Skin Peeling on Penis Glans

[rifko]

Hi,

I have been in a monogamous relationship with my partner for over six years. I am 37 y.o. and we are sexually active. About a year after we started dating we both started getting Thrush very regularly (I only ever had it once, fifteen years prior). She would treat it with Canesten and so would I. She went to a gynecologist I went to a urologist. They told us it was quite common that Thrush keeps coming back.

However for the past two years I have been getting it once or twice a month, while she rarely gets it. So I must have had "thrush" about 20-30 times in the past few years.

Worst of all, my glans has also started peeling - this happens quite regularly (almost every time I get "thrush"). I've attached a photo:

http://s744.photobucket.com/albums/xx83/rifko/

While Canesten seems to calm things down pretty quickly (within a day or two), i was told one needs to apply it for two weeks. Which basically means I have had to apply canesten, almost continuously, for the past two years or so! It is getting very, very frustrating.

I have never managed to schedule an appointment with a urologist during the exact time the skin peels (it is usually ok within 24-36 hours). So I am wondering if I am missing something.  Any suggestions. Is it maybe not Thrush?

I am going to see a urologist next week, are there any important questions I should ask to help him get to the bottom of this?

Any help is much appreciated!

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the STD forum.  Unfortunately, we do not examine posted photos of skin lesions etc on this forum.  We are not dermatologists, and in our view this comes too close to practicing medicine from a distance, which we don't do.  We can't make a specific diagnosis on anybody; that's the job of an in-person health care provider.

Second, you seem to understand already that this is not an STD, which is the only topic for this forum.  Although certain fungal infections -- both yeast infections ("thrush") and other kinds -- sometimes can be shared between sex partners, it's not an STD in the usual sense and beyond the expertise we offer on this forum.  I will confirm what you already seem to know, that there is nothing in your story to suggest herpes, syphilis, or any other STD.  Your detailed description (below) indeed is consistent with a yeast or fungal infection, but also with other kinds of dermatitis.

Your use of the term "thrush" suggests you might be in the UK or other commonwealth country.  (The term isn't used as often in North America.)  The UK's NHS genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics are excellent and would be a good source for expert care.  Or consider seeing a dermatologist.  Either of those options might be more likely to result in prompt accurate diagnosis than from a urologist.  Whomever you see, it would be best if you and your wife had a joint appointment.

Good luck--  HHH, MD

[rifko]

Thanks for your comment, I appreciate the clarification. I am not based in the UK, but my partner is from there, hence the terminology.

Thanks again

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

See above.

[rifko]

also, my symptoms for "thrush" are:

- Very itchy
- Sometimes burning sensation
- Red spots/inflamed looking skin on glans
- Within 2-3 days of these symptoms, skin peels
- If I apply Canesten immediately, itching goes away and skin does not peel.

There is never any discharge, even if I leave it untreated for a few days. No smell, no secretions.

[rifko]

The photo of the peeling skin, mentioned in the post above, is here, sorry:

http://i744.photobucket.com/albums/xx83/rifko/peeling_skin.jpg