yeast infection?

Dr. Hook / Handsfield,

I have asked a question about the irritation on my penis before and wanted to clarify a few things. I had the following in the past few weeks:

- Started out as irritation on penis glans (glands). Sensitive red area with some red dots on it. Within a week the skin peeled off and redness dissapeared
- After that I noticed redish foreskin visible when pulled back. Redish, little scaly and it seems a little more shiny on the light than usual. Sometimes I think that it's a little more sticky than it should be.
- Sometimes I feel that it's more noticeable and sometimes not.
- Went to dermatologist - he said he doesn't see anything and it's clean. That day it wasn't so noticeable. He said it was probably dermatitis.
- Next day, when my penis was erect, I noticed micro tears in the skin all over penis glans (glands) - sort of like it's peeling off.
- The skin on the penis glans (glands) is not as smooth as it used to be after the erection - sort of like overly wrinkled.

What do you think it may be? Could it be yeast infection? I started getting upset stomach after I drink beer and I've read that it might be an indication of yeast infection.

Does that sound like yeast infection / STD or some irritation like balanitis / dermatitis. What do you think?

Thank you very much.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

What you describe could be a local yeast infection or it could be, as your dermatologist suggested, just a dermatitis due to something other than STD.  Either way, the process is causing local swelling which makes the skin a bit more fragile and likely to tear or abrade.  If it is a yeast infection, you could buy a yeast medication cream of the sort that many women use to treat vaginal yeast infections.  Apply it sparingly to the involved area as directed (there is no reason to use a lot a little works just as fine) but at least twice a day.   If there is no improvement after 3-4 days, it is not yeast and you should return to the dermatologist.

Hope this helps.  EWH

[shiffrob]

Dr. Hook,

Thank you very much for your help. Just a few follow up questions:

- If I have some condition other than yeast infection will the use of anti-yeast cream that you recommended have any negative effect?
- Are there any bad complications that such an yeast infection could cause? I've read that yeast infection can get into urethra and then into prostate that may cause issues in the future. Is that true?

Thanks very much for your answer, Dr. Hook!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

No, the only possible negative consequences of trying the yeast medication would be an allergic reaction.  It should not make anything worse.

No, yeast is not going to work its way into your urethra and then on to the prostate.  EWH

[shiffrob]

Dr. Hook,

Thank you so much for you help. I am traveling now but will try the cream as you advised. Do you know what the name of this cream is by any chance? Lastly, if there's an allergic reaction to this cream - is it characterized by some irritation after using it or some other possibly more serious reaction?

Thank you very much!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

No, I do not know the brand name.  Most of the medications I am suggesting are creams and are actually marketed for treating vaginal yeast infections.  The chemical names of many of them end with the suffix -azole.  Side effects are uncommon (that's the reason they are available over the counter) but include local irriation and redness. There are very few systemic side effects  EWH

[shiffrob]

Thank you Dr. Hook,

Last question:

If you remember I had a concern afer multiple protected sexual intercourses throught one night with someone that I don't know. I was very concerned about a possiblity of condom breakage that I might have not noticed. You advised that the risk of h is low and that I shouldn't be concerned because there's no way I would have not noticed if it broke. I went for my yearly physical exam 34 days after the exposure. Doctor included hiv testing which came back negative. That was such a relief. You mentioned before that given the very low risk exposure the result at 4 weeks can be trusted.  


It's been 7 weeks since the incident and today I got some red rash on my chest. I'm on vacation now and think that it could possibly be a reaction to sun or sunscreen. Just wanted to ask you - could I exlclude the possibility of HIV rash given the timing. If it would be within the time frame - it would have to be accompanied by other symptoms that would make you feel very sick?



Thank you very much.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

The timing is wrong (too late) for this to be HIV or for that matter any other STD.  In addition, other symptoms would be present.  Please do not worry about HIV, you did not get it from the exposure of concern.  EWH

[shiffrob]

Dr. Hook,

Thank you so much for you prompt answer once again. I went to buy the yeast infection cream and found Monistat (miconazole nitrate). On the back of the package it said do not use if you've been exposed to aids. That got me worried. I've read that one of the indications of early hiv infection could be oral thrush which is also yeast infection. Could the penile yeast infection be an indication of early hiv infection since it's yeast infection as well?

Also, does penile yeast infection has some negative effects if left untreated for some time? I will be traveling for the next two weeks and want to see my doctor when I get back and get a blood test to find out if I have abnormal levels of yeast.

Thank you so much for your help, Dr. Hook!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You said no more questions so I have to ask myself why I am answering this one.  I will however- then further questions will be deleted.

No., penile yeast is notsuggest if HIV.

The only side effect of not treating it, if that is what it is is that it might get worse.  As for blood tests for yeat-there are none.  This thread is now over.  EWH