Painless, not itching irriation on the penis

[Takugawa]

I have an irritation just behind the head of my penis that is red, about a centimeter in diameter and does not itch nor is it painful. It's been there for about a week, and seems to be fading. While I am sexually active, I was in a three-year relationship before my current seven-month relationship. My last STD test was about four years ago, which I came out clean after a comprehensive screening (urinalysis for syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, etc.).

My girlfriend recently had a herpes simplex breakout on her back, which she was given Bactoban and Advanta as treatment. It does not look to be that herpes.

I have reason to believe its irritation from sexual activities and masturbation. The red mark is the size and shape of my thumb, and it is usually where my hand would contact my penis, but again, I'm not sure.

Any advice or insight would be welcomed, and thank you.

[Takugawa]

Hey Doc, how long should it take to go away?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

It sounds like irritation, not herpes.  I agree with you that friction from sex and masturbation is likely to be playing a role.  Lubrication and minimizing friction seem your best bets.  Also, once the skin is smooth, you should ignore any residual redness, which goes away by itself in time and takes longer the more you try to treat it.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff