I'm now having another issue. I woke up this morning to an incredible itchiness and irritation on my penis head and foreskin. I immediately took a shower, and I made sure to wash thoroughly (about 2 minutes of non-stop washing) on/under my foreskin and on my penis head. The pain isn't nearly as bad as it was when I experienced what I said above, but it still is annoying. It isn't spread throughout my genitals either. And I see no rash. It just appears that my foreskin and the head of my penis is red and inflamed. I did some reading and it appears that I may have Balanoposthitis, an irritation of the foreskin and the head of the penis due to poor hygiene or some kind of bacterial or fungal infection.
I will admit that my hygiene is not up to par due to the summer. I have slipped off and I have not been regularly taking showers and washing under my foreskin. I do masturbate an average of once per day. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but an average of once per day. I'd like to assume that I have this irritation due to inadequate hygiene, especially due to the fact that there is semen residue residing on my penis for extended periods of time... would I be right in assuming this?
As I said above, I washed my penis throughly this morning in the shower and I have since washed it again with a warm washcloth and soap. After this, I blew it dry with a hair-dryer and I applied a small amount of an anti-biotic cream (essentially a store brand of neosporin). The pain and itching has since decreased, although my foreskin still looks rather inflamed and red. I plan on continuing to wash my foreskin and the head of my penis thoroughly, for about 2-3 times a day. If I keep this up, should I assume that the issue would take care of itself.
Basically, I just want to make sure that this isn't a huge deal, and assuming that I give the area extra care for the next few days, and then maintain proper hygiene once the issue has passed that I should be fine.
All in all, I know this isn't an STD - I've never had any sort of sexual contact. Assuming that I give the area extra care, will I be fine, and is this something that I don't need to worry about?
Thank you,
Ben
I just want to make sure that this is a minor issue. As I said, all I have is some red irritation on my foreskin and the head of my penis - nothing more. It isn't exactly all that sore either - just red, irritated, and somewhat tender to touch, but fine when idle (when no one is touching it). I have no other irritation anywhere else in my genitals.
Am I fine? Should I just wash daily and expect this to resolve itself?
Thanks.
You are probably right about the balanitis, and also correct that poor hygiene will cause it. However, the way you are going about treating it is unfortunately going to cause you more discomfort. You should definitely clean the area thoroughly once per day – any more and you will irritate the skin even more. Use a mild cleanser instead of a regular bath soap, which may contain irritating chemicals, and use your fingers only – don’t scrub with a washcloth. Blow-drying the skin is a bad idea, because you will eliminate the oils that naturally help to lubricate the skin, and you will be more likely to feel itching and burning. The antibiotic cream is probably worthwhile, but if things don’t clear up quickly, you should go see a doctor for professional help. For future care, make sure you wash every day, and try using a penis nutrient cream (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil) to keep the skin moisturized and supple.
Use a penis health creme my friend. I had silimar issues down there and the creme REALLY helped me. These cremes are made specifically for the penis skin and treat all sorts of issues down there. Just get one that contains Vitamins C, D and E and you should see an improvement pretty quickly. Hope this helps.