Penile spots and rashes

[enriq]

Five weeks ago, I got a red blotch on one side of my foreskin directly below the glans (I am uncircumcised), and several smaller red spots too.  They seemed to have a silky, stickiness which has since gone.  The original blotches became small, purplish spots, like blood blisters, but this is now a generalised ring of redness.  Also, I noticed two lines of really tiny whitish spots on the rim of the glans, which have stayed.  The redness goes away a bit, especially during the daytime.  At other times it gets very red, seems to spread over more of the foreskin, and a slightly pitted and blood blister look comes back.  I cannot say any of it hurts, but sometimes I am aware of a slight sting there.  I had HSV1 on my penis 2 years ago, and thought it might be a recurrence.  But the clinic said it wasn't herpetic, and I tested negative for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea.  I was told balanitis, probably caused by a touch of thrush.  The clotrimazole seemed to work initially, but the redness came back worse before I finished the treatment (I masturbated a couple of times when I thought I was better, and a day or so later, it was very red again - this was a week ago and the redness has stayed).  A fluconazole pill did not work.  I tried a clotrimazole/hydrocortisone cream for a day or so, but that produced heat and possibly more redness.  Also, a GP suggested I should not use hc if I once had an outbreak of HSV.  I have had a bit of dyshydrotic dermatitis on my fingers recently - could this be dermatitis, or psoriasis?  My foreskin has seemed quite dry for a while.  Should I persevere with the hc?  What else could I try?  Should I ask to be referred to a dermatologist (so far I have been to a genito-urinary clinic).  I have stopped masturbating pretty much for the past month, as I thought this aggravated it a little (it first occurred after masturbating), but stopping doesn't seem to cure it.  I have an important event coming up in my personal life in a couple of weeks, and am getting desperate.

[sevenof9]

Me too.  It started quite some time ago as a single raised redish lump on my left hand lower side, just above my testicles.  Over time the one lump seemed to go away but then there were 3 smaller ones in a triangleish shape..... and now there are 5 smaller raised areas in the shape of a circle - I thought/think it's ringworm....  unfortunately I don't have any kind of medical insurance and i'm a college student who is lucky to be able to afford food - let alone supplies for my labs.  If I were living in Canada (a place with intelligent health care options) I could go see a doctor no problem.... anyway....  They don't itch, and when I put one between my fingers it feels like it is between layers of skin and is a firm small lump.  I don't understand it - I've never slept with anyone who i've noticedhad this problem which leads me to believe it couldn't be an std.  But I'm no doctor.  My other half hasn't asked any questions but is obviously troubled by it and i've been trying to avoid intimacy - but i can't do so indefinitely...  who would stay with someone like that?  I dunno - I feel hopeless sometimes and have no idea what to do.  If anyone has anything further to offer - please do so.  :)  I'd greatly appreciate it.

[armguy]

I have a ring of redness on my penis also. It started as a rash, red itchy spots, I thought it was ringworm or something. I went to the doc and he gave me some cream which cleared it all but the one spot. This is the only spot left and it doesn't hurt or itch, but stays red and when I have sex or masturbate it gets really red and sometimes almost purple like a bruise. This spot is right below the head of my penis on the upper righthand side. If there is anyone that has something similar to this. please leave a comment. It sux for your partner to ask what the hell is that big red spot on your _ _ _ _ !

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

It sounds oime balanitis (irritation of the penis.)  The lack of complete response to clotrimazole and fluconazole makes yeast (thrush) unlikely.  Herpes sounds out of the question.

After balanitis goes away, the penile skin can look red for some time.  This redness can be aggravated by heat, friction, or sex.  This redness means nothing, and is better left untreated so that the color goes away on its own.

I don't see that you have anything to worry about.  For more reassurance, if you need it, a visit to a dermatologist would seem in order.

You can't sprwad eczema from fingers to penis.

Wait and leave alone--those are my main pieces of advice.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff