Penile Rash

Rash on the body and face is something everybody experiences at least once in a lifetime. But what about a penile rash? If you noticed a red rash on tip of penis or the shaft, it could have various causes. 

Skin irritation on penis is unpleasant and sometimes accompanied by other symptoms such as itchiness, pain while urinating, and swelling. They cause discomfort, lead to awkward situations, and adversely affect a person’s daily activities and sex life. While it could be an effect of an injury, many a time, penile rash is associated with STDs. 

Here are some of the causes of penile rash if you are wondering how they happen.

Contact Dermatitis: Caused by irritating agents in detergents, soaps, cologne, and even spermicides; contact dermatitis causes the surface of the penile skin to get red and itchy. It is not infectious, and the symptoms can stay for weeks.

Balanitis: If you get a red rash on head of penis, it could be due to a buildup of sweat, bacteria, and dead cells leading to rash, itch, and redness. Balanitis is a condition mostly affecting uncircumcised males.

Other than these conditions, you can get red blotches on penile head or red patch on penis because of Psoriasis, jock itch, and allergies to certain medications.

Rash on penis after sex is also possible if you have sexual contact with a person with genital infections. 

Herpes: It is a STD that causes painful and itchy sores on the genitals and around them. Penile rash caused by herpes is contagious and incurable; however, medications can help the severity of the symptoms.

Syphilis: If you have a penile rash that is not itchy, it could be a syphilis infection. Syphilis transmits through sexual contact and can be treated with antibiotics. You might face serious health problems if you leave syphilis infected untreated.

Some other STIs that can be the reason for rash on head of penis are genital warts, Molluscum contagiosum, and scabies.

Visit your doctor as soon as possible if you see other symptoms like itchy skin and rash on the other parts of your body, fatigue, sore throat, nausea, body ache, and other flu-like symptoms.

Sometimes penile rash can be an indication of more serious underlying health conditions. If you notice penile discharge, swelling of the penis, or experience a very high fever, the chances are that you have an STD.

It is very important to go for regular STD tests and consult your doctor when you are sexually active. STDs are very common in the US now, and nobody is really safe from them. Finding out where you stand when it comes to STDs is a responsible thing to do. It will ensure your safety and your partner’s too.

A penile rash can have many causes, and self-diagnosing is not the best way to find out. We suggest you get an STD test soon if you see any unfavorable chances on your genitals or your body after an unprotected sexual activity. The sooner you find out, the sooner you can treat it.