#penis rash

While a penis rash can happen at any time, they tend to pop up more as the temperature rises. Sweat rash in particular becomes more prevalent at this time. It’s hot, uncomfortable, and sometimes the bumps it presents with can get red, itchy, irritated, and even infected. Let’s take a minute or two to talk about sweat rash, how it shows up, the DIY way to treat it, and steps men can take to keep this penis rash at bay and away.

Sweat Rash: 3 Types to Know

Sweat rash is very commonly known as heat rash. Sweat rash occurs when the skin’s sweat glands get clogged because the sweat can’t make it to the skin’s surface to evaporate. This then leads to irritation and inflammation, which manifests the sweat rash. Symptoms of sweat rash include itchiness, a stinging sensation, and small raised red bumps on the site of the rash.

There are three different kinds of sweat rash:

- Miliaria rubra – Most people refer to this kind of sweat rash as “prickly heat.” Symptoms include inflammation and red bumps. If it advances, those bumps can fill with pus, and then it is upgraded to miliaria pustulose. This kind of penis rash occurs in the deep layers of the dermis, making it the most painful of all the types.

- Miliaria crystalline – The most common sweat rash, miliaria crystalline shows up as white bumps filled with fluid. This fluid is actually sweat, not pus as some people may think initially. This type of penis rash is not itchy or painful.

- Miliaria profunda – Occurring in the deepest layers of the skin, miliaria profunda manifests as large, rough, flesh-colored bumps. This type of sweat rash can be chronic, though it is very rare.

Sweat Rash: Risk Factors

Some men are more prone to sweat rash than others. Here are some conditions that can make sweat rash a more likely occurrence:

- Men who live in a hot, humid climate.

- Men who are obese.

- Men who exercise (and don’t shower immediately after).

- Men on bed rest.

- Men who have lax hygiene and don’t clean the area often.

- Men who take medications that raise body temperature.

If a man experiences chronic sweat rash, he should consult his doctor for ways to decrease occurrences of this penis rash.

Sweat Rash: Treatment

Sweat rashes can be treated easily at home and rarely require a visit to the doctor. Here’s a DIY treatment plan for penis rashes in general and sweat rash in particular.

1) Immediately remove stop any unnecessary touching at the site of the rash. This means not only touching with body parts but also going commando as much as is reasonable for lifestyle. Wearing bottoms that are very loose and made of light, soft fabric is best. Whenever possible, do the Donald Duck and eschew bottoms altogether.

2) Very carefully cleanse the penis or genital area with lukewarm water and a very mild cleanser. Hot or cold water can further irritate the skin and dry it out, making the penis rash worse.

3) Rinse thoroughly.

4) Air dry.

5) Once dry, use a cool compress to reduce the discomfort and “pull the heat” out of the sweat rash. The easiest way to do this is to submerge a washcloth in cool water, wring it out, and then place it on the affected area. Repeat until relief sets in.

See a doctor immediately if the sweat rash gets worse or spreads.

Sweat Rash: Prevention

Sweat rash on the penis can be easily avoided with a few easy, logical tips. First, keep the penis and genital area clean and dry. Some people choose to use a powder like Gold Bond to help keep the area dry. Shower immediately after exercise or any sweat-inducing activity. Also, let the penis air dry as often as possible. Some men also like to use a cooling powder in the area to draw the skin away from the skin.

It’s absolutely true that the range of sexual experiences a person may explore is wide indeed and that there are many kinks or fetishes that may seem odd or unusual to many people but are fervently desired by some others. Some fetishes, such as those for feet and/or shoes, are widely known, but others are less so. For example, most people are probably not familiar with omorashi, which is a fetish in which a person enjoys “wetting” themselves, that is, a person enjoys urinating in their pants and/or underwear. While not passing judgment on this activity, it should be noted that for a man, it does have the potential to create a penis health issue, such as a penis rash.

Omorashi

The term omorashi comes from Japan, but the practice is by no means limited to that country; a quick internet search reveals that there are adherents around the world, of both sexes. It belongs to the category of fetishes commonly known as “watersports,” which involve urine in some way.

In most instances, someone who practices omorashi is concerned with both the buildup to the release of urine and the release itself. For example, many practitioners enjoy drinking large amounts of liquids (water, coffee, soda, juice, etc) so that they obtain a very full bladder. They then attempt to refrain from releasing the urine from the bladder for as long as they can, finding an erotic thrill from the discomfort that this causes them. They also find the ultimate release of the urine itself to be sexually stimulating.

