Question: Hey doctor about 30 minutes ago I noticed a slight itch on the underside of my penis and upon checking there was a red like rash that has developed. I’ve never had anything like this before and I noticed it after having a shower. Now a couple of things I am overseas at the moment and I have been using a different soap the last couple of days so I am unsure if this caused it? But there is also some scaly bits on the scrotum and penis skin as well. Based on the images what do you think is the cause of this? I have really bad health anxiety so I am a little freaked out especially being overseas. In terms of STD’s I am unsure if it is that? I have only ever had two partners I’ve slept with and one of them is currently my girlfriend and I know she doesn’t have anything and the first one was over 3 months ago and didn’t have anything and I have always wore condoms. I’m unsure if I will be able to visit a doctor until I get back on the Monday next week is this a bad thing? I can possibly visit one here but might be a bit hard.

Thanks for your help in advance

I was also tested for the full range of STD 2 months ago as well and was meant to do a follow up test next week when I get back so I doubt it is that do you think it may be a fungal infection?

Hey doctor thanks for the follow up, so upon waking up the reddness has completely gone and now it just looks like a dry white patch on the under side of my penis do you think the soap might of just irritated it? Would this still be a fungal infection without the redness? In terms of treatment do you think it could wait until I got back Sunday so in about 5 days? Also how exactly do you think I got this could it have been from my partner or what I sometime have done is left the condom on after sex for a bit or forgot to wash off the lube from the condom afterwards could that have caused it? Can I also still have sex during treatment or?

Hey doctor just a follow up so I tried an antifungal cream from a pharmacy and upon applying the cream it caused the whole area to burn badly. So I ended up visiting a GP here while overseas and upon examining my penis shaft he said it didn’t look like a fungal infection especially with the dead and hardened skin on the shaft and he diagnosed it as dermatitis. He said it may have been because I had been leaving condoms on after sex or going to sleep without washing the lube off from the condom after sex and the hotel soap I used caused it to flare up. So he has prescibed me a very mild steroid cream 0.05% and said to apply it three times a day. I have done two applications so far and there was no reaction upon applying and the redness has gone down a little but is still there. He said to use it for two weeks however my question is that is using steroid cream dangerous in this short span of time and can you have withdrawals or side effects after stopping application? Should I also only be applying a very small amount to the affected area as well? Do you believe steroid cream is the right treatment for dermatitis with the possible cause of it?

I have also attached images of the ointment prescribed.

Thanks for that doc the gp I went to suggested using it three times a day what sort of side effects should I be watching out and can I just stop it I feel it’s better?

For some reason the gp I went to prescribed it for 3 times daily why do you think that is? Would 1-2 be sufficient like you said?

I believe his reasoning was because he said the skin look like it had hardened.

Also would I be able to have sex and use a condom while having this condition or would that just make everything worse should I wait until it’s healed?