500mg)
Hair Dryer
Access to direct sunlight (outdoor preferred, or with no window)
Aveda Deep Cleansing Herbal Clay ($20)

Optional
Lotrimin antifungal cream


Steps to getting rid of Balanitis

Keep the affected area dry
Expose the area to direct sunlight for at least 6 minutes once or twice a day. If you are indoors be sure the window is open so UV rays can kill the fungus and any surface baterias (windows usually block out the UV). The sun’s rays also help your skin produce Vitamin A, which expedites the healing process. Be sure all areas are exposed to the sun light.
Consume one to two cloves of raw garlic a day. Garlic is a natural antibiotic and this helps drive the fungus out from the inside. One in the morning and one before bed. It helps to drink a tall glass of water while you do this.
After showering, use a blow dryer to dry your penis. Be careful to keep the blow dryer 10 to 15 inches away so as not to burn the skin with the heat.
Take 25mg of zinc daily. This helps boost your immune system and heal the cellular structure of your skin.
Take 300-500mg of L-lysine daily. L-lysine is a natural amino-acid which acts as building block for protein, which help strengthen cell-walls.

Optional
If you prefer to use over the counter Lotrimin, use it very sparingly. Meaning, only use a very thin layer of the cream on the affected area. Too much will actually help the balanitis spread.

Helpful - 1
2 Comments
I've gotten balanitis twice now.

The first time was after having very rough sex during a one-night stand. At first I thought it was an STD but after doing some internet research and getting tested (negative results; I'm clean), I figured out it was balanitis. After showering I would rinse the head of my penis while pulling back my foreskin as far as I could comfortably go, and dry lightly with paper towels. I would do this over a series of days. Where I went wrong was I didn't stop going out on weekends, so when messing around with girls I would irritate my penis when getting erections while wearing boxers and pants, sending me back to square one. I didn't fully recover until I stopped going out and focused 100% on recovering (no masturbation, no thinking of sex, etc.). I also used over-the-counter, generic "Itch Relief Antifungal Cream"(1% clotrimazole). This seemed to work.

More recently I got balanitis again. This time no direct sexual contact, just very rough "grind" dancing with a girl who was over-enthusiastic (and admittedly I was pretty drunk at this point). Symptoms didn't really appear until a few days later, and I knew immediately what it was. This time around I found this forum and used a combination of the above methods:

Keep the affected area dry (after urinating double-triple-quadruple dry- what gets you is the post-urination drip if not addressed)
Rinse during shower with lightly warm water (I use a plastic cup and lightly pour over so as not to irritate the area)
Rinse with hydrogen peroxide
Rinse again with water
Blow dry the area (make sure not to burn myself)

I've seen the fastest results with this method.
I forgot to mention I began taking Zinc and L-Lysine supplements. Can't tell if they're contributing to the recovery but they surely can't hurt
Avatar universal
Yes, my problem got cured.
Setraconazole Nitrate 2 w/w cream (Onabet) worked really well, also keeping the area dry helped a lot.

The doctor who could help me is in Bangalore, India, Dr. A.L. Shyam Prasad .
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
This may seem like a stretch, but I suggest a blood test for Lymes disease. Its a simple check that can be overlooked based on symptoms. The truth is Lyme can show up in various ways and can seem like many other issues. Even if you never found a tick or bite, that doesnt mean that it didnt happen, as was in my case.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Okay so I just cured my balanitis but still suffering from phimosis though..
So here's my story
About a month ago, after masturbation (a hard one ) i felt pain on the glans of my penis,I thought it was just an injury and i stopped masturbating for a while..But the situation got worse and i felt chronic pain for next 2 weeks..
Now i didn't really want to get into drugs ,so i tried home remedies like having yakult probiotics and yogurts but that didn't really work because of the sugar in it..
I decided to disclose this problem to my mother and she gave me a diflucan 150 that she was prescribed for her athlete's foot..
However just one pill made the fungal infection more resistant and the symptoms didn't improve whatsoever..
I finally decided to see a dermatologist (and you should definitely see one immediately as you don't want your infection to spread)
He told that i had phimosis and prescribed me oral ketoconazole ,and repeat the dosage of fluconazole for 2 more weeks..He also told me to wash the glans properly with pottasium permanganate..And also use clotrimazole 3 times a day for 3 weeks..
After one week, situation got worse as i even got jock itch (probably cuz the infection spread) ,however what i was doing wrong, was that clotrimazole had to be applied under the foreskin and i was applying it outside(yeah silly me) now after following all the steps im finally healing and pain has reduced significantly..I''m still not 100% but yes it does feel good to have your original situation back..
What i want to tell you here, is that had i seen a dermatologist in first week, i wouldn't have suffered till now...People are usually embarrassed about their situation and don't disclose their problems to anyone and witness their problem grow ..
Dermatologists see 1000's of you in their lives and have no interest in your lives after you have paid them for consultation..So go ahead,see a good doctor for yourself and stay fine!
Hope you all recover well ..God bless and good luck!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have this same problem like you guys. Since all these ointments doesn't work, it was suggested that I should have  a biopsy. The result is psoriasis.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hello guys I got this at the symptom at beginning of the year I didn't know why I thought it was STD from having oral sex I still blame on that..Well I  was scare thinking it was  Std so then i started doing my own research on every single  std and symptoms comparing  the symptoms.. Well I came to the conclusion of having  balanitis. Well then I Look for remedies I saw allot of remedies that some people doing and it didn't work..