Although there can be many variations, usually a practitioner enjoys one of two kinds of omorashi: a form in which the release of urine is very markedly visible and one in which the urinator wears diapers or another form of absorbable underwear, which collects and holds the urine. For many people interested in the former kind, they often prefer the urination to be “public” in some way – either literally so, in a public place with strangers able to observe them, or in an enclosed place with a pre-selected witness or witnesses or via uploading videos of the activity to the internet. Usually those who opt for a diaper approach also wish to have it acknowledged in some way, either through confession to another person or via videos delivered online.

Penis rash

Naturally, a male practitioner of omorashi leaves himself open to the possibility of developing a penis rash, basically a form of the diaper rash he may have experienced as a baby. And the rash will not necessarily be limited to the penis, possibly appearing on the balls, the buttocks, and the general pubic area as well.

Diaper rash appears as a patchwork of bright red skin. It comes about because of the ammonia that occurs as urine breaks down, and also due to possible bacteria in the urine; the delicate penis skin may also react to some other waste products present in urine. Because the urine is being kept warm and moist, especially if an actual diaper is involved, the risk of a rash developing can be increased. As the rash develops, the skin becomes increasingly tender, and it will be more easily exacerbated by fabric rubbing against it.

Men who develop a penis rash from omorashi should remove their wet clothing as quickly as possible and wash and dry the area thoroughly. Over-the-counter diaper rash ointments are usually sufficient to treat the rash, although if it persists, a doctor visit may be required for a stronger treatment.

An itchy penis can happen for a multitude of reasons, and so can a mild penis rash. In fact, these can happen so often, and then disappear so quickly, that it becomes commonplace for some men, and they never bother to figure out what might be causing the problem. That’s why they might be so surprised to learn that sweat – simple sweat, from working out or general exertion – can lead to an itchy penis and, in some cases, a rather severe penis rash.

Sweat Makes for an Itchy Penis?

Although it might seem strange, an itchy penis or penis rash can result from the sweat a man naturally emits. The sweat itself can be itchy; any man who has felt a drop of sweat run across his forehead is intimately familiar with the need to immediately reach up and scratch or wipe it away. But what happens when that sweat is on or around the penis? It can lead to the same thing, especially at first. However, when sweat is allowed to rest on the penis and surrounding area, it can lead to an even deeper itch that doesn’t readily go away, even after a man showers.

And what’s more, all that sweat can lead to a rash. Sometimes known as a “sweat rash” or “heat rash,” this penis rash can be mild and transient, or it can be severe and hang around for a while.

But Why Does Sweat Make It Itchy?

Sweat is a very important way for the body to protect itself. Sweating creates an “air conditioning” for the body, in which the thin coating of moisture helps cool the body down. Waste products come out with the sweat as well, which is nature’s genius way of helping to remove toxins from even the smallest cells in the body. But it can be those very toxins that can make the skin itchy when sweat touches it. To make matters worse, the penis is usually encased in layers of clothing, which encourages the sweat to linger rather than evaporate. That thin layer of sweat can make the body itch within a short period of time.

Where Sweat Comes From

Sweat comes from sweat glands. These are all over the body, even in the testicles and the penis. Interestingly enough, there are no sweat glands in the head of the penis. They are present only in the shaft. However, some men who are intact might notice that the heat of their foreskin can create a greater opportunity for sweat, and that sweat can get trapped against the head of the penis, thus making it seem as though the head is sweating.

Help the Body Let It Go

One key to stopping the itchy penis and penis rash is to ensure that the sweat has somewhere to go. Here’s how.

1) Shave. Trimmed or shaved hair in the nether regions can help ensure that the sweat doesn’t have hair to hold onto, and thus that can cut down on the odor and itching.

2) Air it out. When sweat leads to a penis rash, it’s important to let the area dry out entirely. Do this in the most efficient way by simply going all-natural as much as possible when at home.

3) Wear cotton. When choosing underwear, go for cotton, which allows the skin to breathe.

4) Wash daily. A daily washing – at least! – is necessary to keep the skin healthy, to cut down on sweat, and to ensure that a guy feels and smells fresh and clean.

