Red patch on penis head-please help Message Boards at WebMD
Skip to content
WebMD: Better Information. Better Health.
Other search tools:Symptoms|Doctors|Videos
Recent Health Topics
  • Turn On
Enter the February WebMD Photo Upload Sweepstakes for a chance to win a $1,000 Grand Prize, $500 First Prize, or one of five $100 Second Prizes. Congrats to December 09 Winners!

A
A
A
Font Size
Red patch on penis head-please help

Previous Page
Next Page >
About This Thread
Replies: 4
Last Post: Mar 23 2008 8:33 PM
Last Post By: tom10222
Archived Content -- Back to Live Board
Related Discussions

tom10222
Red patch on penis head-please help
Posted: Mar 22, 2008

Login to Rate Post starstarstar placeholderstar placeholderstar placeholder Very Helpful

Here is my situation, with as much detail as I can give:

18 year old male, uncircumcised, no health conditions, not sexually active

Two months ago, I went through a depressed period where I ended up dropping out of college and living carelessly. For a month or so, I bathed infrequently, usually about once per week. About one month ago, during this period of not bathing regularly, I noticed that my penis head had developed a sort of rash on the head in a sort of half ring with a ~.7cm band, on the region that was covered by my foreskin (my foreskin does not cover my entire head), and there seemed to have been a small reddish patch under my foreskin where the rash appeared. The 'ring' part of the head, the part that's closest to the shaft where the head sort of flares out, did NOT have the rash. This rash was red but i would not say swollen, and for a few days it itched when i would try to masturbate. When I noticed the itch, I stopped masturbating and started bathing daily again - starting to get my life back on track. The itch went away after a few days, and the small rash on the underside of my foreskin went away as well.

This all happened a month ago; however, today, the red patch is still there on the head (the rash on the foreskin, if I remember correctly, disappeared after a few days). It has not grown. It is not painful at all. It is hard to notice unless you have proper lighting and look at it from the right angle, but it definitely is there. I would say that it has a rather definite border that has not changed in the last month. Its color is very similar to the penis head but slightly red. The patch itself is just slightly rougher than the regular part of the head (the regular part is basically the entire urethra region and what sorrounds it for about 1cm). I would not say that it is swollen - when looked at from the side, the head has its normal helmety shape to it. Twice I have noticed that the patch would have small white flakes, as if it was drying off. However, after each time I noticed this, the patch did not disappear after a few days.

I have been washing my penis with warm water three times a day for over a week now. I've kept the foreskin retracted at all times since the rash popped up, thinking that keeping the area dry would help. I do not have phimosis/foreskin issues.

What can this be and what can/should I do? I have no health insurance at the moment. I'm in the Chicago suburbs (cook county). Please help, this is worrying me. Thanks.
 

Tagged As: rash
Responses
Red patch on penis head-please help

Posted: Mar 22, 2008

Login to Rate Post star placeholderstar placeholderstar placeholderstar placeholderstar placeholder Not Rated

Replying to: Red patch on penis head-please help

Tom, the first thought I had about this was it sounds like you have a yeast infection (men do get them). Try applying a yeast cream that women use (Monistat or Vagisil) daily, and see if it doesn't improve within a few days. If it does, keep applying the cream until it is completely gone. If this doesn't help (which I think it will), then you DO need to see a doctor.

Red patch on penis head-please help

Posted: Mar 22, 2008

Login to Rate Post star placeholderstar placeholderstar placeholderstar placeholderstar placeholder Not Rated

Replying to: Red patch on penis head-please help

By the way, be sure to apply the cream to the foreskin as well.

Red patch on penis head-please help

Posted: Mar 23, 2008

Login to Rate Post star placeholderstar placeholderstar placeholderstar placeholderstar placeholder Not Rated

Replying to: Red patch on penis head-please help

Today I went out and bought 1% clotrimazole cream. Is this the right thing? It was advertised as an antifungal for jock itch, but I can use it for my condition, right?

Red patch on penis head-please help

Posted: Mar 23, 2008

Login to Rate Post star placeholderstar placeholderstar placeholderstar placeholderstar placeholder Not Rated

Replying to: Red patch on penis head-please help

Thank you for the response. I went to the store today and there were a bunch of different types of Monistat and Vagisil and I did not know which to get. Do you have any idea on which I need? What should the active ingredient be?

Previous Page
Next Page >

These boards are maintained by Community Moderators and may feature a Health Professional or Invited Guest answering your posts. For tips on using these boards please read A Moderators Guide to Netiquette.

WebMD message boards are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your physician or other qualified health provider because of something you have read on WebMD. The opinions expressed in the WebMD Message Boards are of the author and the author alone. WebMD does not endorse any specific product, service or treatment.

If you think you have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately.