Marks and abrasion on glans

[Tired of Worrying]

I'm a 33 year-old white male and wondered if you might be able to advise me about a problem that I've had for about four months now, and am becoming increasingly concerned about.

About five months ago i began using extra virgin olive oil as a lubricant for masturbation, thinking it must be a safe, natural choice. At first my glans looked positively gleaming as if polished, but after about a month i noticed that a small brownish 'freckle' I've had on my glans for several years had seemed to 'smear' to cover about twice the original area. Another tiny freckle appeared, then the skin at the tip started to become inflamed and red. Needless to say, I stopped using the olive oil immediately. Now the skin at the tip seems unwilling to heal properly, and where it has tried, more brownish skin has formed. This is not raised, but I have also noticed that small varicose veins now seem to be branching from the corona out towards these freckles. Also the corona itself has recently become darker and dryer. All in all my glans is looking pretty unhealthy and I'm very worried. I'm not sexually active, and haven't been for a few years, now.

I don't have any discharge or bleeding, and have been using Savlon to calm things down, but I'm getting pretty scared after all this time has elapsed with no improvement. Have I damaged myself? Please advise me what I should do?

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It seems to me that you have more of a problem, then you think you do.You are damaging yourself, and if you go to www.bible.com it will tell you why(Look under masturbation),but don't feel bad because I know someone who can cure you in ways that no doctore can. Jesus Loves you, and he is waiting for you to come to him so that hi can give you new life, new hope and a brighter future.

Please E-mail me

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Eucerin is made by Beiersdorf, a Swiss outfit, so you should be able to get it.  Happy New Year to you too!

Dr. Rockoff

[Tired of Worrying]

Many, many thanks, doc. I already have a 1% hydrocortisone cream in the medicine cabinet (for occasionally recurring jock itch), but it also contains 1% clotrimazole. Is this OK? Also, do you think the Eucerin cream will be available OTC in England? Is that a brand name or is it the active ingredient?

Once again, thanks for taking the time to reply, and have a very happy New Year.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Tired:

Please relax, since you certainly have nothing to worry about.  Topical emollients, like moisturizers or olive oil, can certainly not "damage" your skin (i.e. change it in a permanent way.)  The brownish color you describe is most likely caused by irritation.  This in turn is from the obsessive looking and examining you're doing, which is giving you the chance to minutely observe all manner of minor and unimportant irregularities of penile skin anatomy (like the blood vessels, etc.)  So:

1.  Go to the drugstore and get 1% hydrocortisone cream and Eucerin cream.
2.  Apply each twice a day for 10 days.
3.  If your penis still causes you anxiety, go to a dermatologist, avoid embarrassment by leaving out all the dtails, just say that the skin of your penis feels irritated and lokks a little brown.  That should gibve yopu the reassurance you need.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff