Balanitis
Balanitis
Overview:
Balanitis is a term that describes any inflammation of the skin covering the glans of the penis. There are many different causes of balanitis.
Causes:
The first possible cause is thrush, also known as Candida. This condition tends to be a catch-all for cases that don’t fit into other categories. In addition, a tight foreskin in the case of younger boys, or neglected hygiene in the case of any male, can lead to irritation from smegma, which is a substance that is secreted underneath the foreskin.
A contact allergy such as an allergy to latex can also lead to balanitis. The additives from latex and rubber, whether it’s found in skincare products, condoms or other sources, can cause irritation. Seborrhoeic dermatitis is an inflamed rash whose cause is uncertain, commonly seen also on the skin folds, behind the ears and on the scalp.
BXO, or lichen sclerosis, can infect the foreskin, which can cause a loss of coloration of the skin, tightness and scarring, and phimosis, which is the state where the foreskin can’t be pulled back to reveal the glans. Circumcision may be required if the phimosis is not otherwise treatable. If it involves the opening of the urethra, this can lead to burning and itching. If you need to prevent a narrowing of your urethra, you may require a surgical procedure. Creams that contain steroids can help with the irritation, but you may need to follow-up over the long term, to prevent the condition from recurring.
Balanitis circinata is an offshoot of Reiter’s syndrome affecting the skin of the penis. The patient may also have redness in the eyes, an inflammation of the urethra, and arthritis in the knees or elsewhere.
Other skin conditions that affect different areas can also contribute to balanitis. These include diabetes, erythema fixum (generally caused by antibiotics), erythema multiforme, psoriasis, lichen planus and erythroplasia of Queyrat. The last disease is a skin condition considered to be pre-cancerous, and is quite rare.
Phimosis, in which the foreskin can’t be pulled back to uncover the glans, tends to lead to deficiencies in hygiene, and contact of smegma and urine with the glans’ skin. Most cases will respond to antibiotics, but cases that recur need to be checked out more closely, to eliminate the possibility of urinary tract infections.
At times, swelling and irritation of the glans can be caused by paraphimosis, which is brought on when an otherwise-tight foreskin is pulled behind the glans and down the shaft. The tightness on the shaft causes the venous drainage at the end of the penis to slow. Then the glans will swell, tightening the paraphimosis even more. In these cases, it is nearly impossible to retract the foreskin. Medical treatment may be needed, if the restriction interferes with the glans’ blood supply. Sometimes the foreskin can be eased back to its normal area, but circumcision will be required if that cannot be accomplished.
Symptoms
To determine if you are suffering from balanitis, your physician will swab your skin for a fungal or bacterial culture, to confirm the type of infection. This is especially important in cases that don’t respond to antibiotics. Your physician may also take a urine sample, to be tested for possible UTI’s, and patch testing might be used to check for potential allergies.
Treatments
Balanitis treatment methods vary, depending on the cause for the inflammation. You may require an antifungal or antibiotic drug. A solution of potassium permanganate is usually quite helpful in washing off the penis, but it causes temporary mild purple discoloration. Creams with steroid content can be used as courses of treatment for the short-term, for inflammations or non-infective eczematous.
BXO and the more rare conditions will require that you be referred to a dermatologist or a urologist. Phimosis and paraphimosis may require a circumcision, if you don’t want the conditions to recur.