5) Wipe down. If a man has a problem with sweating too much, he can carry sensitive-skin wipes along with him and use them throughout the day to help wipe away some sweat and hopefully avoid a penis rash.

A Good Penis Oil Can Help

It’s known as the kissing disease and thought of as something that mostly happens to teen-agers. But mononucleosis can in fact affect people of any age, creating a fatigue that can be debilitating at times. Indirectly mononucleosis can be a penis health issue because the fatigue which is its hallmark can seriously dampen a man’s enthusiasm for sex. But in some cases, a man with mononucleosis may also develop another penis health concerning, namely a penis rash.

Another name

Sometimes called Epstein-Barr virus (or sometimes Epstein-Barr syndrome), mononucleosis (called mono for short) is caused by a virus.  Mononucleosis is popularly known as being transmitted through kissing (because it travels well in saliva), but in fact it can also be transmitted in other ways – from sneezing, coughing, drinking from the same glass as an infected person, or sharing food (or utensils) with a person who has the condition.

So mononucleosis is a virus, but what else should a person know about it?  First, most people are exposed to the virus at some time, and the majority don’t know it.  This asymptomatic exposure tends to give them an immunity to it. However, about 25% of people exposed to the virus do develop mononucleosis. And again, while the majority of these people are young children, teen-agers or young adults, it is possible for a person of any age to develop infectious mononucleosis.

Symptoms

As noted before, when a person gets mononucleosis, the symptom most commonly associated with it is fatigue – often extreme fatigue. The amount of fatigue can vary greatly from one person to the next (and vary greatly from one time to another in any one person), but often it is extreme and even debilitating, requiring a lot of time spent in bed resting and sleeping.

Beyond fatigue, symptoms typically include aches, sore throat, fever, swollen nodes, swelling in the spleen or liver - and a body rash, which can and often does include a penis rash.

It is rare that the mononucleosis rash would be isolated strictly as a penis rash, and more often it covers large swaths of the body – sometimes the whole upper torso, for example.

Ironically, the rash is not necessarily directly related to mononucleosis - rather, it tends to occur when a person taking penicillin contracts mono. The combination of the two creates the rash, which is generally flat patches small red dots. They sometimes appear as bumps, other times strictly flat; in some cases, they may develop like sores. Often they may itch, which can be quite uncomfortable when it is a penis rash.

Treatment

Mononucleosis often goes away on its own, although it can take several weeks for it to do so. Bed rest is recommended, as is eating a healthy diet and being sure to drink plenty of fluids.

When a rash appears, as stated, it is often in response to use of penicillin – so discontinuing that medication is encouraged.  The penis rash (or rash elsewhere on the body) will usually clear up within a few days of cessation of medication.  However, the rash may continue to be bothersome during those days, so the skin should be kept properly moist. Sometimes calamine lotion helps decrease the need to scratch. Wearing comfortable clothing that doesn’t irritate the skin is also suggested.

It’s no secret that a proper diet can play a role in maintaining a man’s penis health.  Eating right can provide vitamins and nutrients that can keep the heart healthy, maintain a proper blood pressure, boost blood flow to the penis when an erection is needed, maintain stamina, etc. Delicious bananas are often a part of a many a man’s healthy diet – but recently some doctors have sounded an alarm about bananas and penis rash. But the problem isn’t exactly from men eating the tasty fruit.

Many health benefits

Incorporating bananas into a diet can provide many important health benefits. They are rich in a variety of different nutrients, including  potassium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, copper, manganese, magnesium, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, folate, and niacin. The fiber in bananas can be a big digestive aid, and its antioxidants help fight oxidative stress.

So it seems that eating bananas is a good thing. But some men take things a little further than just eating bananas.

Using the peel

Look, it’s no secret that we men like to treat our penises to a good time. Almost all men masturbate, and many men masturbate quite frequently – nothing at all wrong there. Further, many men like to “mix things up” a little with their masturbation and employ sex toys or aids to make the experience that much more fun.  They may decide to wear penis rings, for example, or use a vibrator to add extra stimulation to the penis. Perhaps they may buy a penis sleeve or find some other item that can be used to simulate the feeling of a vagina on their penis.

Such as, say, a banana peel. It’s pretty simple, seeing as how the shape of the banana itself already has a certain often-remarked-upon resemblance to a penis. So some men enjoy removing the banana fruit from the peel and then wrapping the peel around the penis as they stroke themselves.