So i found my solution and it work..

Wash your penis with warm water as manny time you need or twice daily
Emerged your penis on hydrogen peroxide for about 5 to 10 minutes one or twice a day. This remedy  I found on some other tread and it seem to work.
after showering blow dry your penis for about 10 minutes be for going to bed was with warm water and blow dry  this work for me fast  3 days tops

but what i notice  you have to make sure you always was your penis  cause it might come back...
Helpful - 0
12289113 tn?1424595897
Yes hair dryer works I shoyld have use it 2 weeks ago. Fungi hates dry area. Clean your thing with saline water you can buy it in any cvs or walgreens store. Then dry it with clean cloth and air dry it with hair dryer in lowest heat setting. Not too close just air dry the area dor a minute then repeat as you wish. I use antibiotic ointment once or twice a day after cleaning and dry it with hair dryer.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
And what happens when I try to scratch it when it itches?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Is hair dryer really works?
It try minutes ago, and I felt hell xD but i'll try for atleast 2 weeks. It swells after I use it. It that normal? I had balantis for the last 4 months. Since I don't have money to buy medicine or consult a doctor I just read any suggestions in the net. I'm only 18 yrs old and I'm already circumcised.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Guys
If any of you really have a balanitis caused by fungi as candida, what it most often is, then the cure it a hair dryer. fungi don't like dry surroundings, they like it moist and dark. e.g.  what do you do if you have athlete's foot (besides putting on anti fungal cream, which will work too?) -> my old man's recipe: hair-dry between your feet after every shower in a gym-shower etc (at the tennis club, where we usually were) and the fungi never will grow.
i experienced a very disturbing balanoposthitis (inflammation of glans and praeputium) during a trip to the galapagos (always humid, diving, sex etc.:-) two years ago for the first time and ever since twice. always for the same reason: sexual intercourse and then not washing the little guy. if you let the fungi, most probably transmitted from the vaginal flora, get into action and grow during at least 24h without disturbing them, then they attach and stay. after that, it's inflammation (calor, rubor, tumor, dolor, functio laesa) and itching of course, too. so what did i do, having at that time no antifungals at hand? air dry! i used a hair dryer during maybe 5-10min each morning and evening on my glans, until at each session the skin was dry as a desert and skin scales came falling of (at first it's all wet or moist from showering, then you dry, dry, dry and with time suddenly the skin starts looking like that of an old man's hand; this is when fungi die, because this kills them). have you ever seen mushrooms grow in the desert?. then i would powder it up with johnson's baby talcum powder until the next time of treatment. don't have sex for a few days and do this for a few days and you will see, that after 2-3 days already the inflammation starts going away and after 5-7 days your penis will look as a newborn and ready to use again. but then - always remember to wash it (and maybe dry it as well) after sexual intercourse. if you want to use anti fungal creams in between to maybe accelerate the process, do so, but i wouldn't let it rest for too long, since the skin will regenerate quicker if it will stay fairly dry. remember, fungi hate dry and hot air, you can exterminate them solely by using hot air a few times a day (twice or even 3-4-5 times a day, if you have time)
hope this helps
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had a similar problem that did not cure for four months. Then the doctor recommended a mixture of three creames - an anti-fungal, an anti-bacterial and a "Betamethasone valerate" to treat skin irritation. The doctor asked me to use it for only 7 days. Belanitis improved bud did not vanish in 7 days. Doctor recommended to use it for another 7 days. It is almost gone now. I am still using the cream out of an abundance of caution. Drying the glans after every usage also helped. Best!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
So can did u finally find a cure I'm going through the same thing...
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,

I've suffered from severe Candida Balanitis/Balanoposthitis for ~4 months continuously, and now kind of recovering with the help from a good Dermatlogist.

Here is my story.

The problem started around end of Sep2012.
Initially I had little tensile pain in the Frenulam (skin between/below penis glans and shaft), specially during intercourse. I consulted a general medicine Doc first, who referred me to an Urologist. He said there is minor injury, and suggested "Betnovet C" (an ointment with steroid) for 10 days.
But using this actually increased the pain, now I used to feel pain through-out the below shaft region all the times, could not wear jeans, and skin started peeling out from glans creating very red patches. These areas were very sensitive and there was lot of discomfort, and mild pain. That time I was travelling and could not quickly visit a doctor. I called my brother who just passed medicine, and described the problem. He said, steroid can increase infection badly if it's fungal infection, and suggested to stop Betnovet C and use Soframycin for the time-being, and then consult a
Dermatlogist.

