Allergic reactions are quite common in modern realities. They can appear on any part of a person’s skin. This is always a cause of concern, especially if the allergy occurs in intimate places. The male penis is no exception; moreover, it contains many nerve endings, the irritation of which often causes painful sensations. At home, diagnosing such phenomena is quite difficult, so at the first detection of symptoms, it is necessary to seek medical help from an appropriate specialist who will assess the person’s health condition and determine how serious a threat the allergy to the penis poses and whether it exists at all.
Itchy dermatoses of the penis
Atopy is the result of inheritance of a special complement system or delayed allergic reactions to different groups of allergens.
The initial encounter with the agent causes the release of class E immunoglobulin into the blood.
Large volumes of it provoke the destruction of mast cells and the launch of a cascade of inflammatory mediators.
The latter are responsible for redness on the penis due to allergies, swelling, rashes, and itching.
Substances that cause allergies on the penis, or allergens, are divided into groups:
- household components include dust components (products of the life of dust mites),
- natural – plant pollen,
- infectious – infectious agents,
- animals – epidermis and animal hair,
- parasitic – worms, protozoa and their metabolic products,
- Medicines are called medicinal
- chemical – household and hygienic chemicals,
- weather factors (cold, wind) can also influence.
Why does genital dermatitis appear?
There are many reasons for the occurrence of this pathology, but most often dermatitis on the head appears if the following provoking conditions are present in a man’s life:
- Using synthetic underwear. The situation gets worse if the size is chosen incorrectly.
- Failure to comply with hygiene rules.
- Intense sweating (hyperhidrosis).
- Overweight.
- Passive lifestyle.
- Various substances - medications, personal care products, food products - that can cause an allergic reaction that triggers dermatitis after repeated contact with them.
- Long-term use of antibiotics.
- Unprotected sexual intercourse with a sick person.
The likelihood of dermatitis occurring is high if the most dangerous environmental factor is influenced - ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, sunbathing without swimming trunks is prohibited.
Allergies and itching of the penis in atopic dermatitis
Usually this is not the first time they appear.
They are preceded by diathesis in childhood and intolerance to any allergens.
Once it occurs, dermatitis usually recurs.
In this case, skin changes can be of varying degrees of severity and prevalence.
Most often, such dermatitis is chronic and protracted.
In addition to the genitals, the flexor surfaces of the limbs, the back of the neck, natural folds, the face, buttocks, interdigital spaces, and fingers are affected.
The rash consists of small bumps, nodules, or blisters.
This chronic allergy causes persistent itching.
This leads to scratching, which can become secondarily infected with bacterial flora.
The moisture content of the skin is reduced and its pattern is emphasized.
Cracks occasionally form, which can be quite painful and heal without scarring.
More often they are oriented along elastic stretch lines.
Dry skin flakes off with the formation of small plates.
Lichenification is formed, the skin pattern is emphasized.
A long process can lead to the formation of areas of hyperpigmentation or atrophy with the appearance of thinned and discolored lesions and scars.
Atrophic changes lead to decreased sweating.
Another option for exacerbations of chronic atopy is the formation of areas of weeping and excoriation due to scratching.
This disrupts the barrier functions of the integumentary tissues, promotes the penetration of bacteria and secondary purulent eczema.
Treatment
Therapy depends on the form of the disease, its severity and causes.
- If the skin is affected due to sexually transmitted infections, treatment of dermatitis is combined with measures to eliminate the disease that caused the appearance of scales and rashes.
- The allergic form of pathology is treated by isolating the allergen and prescribing antihistamines (Suprastin, Tavegil, Loratadine).
- If the occurrence of the disease is caused by a decrease in immunity, the body’s protective functions are stimulated with the help of immunomodulatory drugs (Interferon, Amiksin, Viferon, Kagocel).
Effective ways to treat dermatitis at home
For drug therapy, ointments, gels and creams are prescribed. The doctor selects them individually (depending on the form and cause of the disease). Tar and Solidol ointments are especially effective.
Also, for medicinal purposes, botulinum toxin injections are prescribed every six months.
If the disease has become severe and treatment has been delayed, doctors may prescribe cauterization of the sympathetic nerve ganglion using an electric current. This procedure helps to forget about the disease for a long time (up to several years), but has a side effect: sweating in other parts of the body increases.
Contact allergy on the penis
An allergy to the head of the penis immediately after exposure to allergens occurs as contact dermatitis.
Here, direct skin contact with allergens plays a leading role.
There are often situations when the penis is allergic to condoms and lubricants, the peculiarities of which are in the chemical composition of latex and lubricant components.
Other provocateurs may include intimate hygiene products, antiseptics for urgent prevention of STDs, and topical medications.
The clinical picture of the disease is dominated by redness on the penis due to allergies, a rash in the form of small tubercles or blisters.
Cracks, peeling and itching may appear.
With the edematous form, weeping, swelling of the head, and the presence of vesicular rashes will come first.
Watery blisters also appear in the pruriginous form of dermatitis.
It is worth remembering that if an allergy affects the penis after sex, it should always be differentiated from sexually transmitted infections.