It’s true that the banana peel has been around as do-it-yourself masturbation aid for centuries. But there appears to have been a recent spike in its popularity in this area.

Penis rash

Many physicians warn that wrapping a banana peel around the penis may result in a penis rash. This is made more likely if one already has an allergy to bananas, but even men with no such allergy may find that the fibrous peel may be especially conducive to a penis rash. In addition, if there are any cuts or openings on the penis, an infection could be triggered.

Using a peel by itself may be cause for concern, but doctors caution even more strongly against another emerging trend: heating the skins in a microwave before inserting the penis. It is very easy to misjudge the amount of time that is appropriate for “warming it up” and instead to come out with a very hot peel which can cause blisters to appear on the delicate penis skin. In some cases, the heat could be so intense that a man might pull off some penis skin.

Men who wish to continue to use bananas as a masturbation aid should keep an eye out for a penis rash and stop the practice as soon as one appears. They also should be sure to wash the penis thoroughly after using a peel. And heating the peel should really be avoided.

Men with a genuine interest in penis health inspect their treasured equipment on a regular basis. This better enables them to have a “baseline” idea of what their healthy penis looks like and to more quickly notice when anything has changed. For example, a daily inspection can help them determine if a new penis rash has emerged, so that they might go through the process of identifying it (alone or, as is often the case, with the aid of a doctor) and determining how to best treat it. There can be a wide range of possible causes of a simple penis rash, not all of which are common knowledge. For example, in some rare cases, a penis rash may result from a little-known condition called granuloma annulare.

About granuloma annulare

As mentioned above, granuloma annulare is little-known, largely because it is fairly rare.  And good news for men – it is more common in women and also more common in children. However, that doesn’t mean that adult males cannot acquire the disease.

Also, it should be noted with relief that granuloma annulare is much more commonly found on hands, feet, elbows or joints instead of on the penis. That said, it can and has appeared on the penis in numerous cases – either localized entirely in the area or as part of a much wider-spread rash that encompasses a large swath of the body.

Granuloma annulare presents as small reddish bumps on the skin. Often the bumps form a circle. Although they start out very small, over time the bumps may grow until they are about the size of a quarter. When they grow and expand, they can develop a kind of ridged look around the edges and a paler look in the middle; this tends to give them an appearance similar to that of ringworm or jock itch.

In some cases, granuloma annulare may present subcutaneously, meaning under the skin. In such cases, the bumps push the skin outward but remain under rather than on top of the skin.

Not harmful

Luckily, granuloma annulare is not dangerous. Some people find that the rash may burn or may itch, but it is essentially benign.

Its exact cause is not really known, although it does seem to involve some form of dermatological hypersensitivity. People with diabetes or thyroid issues are somewhat more likely to contract it, as are those with autoimmune disorders like Lupus, Lymne disease or rheumatoid arthritis. However, even people who are otherwise healthy come down with the condition.

Treatment

Technically, no treatment is needed since the rash is harmless and creates no significant physical distress, and because it eventually resolves on its own. However, it can take as long as two years for the condition to resolve on its own. And because the itchiness can be annoying and the appearance of the penis rash can raise eyebrows, many men seek treatment.

The most common treatment option involves the use of corticosteroids, including one which is a derivative of vitamin A. (Some natural medicine specialists recommend topical application of vitamin A itself.) Freezing the bumps off is also an option recommended by some doctors, as is light therapy. In extreme cases, antibiotics may be employed.

As the song says, during winter the weather outside is frightful – and that winter weather can bring about a penis health issue in the form of an unattractive penis rash. Sometimes a penis rash is merely a cosmetic inconvenience, meaning it looks bad but doesn’t otherwise affect a man. But more frequently, a penis rash can be accompanied by an underlying itch, which can be an added annoyance. Finding ways to get through a winter penis rash makes their occurrence easier.

Inevitable?

Will every man get a penis rash during winter? Of course not. Guys who are already prone to skin conditions are more likely to get one, but that change in the weather can cause anyone to be susceptible – so it’s advisable to keep an eye on the penis for any signs of a rash or itchiness.

