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What Causes Red And Inflamed Scrotum?
Question: Hi,
To make a long story short I had a protected(With a Nonoxynol-9 spermicide condom) sexual intercourse with my high school crush 3 months ago, few days after my penis started to get itchy. I initially thought it was because I shaved the day before so I didn't make much of it. Few days after my scrotum was feeling pretty dry and it eventually faded away(the dryness) but since then, I'm stuck with a red, mildly inflamated meatus. I've consulted several doctors and specialists for the last few months, done several STI testing and urine cultures which all came back negative. I received many answers ranging from "It's normal, nothing to worry about" to "It's in your head, stop worrying about it". I got a Contact Dermatitis diagnosis by an urologist and started using Amcinonide which somewhat helped but the redness is still there. It does seem to be less intense in the morning but still very present. I've seen a dermatologist recently who told me my meatus looked pretty normal which kinda sucks since I know for a fact my meatus is not like it used to be. Most doctors say to give it time to heal and that it could take several months for the redness to subside. Any suggestions or clues?
Brief Answer:
Possibilty of irritant dermatitis
Detailed Answer:
Hi. Thanks for posting your concern at XXXXXXX
You have pretty much used everything by now. Since it was a protected sexual contact and the lab tests too did'nt reveal anything, so that pretty much rules out STDs.
One thing i could correlate is, that your scrotum felt dry few days after you shaved, round about the same time when you noticed red, mildly inflammed meatus. It suggests me one possibility of Irritant dermatitis to shaving.
I would like to gather some more information from you regarding your concern in order to be able to help you better.
-Was this your first sexual encounter?Or have you had any sexual contacts prior to this?If yes, were they protected or unprotected?
-Do you still have itching there OR is it now just the redness of meatus that is bothering you?
-Do you feel any burning sensation during micturation, when the urine touches there?
-How do you clean there?Do you use soaps or any antiseptics etc?How often do you shave that area?
-If possible send me a clear picture of the affected area of concern?
take care
regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thanks for your prompt reply. It wasn't my first sexual intercourse, I've been active sexually for years and never had anything like that happening to me before. I've also done several STI tests in the past, always negative. With all due respect, I doubt the issue is an Irritant dermatitis based on the shaving alone? The nonoxynol-9/Spermicide seems like it would be the main cause of a Contact Irritant Dermatitis.
Based on your experience, any ideas on the duration of such condition? Some have said several weeks, others have said months.
I've also shaved my scrotum numerous times before without any issues. I've been in a monogamous relationship for 7 years before last summer - The protected intercourse that caused the red meatus is my first one after breakup with my last girlfriend.
My meatus doesn't itch, burn, I have no discharge. Only a little bit of swelling with the redness which becomes worst after sexual contact/masturbation.
I clean the area twice a day with a mild body wash with no soap, or with water.
I can certainly send you a picture, can I have your e-mail?
On a side note, I've stopped masturbating and avoided sexual contact as much as possible since the incident. Trying to let the skin heal by itself.
Thanks again for your prompt reply.
Brief Answer:
I would stick to my diagnosis: Irritant dermatitis
Detailed Answer:
hi. thanks for the additional information.
Going through your query, i could relate this type of presentation to few of my patients who practice over enthusiastic hygiene of the delicate skin of glans e.g repeated washing with soaps, using either dettol or savlon for cleansing etc thus leading on to an irritant dermatitis which confuses both the patient as well as the clinician, as to what is the real cause?? without realising that the overaggressive hygiene that they practice is itself the cause.
General measures:
-Avoid soaps or body wash to clean the delicate skin of foreskin and glans. Instead you can use just plain water for gentle cleansing.
Specific treatment:
-If i was your treating doctor i would have advised you to apply a mild to moderately potent topical steroid like beclomethasone (amcinonide is too strong to be used in that area) twice daily for 7 days, preferably in combination with topical antifungal like clotrimazole. Combining antifungal with steroid would make sense because candida can cause superimposed infection over the already irritated skin (superimposed candida is even more likely because you consumed a lot of broad spectrum antibiotic recently).
My email id is YYYY@YYYY
You also have an option for uploading the picture over here as well. Only i would be seeing it.
take care
regards
Note: Consult a Sexual Diseases Specialist online for further follow up- Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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