The story of my groin.

[alk3]

So I've had a lot going on in my groin the past few months. Here is the time line:

1) Around four months ago, my girlfriend came to visit me from the opposite coast and we were having sex rather often. Around the time she left, I had some sort of itchy rash on my hip (at the top of the line between my leg and trunk). I went and saw a PA and he diagnosed it as eczema and gave me fluocinonide. I applied it for a few days and it cleared up. I've had one total sexual partner, and she states she and her previous partner had been tested for any diseases. I had never had problems with rashes before.
2) Within a week I began to get very itchy again, but this time at the place where the base of my scrotum and thigh meet on the left side (not the scrotum itself). It remained itchy for a few weeks and a small dark spot developed that would cause severe itching if I scratched it.
3) Around the same time, I got general itchiness around my pubic area and the same sort of itchiness on the opposite side of my scrotum (not the scrotum itself). Sometimes after itching the areas in my pubic area, small circles would rise with a ring of peeling skin around them. Though they were very superficial and subtle.
4) Early on, I mistakenly applied the fluocinonide (maybe twice) and it didn't help. After that I have been applying anti-fungal cream ever since. This seemed to initially help and now the black spot is no longer itchy, and the area on the right side is no longer itchy. Initially after applying it, the whole area seemed to be inflamed (for 2 days), including my scrotum, and my symptoms seemed to lessen a bit.
5) Now I only have general itchiness in the area by my scrotum (left side), sometimes above in the pubic hair. After itching the area, sometimes small, non-colored bumps appear and disappear rather quickly. Other than that, there are no signs of a rash or any discoloration. The only aggravating factor is if I am taking a hot shower. The warm water tends to make it more itchy. The dark spot is still there but it seems smaller and doesn't bother me as much.

Should I just keep applying the anti-fungal cream? Do these things just take a lot of time? Any ideas?

[alk3]

Thanks for your help. I got gold-bond powder and keeped my groin completely dry with it for two days while applying  the anti-fungal cream after showers. A few pustules arose in the itchy area and then they resolved. Now everything feels great. This had been bothering me for months, so I'm really thankful for your help.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

The symptoms are suggestive of Jock itch. Jock itch shows up in post-adolescent men and hormonal changes during puberty,lifestyle and heredity each play a role.Predisposing fungal disease like tines cruris may also aggravate it.

Wash your groins and scrotum daily and then dry thoroughly by pat drying,not rubbing. A hairdryer is useful if you have hairy groins.The damp groin is an ideal site for fungi to multiply.Also wear cotton underwears and change them twice a day. and do not share other people’s towels.Application of local antifungal cream(terbinafine, clotrimazole, econazole, ketoconazole, miconazole) and oral antifungal drugs are the mainstay of treatment.As you have had little relief with topical antifungals ,so oral antifungals may need to be taken.

If the symptoms persist then it will be best to get it evaluated from a dermatologist. It has to be differentiated from eczema, yeast infections,impetigo and psoriasis which may mimic it.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing or if you have any additional doubts.