The reasons for relapses of contact dermatitis lie in the neglect of common sense.
That is, the persistent use of drugs, intimate protection products, hygienic solutions, which have previously caused similar changes.
Food intolerances should also not be discounted, as there are a number of cross-allergens.
Regardless of the route of entry into the body, such allergens destabilize the immune system.
They prepare it to respond to direct contact of the skin or mucous membrane with a similar antigen contained in another product or substance.
Possible complications of penile allergies
Deterioration during an acute or chronic allergic process on the penis is associated, on the one hand, with the spread of edema and compression of tissues.
On the other hand, with a violation of the integrity of the skin and possible bacterial complications.
- Balanoposthitis – attachment of fungi, human papilloma viruses or herpes, coccal flora. In this case, candidiasis of the head, proliferation of condylomas or papillomas on the coronary sulcus, in the area of the frenulum and inner layer of the foreskin, development of bacterial eczema with ulcers and extensive weeping are possible.
- A logical continuation of balanoposthitis is swelling of the foreskin and the formation of phimosis with the inability to expose the head.
- The penetration of bacteria from the scalp into the urethra leads to urethritis. An additional factor is that allergies to the glans penis, especially its chronic forms, reduce the production of class A immunoglobulins, which provide the barrier functions of local skin immunity.
- Atrophic processes in the skin of the penis lead to thinning, scarring, and loss of functional viability.
- Acute, especially desquamation forms of allergy lead to powerful desquamation of the epidermis, opening up significant weeping areas that serve as entry points for infections and imitate burn disease (loss of thermoregulation, powerful release of inflammatory mediators).
- Violation of the integrity of the skin significantly complicates sexual life, in some cases making it impossible.
- Chronic severe itching increases the tone of the sympathetic nervous system, can increase blood pressure, increase heart rate, cause spasms in the intestines and contributes to the general neuroticism of patients.
- Changes in the aesthetics of the penis can lead to neurotic and depressive disorders.
Where to go if you have an allergy to the penis
If skin changes appear on the genitals or itching begins to bother you, you should immediately contact a dermatologist, venereologist or urologist.
Any of these specialists will be able to begin a diagnostic search and, if necessary, refer you to a colleague for consultation.
It is not always possible to visually distinguish how allergies differ from other diseases of the penis, for example, sexually transmitted infections or parasitosis.
Therefore, the diagnostic search program necessarily includes laboratory tests.
Therefore, it is advisable that the initial appointment takes place with a specialist at a clinic equipped with modern laboratory capabilities.
This will shorten the diagnostic search time and bring the patient closer to adequate treatment.
How to determine penis allergies using laboratory methods
- Clinical blood test with leukoformula. A relative increase in the number of eosinophils is an undoubted sign of the allergic nature of the disease. A parallel increase in leukocytes, a shift in the leukoformula in favor of segmented and band leukocytes, an acceleration of ESR is evidence of a concomitant or complicating bacterial process. Lymphocytosis will indicate in favor of viruses.
- Blood biochemistry will rule out toxic liver damage, Gilbert's syndrome, chronic kidney disease that occurs with skin itching, rheumatic diseases that cause skin rashes.
- Stool tests for protozoa and helminths, blood serology for toxocariasis, giardiasis, Helicobacter, opisthorchiasis, echinococcosis, trichinosis can confirm or refute parasitosis as the cause of allergies.
- Markers of hepatitis B and C are also a mandatory blood test, as is a microreaction to syphilis, in the secondary period of which the rash is a constant companion of the patient.
- Blood testing for immunoglobulins E is a mandatory component of the study. The highest level of this immunoglobulin is characteristic of parasitic allergies.
In some cases, a number of instrumental studies are required:
Fluorography of the chest and paranasal sinuses, endoscopy of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum.
Allergy tests for penile allergies are several options for skin tests.
- Dermatography – determination of the vascular reaction after pressure on the skin. Usually in atopics, due to the high tone of the sympathetic nervous system, dermographism is white.
- A cold test can detect cold urticaria.
- Scarification tests with allergens involve making incisions on the forearm with the introduction of standard allergens-antigens into them. The study is performed only outside the exacerbation of the skin process. The use of an allergy panel allows you to take blood for testing, even during an exacerbation or remission.
Rash due to HIV infection
The human immunodeficiency virus is an incurable, extremely dangerous disease transmitted through unprotected sex.
The incubation period ranges from 21 to 90 days, sometimes lasting up to 1 year.
Rashes on the genitals with HIV do not develop immediately after the end of the asymptomatic period; they occur during the second stage of the disease.
Initially, HIV infection manifests itself as a common cold.
It is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, feverish phenomena, acute inflammatory processes in the pharynx, and gastrointestinal disorders (diarrhea).
Forming rashes appear not only on the skin and mucous membranes of the external genitalia, but also in areas throughout the body.
Timely detection of HIV infection is very important.
Such patients require lifelong antiretroviral therapy.
It allows you to lead a normal life and prevents the development of AIDS, which is the last, pre-death stage of the disease.
