Could I have eczema?

[g4g8f]

Dr. Rockoff, I wrote to you last September, and you said I was over-thinking my condition.  Well, I wanted to get back to you to see if you'd consider my question again.  About a year ago I had non-specific balanitis...(could have been secondary infection from folliculitis I had).  Full doctor check, no STDs, just irritation and he gave me antibiotics just in case.  Well, the problem ever since is that the inside edge of the urethra opening (meatus?)...don't know how elst to call it, but inside edge...the skin on both sides appears to go in a few milimeters w/ dry skin...almost as if the smooth moist mucousa (sp?) lining was compromised...and won't heal.  It doesn't really 'grow' or change...just irritated more or less by the amount of detergent in my boxers... I kind of figured that out since...HOWEVER, limiting irritation is just a band-aid...I want this smooth inner lining to heal!  I hate the constant feeling of buzz at my penis tip.  I am not sure if it's eczema, candida, scarred tissue, or just dry skin...but I don't know how to make it fix itself.  GP said it was nothing, Dermatologist said it was nothing (you can barely notice anything unless you literally pull outwards both sides of urethra opening...then it just looks like skin...but just a tad dry and/or pale...and not shiny..  I can tell you Doc, this is NOT my imagination...  Any ideas to help (the 1% hydro for a few days I've tried about a dozen times...yes it helps the sensation of irritation, but doesn't HEAL the skin lining... OR, maybe I should ask this way...maybe if I could find a trick to keep it moisturized (almost impossible) it could heal??  Any help...please, please.  And it's not my imagination...  Thanks Doc.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

No, it's not your imagination--it's your obsessive looking at what is almost certainly a variant of normal.  Treating it with anything at ll is either going to do no thong or make it worse.  If two doctors told you it was nothing, it's time to take stock of why you're unable to accept what after all is, or should be, reassuring good news.



Time, I think, for the kind of help you need to get past this.



Good luck.



Dr. Rockoff