Penis skin is dry and flaky suddenly. Any treatment for it??

[fallinlove]

For almost two months now the skin on my penis shaft and just under the head has been dry and flaky (bottom side of the penis). It sometimes gets so bad that I see some blood because the skin gets cracked from the dryness. (The head of the penis is fine). It does not itch.
Any idea what I can do? This never happened before, I had no change to the clothes I wear or soaps I use, I don’t see any STD-like bumps, and it doesn’t itch, my scrotum is fine, and I don’t have jock itch. It’s getting painful from the dry flaky “cuts” and I just want my normal skin back ://

 

[KaraBulut]

The usual culprit for irritated, dry skin is a fungal infection. It's more likely to affect moist areas and folds around the scrotum but it also can affect the shaft of the penis and scrotum.

Try an over-the-counter anti-fungal cream. They are often marketed for "jock itch" or "tinea cruris". If it's raw and irritated, I would recommend using the cream instead of the sprays since the spray can sting if applied to broken skin.

If that doesn't clear it up, then you should talk with your primary care physician. Other skin conditions like eczema can also impact the penis and scrotum but it would require a physical exam to pinpoint the specific cause.

 

[fallinlove]

Thank you KaraBulut. I will give it a try. If it’s indeed a fungal infection, how come it doesn’t itch (like jock itch or athletes foot)?

 

[KaraBulut]

Thank you KaraBulut. I will give it a try. If it’s indeed a fungal infection, how come it doesn’t itch (like jock itch or athletes foot)?

The itchy sensation isn't caused by the fungus. It's caused by the immune system response to the fungus which is why it can be difficult to diagnose the cause of the rash (i.e. eczema versus a fungal infection).

Areas that have thicker skin are more likely to trigger an immune response, especially if the areas are moist and warm, like the feet or the folds around underside of the scrotum. In areas where the top layers of the skin are thin, like the shaft of the penis, it is not unusual to see a milder immune response. If it is a fungal infection, you're not having a strong immune response to it (which may also explain why it has persisted).

In cases where fungal growth has eroded the surface of the skin, you may not see an immediate response from an antifungal because it will take some time for the skin to regenerate and heal. It may also be more effective to apply the anti-fungal at bedtime or at times when you are less active so that the cream doesn't get rubbed off on clothing.

 

[fallinlove]

So I went to a skin doctor and he gave me a cream (topical steroid plus anti fungal). Unfortunately, it didn’t work at all after 3 weeks. I still have the burning/flaky/itchy penis/shaft. I went back to him and again he gave me a topical steroid cream, but without the anti fungal as he ruled out fungus. He did throw the word psoriasis and now I’m having a meltdown at home. I’m reading about genital psoriasis and it’s really freaking me out.
This is so bizarre. I never had skin problems like this. It all started after a period of hooking up a lot 3 months ago, but who knows…. Std test came out negative.

 

[KaraBulut]

Well, he's treating the most common causes. He's ruled out fungal infections. He's now treating presumed auto-immune conditions- the most common of which is eczema but can encompass other conditions that, yes, include psoriasis. It would be unusual to have psoriasis on just one area like the shaft of the penis, though.

One thing to be aware of: the array of skin conditions that your physician is treating can take some time to diagnose and won't clear up overnight. It can take weeks of treatment to clear up, primarily because they are quite established by the time they are diagnosed. Give it time and if the steroid cream doesn't seem to be working, go back to the doctor and let him know that it's not improving.

 

[ShadowCat]

Did your derm mention anything about Seb Derm? I presume they gave you Ketoconazole and Mometasone?

 

[Thomas80]

Are you circumsized (cut)?