Possivle hemorhoids but also red and itchy skin

[grtt1000]

Greetings,

I've recently went to a doctor because of a possible hemorrhoid problem. The skin around the anus was also red. He prescripted me a meconazole nitrate 2%-hydrocortizone 1% cream for the rash but I don't see it getting better! And do believe me this is much more annoying than the hemorrhoids themselves as I cannot freely move, go to the toilet or even touch it!
The whole area is red with a pale red line in the middle of it! (I don't even know if that means that  it's getting worse or better!). I've been applying the cream 2-3 times daily for about four days now but I cannot see any improvement! I would have added a photo but because of the area of the problem it may not be appropriate.
Any help??

[gstark75]

I had a similar problem for over a year before i discovered the cause on my own. My dermatologist had settled on eczema, prescribed protopic, and wouldnt listen to anything i said about other causes. on my own, i discovered a mayo clinic article about people developing allergies to chemicals in wet wipes, including adult wipes and baby wipes, complete with pics that were identical to my condition. I attempted to share the article with my dermatologist but he dismissed it and wouldnt even read it. So i stopped using wet wipes completely. My family doctor agreed with my theory and prescribed mometasone steroid cream to help speed up the healing process. after about two months of no wipes and mometasone, my problem was gone. Now if i even touch a baby wipe or adult wipe with my hand, i get a poison ivy-like rash, which is strange because i used both for years with no issues. Apparently, you can develop an allergy to anything at any time. So now I just use Kleenex Hand Towels and water when toilet paper is not enough, and i fired my dermatologist.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,
Causes of such an anal rash include moisture(due to sweating or frequent washing), the abrasion caused by clothing, the pressure of sitting, chemical irritants like laundry soaps, colognes and scented toilet paper, certain food irritants, medicines like some antibiotics and laxatives, infections like STD’s and pinworms, anal abrasions and fissures and skin problems such as psoriasis, seborrhea and eczema. Sometimes hemorrhoids will start off as red rash and anal itching.

Try an over-the-counter (OTC) cream or ointment containing hydrocortisone (Cortaid, Preparation H),but it is to be applied sparingly to the affected area. A protective ointment that contains zinc oxide (Desitin, Balmex) also may help. If your symptoms are worse at night, please take an antihistamine like Benadryl to reduce itching until topical treatments take effect.

It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.