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On-going scrotum fungal rash

Hi, I'm Richie.

Over the past 2 or so years I've had an on and off rash on my scrotum. At first around 2 years ago, it was pink and red and usually occurred when I was in hot or moist areas and it itched especially badly at night. I went to see a dermatologist and was told it was a fungal rash and he prescribed me cream, unfortunately I don't remember what it was called. After a couple of weeks of using it, the rash went away and I never worried about it again until a couple of months ago.

It came back and this time it's only on the left side of my scrotum; the right side is completely fine. It's pink and red again, and just as the first time, it becomes dry and the skin sometimes cracks and peels. I also noticed that the inside of my left thy has some bumps on it, I'm assuming it's fungus spread by constantly touching my scrotum. It itches worst at night. Knowing that it was the exact same rash I had over a year ago, I knew that it again had to be a fungal infection, so I got an over-the-counter cream called "Micatin" for jock itch, ring worm and athlete's foot. After a lot of research, I'm 90% sure I have a fungal infection called 'tinea cruris'. I've been using the cream for about a week now and it works well, for a while. It stops the itching after about a half hour to an hour after putting it on and prevents the itching for a good 6-12 hours. It works pretty well overnight. However, the next morning, the skin is back to itching and cracking and peeling again. I've applied the cream morning and night like it says on the tube ever since the day I got it a week or so ago. Looking at it, the pink and red spots are not as many as they used to be, but they're still there and causing me to itch constantly. Sometimes it doesn't itch for a while, sometimes it itches like crazy for hours. The pattern baffles me and it itches at random times. I try to stay in fairly cool areas and always have just shorts on when I'm at home, no tight underwear. I've also tried sleeping nude from waist down ever since I started putting on the cream, and it helps decrease itching overnight, but it still itches a lot the next day.

After about a week of using this, it's definitely not working as well as the old cream I was using. I'm not sure why this rash keeps coming back and why it doesn't go away. If any help could be recommended, I would appreciate it.
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Avatar universal
Ok I went back to the clinic today and they prescribed me with a massive bottle of cream. On it it says "Lamisil cream + Hyderm 1% cream 1:1 Mixture". GOing to apply it 2x a day and see how it does. Anybody have any information on this cream please?
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The original cream I first used? No, I know for a fact it was something along the lines of HydroVal.
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Was it maybe called Haloprogin or Halotex?
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Okay it's been almost 3 weeks since I went to the walk-in clinic. I've been using Canesten and it's definitely been helping. However, it still itches quite a bit at random times. At night it's fine. Most of the daytime it's fine. But still at some random times in the day it will itch for an hour or more. As for the skin itself, it still peels a little once in a while but not nearly as much as before. The redness is pretty much gone. So basically, it looks much better and often feels better, but it isn't completely gone. It still itches every once in a while. The doctor told me to come back in a few weeks if it hasn't gone away so I'll go back this weekend. I want to settle this for good... I don't want to live the rest of my life routinely putting cream on my genitals twice a day. (Especially since a tube of Canesten is about 20 bucks and I just ran out by the way...).

Does anybody have anymore tips please? Thanks.
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Bump.
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Okay so this Canesten cream seems to be working for the most part. :) It still itches only when I'm in a sweaty and humid environment, but otherwise it doesn't really ever itch at all. Can I get any tips as to how to prevent it from coming back again?
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It's a 1% cream by the way.
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Okay so I went to a walk-in clinic and the doctor took a look at it and said he thought it was most likely a fungal infection but he wasn't 100% certain like the other doctor I saw before. He prescribed me a tube of Canesten, and it says "clotrimazole cream" on the box. Only thing that makes me skeptical is that it's a vaginal/yeast infection cream. I trust the doctor that prescribed it to me but it just seems a little awkward. It says antifungal cream on the box as well so I guess it should qualify as a good choice. Do you guys think it will work? I'll try it for a few days and see if any progress is made.
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Avatar universal
That cream is by prescription only. The only thing you can get is hydro cortisone ointment which is available at any drug store or department store.  Most people take an anti histamine for the itch. There are better things but you need to get an appointment.
I have used ice packs before.
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Ok I was unable to find that cream. Now whenever I put on Micatin, a few hours later the skin gets extremely dry, white and begins to peel. When I don't put it on, it gets moist and red. Either way, it won't stop itching!

Professional help PLEASE! I've had this problem for weeks and I've had my topic up for almost 2 weeks now!!!
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Yes it is hydro cortisone valerate 2%.
Try over the counter 1% ointment.
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I'm not too sure it was Hydro Cortisone. I think I remember it saying "HydroVal". Is that an antifungal? Because that's what worked.
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Hydro Cortisone
If your problem is contact dermatitis from an allergic reaction to the soap, it could take a while for the skin to get back to normal. Hydro cortisone is a topical steroid which moderates your immune system. You can get it over the counter. .2% is potent to use in that area.
The over the counter ointments stop at 1%. But that should work.
Just apply a thin coat twice a day. If it helps, it is either contact dermatitis or eczema.
This is what they originally said I had. But they made my symptoms worse.
The possibilities are endless. Doctors should work with you, but they will just tell you, it's eczema and nothing will help.
Eczema has been around for hundreds of years and all that they have is steroids that don't work very well and will ultimately destroy your skin. Guess the people with eczema are expendable.
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In fact, I think I remember it also saying on the container "hydro" something, 0.2% I believe.
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willy851: Anti-fungal creams have been somewhat working for me though. When I DON'T use it, that's when it gets really bad. The cream seems to be helping if anything, but it seems to be the problem and the solution. Like I said, when it doesn't itch and I put on teh cream, it starts to itch. But when a few hours later it stops. It's as if the cream causes the itch, then stops it. A never ending cycle. But if I don't put it on to begin with it gets even worse. Maybe I'm allergic to this specific brand? When I stayed at a hotel a month or so ago, I washed by genitals with the soap that was in the bathroom while showering. I think that might have something to do with it because it was fine before I used that soap. Remembering back on it now, that seems like it might have been the major culprit, but I don't want to have to back-track through all the info and hotel company or anything, plus it was in America and I live in Canada. Also, the inside of my left thy where my infected scrotum is constantly touching seems to have gotten worse and now the big bump has a white outline. Also the right side of my scrotum which was previously fine seems to be itching a bit too. I think it's spreading which makes me nervous.

cowboy5000: I can't go back to that dermatologist because I don't remember what his name was because it was over a year ago. I originally made an appointment with my family doctor back then and she passed me onto a dermatologist. I can't find the old cream container which would have had his name and phone number on it. Though I THINK one of the ingredients on the container might have started with the letter P. I'm not sure though. Anybody have any ideas of what the cream could have been?
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Avatar universal
A good way to determine if you have a fungus is to use a flourescent black light in a dark room.  When you turn the black light on, a fungus will appear to glow against skin without fungus.  
Also, can you not go back to the doctor to get the original cream that helped out? Good Luck
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Rich
I'm not the least bit surprised that the dermatologist didn't test for fungus before he assumed it was fungus. I can't imagine why medical liability insurance is so expensive.
Do you have fungus on your feet? If not you might want to find a real dermatologist. They are few and far between. They will spend more than three seconds looking at the problem, and possibly test instead of assuming.
My guess is that you don't have fungus. You need to stop using anything on it. Don't wash the area too often and use mild soap.
If the area becomes inflamed just use a thick coat of Vaseline after shower. Instinctively we tend to wash an area more often and more vigorously when we have inflammation. But often that can make it worse. You might be allergic to laundry detergent or your soap. Dryer pads can cause problems.
I have been suffering with a problem for over a year in the same location. The doctors gave me steroid creams and ointments all of which made things worse. Two of the six dermatologists said I had eczema. But it doesn't resemble eczema in any way. At least not any version that anyone else on the planet has.
I f you do decide to make an appointment, make it with a university hospital that specializes in medicine.
Look up chronic red scrotum on google. some guys have this on and off for years. Then it goes away.
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For the past 3 days it's been itching HORRIBLY at night and keeping me up for hours. I've noticed people post problems and get answers almost instantly sometimes, I've had mine up for 4 days. Somebody please help.
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I've also noticed that usually it itches after I masturbate. Also, when it isn't itching and I put the cream on, it sometimes begins to itch as well. Help please.
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Any help please?
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Also another thing to add. I'm positive it's not an STD because I'm a virgin, and I am a frequent masturbator.
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