Stopping Betnovet C reduced the redness and stopped the peeling of the glans skin. After coming back to home, I visited a dermatologist, who said I got Candida Balanitis, and situation got worsened using steroid, he suggested to use Canesten (Clotrimazole) cream 2ice daily and take Forcan 150 (Fluconazole) once a week for 1 month. By this time I started feeling a burning sensation in glans and continuous mild pain. After using the medication for 1 week, the situation improved a lot (say 50%), but then kind of became persistent. After 1 month, when there was no sign of cure, I consulted another dermatologist. He suggested Zocon DT 100 2ice a day, for 1 week, and Candid gel cream. After 1 week situation improved more, not much visible redness in penis glans and skin, but still some burning sensation was there along with pain. But after one week, the doctor stopped fluconazole and said to continue clotrimazole. Situation was not improving any more in couple of weeks and I decided to take a 3rd opinion.

This Doctor could really help. He said, there could be only 3 causes, for which it's not curing completely

- Uncontrolled Diabetes
- Intercourse with partner having fungal infection
- Keeping the infected area too moist

I already tested sugar level for couple of times. It came border line high (154/113) once but within range other time (145/101). This should not be attributed to be the cause of persistent Balanitis, the doctor said.

I was not having intercourse since I started having the initial symptoms,
so that reason was ruled out also. Besides, my partner also took Fluconazole courses during this time.

The 3rd reason seemed to be a valid cause to me.
I read somewhere in web-post that I should wash the glans every time after urination. I was doing that, and the water mixed with ointment was keeping the area moist always.
So, as per Doc's suggestion, I tried to soak out any water/urine from the glans, using soft paper napkins. Even I started baring the glans in sun (within my home :)) and keep it dry.

Most importantly, the doctor said, sometimes clotrimazole don't work, and he suggested Straconazole Nitrate 2 w/w cream (Onabet) to use twice daily after fully cleaning and drying the infected areas.
This helped within 4-5 days of usage and the problems were mostly gone by day 10.

I used to start having normal sex life.
Initially there was no problem, but after few days I stared feeling little discomfort again. So I reduced the frequency of having intercourse, and again applied the cream regularly. This helped again and I felt good.

This is the situation as of now.
Though it has not cured completely, it does not irritate much any more, most of the time there is no/very little discomfort, and I can live with it just fine !
I hope this will not aggravate anymore.

I'm planning to visit this Doctor again next week, to check if he can cure it completely.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
if balanitis is thrush i have the same problem. I've been prescribed canesten hc steroid cream 4 times, took the fluxomicride tablet or whatever its called 3 times, i wash with water, wash my clothes every day in hot water, i use a special soap in the shower prescirbed by docters. I've been tested for everything been to gum clinics so many times. Have you had any luck of getting rid of this, i've had this problem since around this time last year. everytime i get an erection or have sex it comes back, i've treated my partner aswell so thats not it. please help
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have exactly the same problem!! i was prescribed with balantis and used the treatment which temporally clears it up however at any sign of erections, masturbation or sexual intercourse the head and inside of my foreskin just becomes really red and unconfortable and has a weird texture!
i know this is an old thread but i was just wondering if you managed to get rid of it, i will do anything to have a normal penis again!!!
thanks
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Same here!

207091 tn?1337709493
Hi there -

First let me say that I am not a doctor, and this is my own personal opinion.  

I wonder if you have overcorrected the problem by being over medicated.  The diflucan is only supposed to be used weekly - not daily, and you have been using some major antifungals.  I wonder if you have killed off the good fungal stuff, thereby allowing bacteria to grow.

My other thought is that this isn't a fungal thing at all, and its something bacterial, like staph.  

If it were me, I woould stop using all of the meds, and I would have someone actually CULTURE the area - for yeast, fungus, bacteria, herpes - the whole gamut - and see what you are dealing with here.  (It doesn't sound at all like herpes, but you do want to test for everything so nothing is left out.)   Doctors who keep throwing meds at you aren't helping if they aren't actually trying to find out what is causing this.  Its no wonder you are frustrated.

Again - I'm not a doctor, but this is what I would do if it were me.

Aj
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Completely agree with you, i too suffer from balanitis, biggest mistake i made was instead contacting dermatologist, i contacted sexologist, he gave me high dose tablets and i didnt find any use of it, now i am in under medication from dermatologist, he suggested not to use anything, just cleaning the area with cetaphil. so please do not apply any creams, which only give you temporary solution, doesnt solve it completely
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