Why should a change to winter weather bring about potential penis rash? It’s really kind of simple. A rash generally appears when there is some sort of imbalance in the skin, which may be brought about by a medical condition or may be brought about by the environment. Rashes are less common when skin is nice and moist, which requires that sufficient amounts of water and natural oils be in the skin. During the winter, the air itself is much drier than it is in warmer months, and that seeps water and oils from the skin, leading to dryness. Rashes may develop simply from the dryness or because the dryness makes medical conditions easier to “strike.”

Among the causes of a penis rash are the following:

- Psoriasis. This autoimmune disorder causes skin cells to overproduce, creating a scaly plaque-like rash that is quite itchy.

- Dermatitis. Basically, dermatitis is a catch-all phrase for any inflammation of the skin. There are many types of dermatitis, and causes range from allergic reactions brought about by soaps or detergents to stress to eczema.

- Rosacea. This is a bacterial infection and its rash is usually accompanied by small, red bumps. Rosacea tends to occur on the face, but it is possible that it could appear on the penis.

- Cold urticaria. In some people, exposure to cold weather results in the development of red hives. This can look severe, but it typically is short-lived, going away within a couple of hours after a person enters a warmer environment.

Moisture is important

Some specific rashes may require specific treatments, but in general, a winter penis rash needs to be treated by increasing moisture to the penis skin. The following are some ways to try to keep the penis skin nicely moisturized during winter.

- Watch the hot water. When the weather outside is frigid, a nice hot shower or bath can feel really comforting. The problem is that hot water is not a friend to moisturizing. Ironically, soaking in hot water can actually deplete the skin of natural oils that it needs to stay hydrated. So taking a warm but not hot shower is a better idea.

- Use gentle cleansers. Many soaps, cleansers, and shampoos are treated with a variety of chemicals and fragrances, all of which can combine to dry the skin out. Opt for something milder and gentler instead – and the same goes for the detergent one uses to wash clothes (especially underwear).

Most people are at least somewhat familiar with diabetes, but many know nothing more of it than it is a condition in which the body has difficulty processing sugar. In men, it can sometimes create some penis health issues, most often by the development of a penis rash which may come with consequent itching (often to an annoying degree.)

About diabetes

As the Mayo Clinic puts it, diabetes “refers to a group of diseases that affect how your body uses blood sugar (glucose).” Since glucose provides energy for the body’s cells, including the brain’s, it’s crucial that diabetes be managed so that the glucose gets used in the appropriate manner. There are several different types of diabetes, but all of them have to do with blood sugar and with insulin, which is part of the process by which the body regulates glucose.

Diabetes is a very common problem. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) says that more than 9% of the people in the United States have some form of diabetes – but almost a quarter of them are unaware that they have this disease.

Common symptoms associated with diabetes are increased thirst and hunger; a need to urinate frequently and sometimes urgently; irritability and fatigue; blurry vision; wounds and sores  that are slow to heal; frequent infections; and the presence in the urine of ketones (which indicates a lack of insulin in the body.)

Anyone who suspects that they might have diabetes should consult with a doctor. If diabetes is present, the earlier the diagnosis, the sooner treatments can begin.

Why a penis rash?

Men with diabetes may develop a penis rash either as a result of their diabetes or as a result of medications used to help treat diabetes.

At least two medications, dapaglifozin and empaglifozin, might be responsible for a penis rash. These medications can help some  people with type II diabetes lower than blood sugar. Often the penis rash they cause is a yeast infection commonly called thrush.

But thrush can also be common among diabetics who don’t take these particular medications. But in this case, the condition is usually once again thrush.

As mentioned, thrush is a yeast condition. Like bacteria, yeast tend to thrive in conditions that are moist, warm and dark- which is just about as apt a description of a man’s crotch as one could ask for. What happens is this: the medications mentioned above help remove sugar into the urine. Even without medication, many diabetic men have excess blood sugar traveling throughout their bodies, much of which will eventually end up in the urine.

When a man urinates, some of that excess sugar will get displaced onto the penis, where it will dry there. Then the sugar, in the warm, moist, dark of the crotch, will take hold and grow, developing eventually into a yeast infection and presenting as a penis rash. (Sometimes bacteria will build up in the area instead of yeast.)

Thrush typically presents as a blotchy red rash with some white patches or as a dull red ”glaze” on the penis; it is most often found around the upper shaft and the glans of the penis.

Treatment

Antifungal medications, either in topical or oral form, are most often used to treat thrush. In mild cases, washing and paying proper attention to hygiene may be all the treatment that is needed.