As part of our efforts to keep all patients and staff safe, we are no longer accepting walk-ins. Various conditions cause symptoms that affect the glans head of the penis. Redness, swelling, soreness or pain, itchiness — you may experience a combination of these symptoms, or just one or two. They can occur whether or not you have a foreskin the sheath of skin covering the glans , or are circumcised. The answer is yes. Whilst the irritation may not seem serious enough to warrant a visit to the GP , it is important to get checked.
What causes balanitis?
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Red spots can appear on the penis due to irritation, infections, or skin conditions, such as eczema. In some cases, they may be a symptom of a sexually transmitted infection. People with genital eczema may experience the following symptoms:. Treatment may include topical steroids or emollients, which people can use in place of their usual soap to wash. Some skin care products, including shower gel, antiseptic solutions, and hemorrhoid creams, can irritate genital skin and cause eczema. Some people find that even the laundry detergent that they use to wash their clothes can cause eczema. Sweating and friction from tight clothing are also potential causes.
Check if you have balanitis
DermNet provides Google Translate, a free machine translation service. Note that this may not provide an exact translation in all languages. Home arrow-right-small-blue Topics A—Z arrow-right-small-blue Balanitis. Balanitis is an inflammation of the glans penis head of the penis. Balanitis is a general term that includes specific skin conditions and infections that may affect the penis, including:. In these conditions, there are usually signs of the skin condition elsewhere. Specific tests may help make the diagnosis. When these are negative, the origin of the balanitis is considered 'nonspecific'.
Penis irritation is an unpleasant, but not an uncommon, problem. You might have pain, itchiness, swelling, a rash, or other symptoms on or around your penis. Many medical conditions can lead to penis irritation. Sometimes, an activity or injury is the culprit. Identifying the source of your discomfort can help you and your doctor find an effective treatment. Genital psoriasis is an autoimmune condition that causes small, red patches to form on your penis. Your skin may be scaly or shiny, and you might experience itchiness or soreness. This condition affects both circumcised and uncircumcised men. Eczema causes an itchy, flaky, and red rash to form on your skin. This rash can crop up just about anywhere on your body, including your penis.
