Stubborn Balanitis doesn't go away

[sufferer78]

Hi,

I hope anyone can help me. I'm 46 and I'm suffering on a stubborn balanitis for more than 5 months. It is so strong that I even can't wear underwear. So, I haven't left my house since July and I can't work, so I don't have an income right now. 4 doctors didn't help me. They didn't write me ill, because I "can move my fingers". I need to get cured as fast as possible. Could anyone give me some tips, please?

I had an injury at my glans that got infected. I went to a dermatologist, who prescribed me Elidel cream. I used it for 5 weeks and the problem was gone. But there occurred another one:

My corona glans got swollen and it hurt. This was another position as my initial injury, but the Elidel always got a bit liquid and collected around my corona glans which occured thr balanitis. I guess that Elidel damaged the skin barrier at my corona glans. Maybe in combination with the rest urin after going to toilet. There come always some additional drops of urin up to 3 minutes after the toilet. Not much, but I guess that's a problem when having a damaged skin barrier.

The doctor didn't test me on any bacteria or fungus, he just prescribed different sort of ointments with cortisone, but that made it worse: Advantan for some days, then Travocort. I got extreme pain that I almost fainted several times.

As the skin looked anyway fine, the doctor sent me to a dermatology clinic. They tested me on fungus and bacteria. Fungus was negative, but they found bacteria: winkia neuii, staphylococcus haemolyticus, and staphylococcus epidermidis.

They also said my skin would look good. But it didn't feel like that!

Instead of giving me an antibiotic, they prescribed me octenisept. That is a disinfectant. It worked, the pain got less with that, but it destroyed my skin at the corona glans. Besides that they gave me Protopic. That is pretty the same like Elidel, but not as liquid.

After the first week of octenisept there formed a blister around the entire glans, so I went to the doctor again. He meant that would be normal. It just takes a bit. The second and last week with octenisept made the skin worse.

From there on, I thought the damaged skin just needs to regenerate, as the bacteria were dead. That was in September. They told me to use Bepanthen and/or Deumavan.

A week later or so it started to hurt and to get itchy again, so I went again to the doctor. He said that would be normal. I just should go on with Elidel or Protopic. I can decide myself if I use it daily or just if it is necessary. As it comes and goes I decided for the latter. And so I used it all 2-5 days since September.

There was always a little progress, but in December I got to a plateau. The blister is still there and all few days it fills up with water-like liquid while it is itchy.

I always brought it down with Protopic, then it felt better for some days. But then it started again.

At Christmas it got worse again. As all doctors are in Christmas holidays till 7th of January, I decided some days ago to try native bio coconut oil instead of Protopic. Interesting is that this helped more than Protopic. Protopic seems just to act against the symptoms. But the coconut oil seems to be a bit more sustainable.

I'm using it the 5th day now, 3 times a day. During the day I let the foredkin retracted, to get rid of rest utine (I read in any forum that this helped some guys). Just during the nights I pull it over the glans to protect it against my bedclothes. I started doing this already some days before I started with coconut oil. And some days later it giot itchy again (before I started with coconut!).

The logic tells me now that there are either still bacteria in the game or fungus. Coconut oil is against both, but from what I read I know it helps to relief, but it doesn't cure. So, I'm pretty sure, I need any medication from the doctor.

I just fear that he will again just say that everything is okay and I should go on with Protopic.

Now I thought, maybe anyone out there has experienced something like that at himself and could give me some tips? Any ointment or cream that helped, which I could ask my doctor?

I'm feeling really bad. As I'm naked all the time, I can't leave the house (just when visiting the doctors) and can't receive visitors. I even didn't celebrate Christmas this year with my family. I'm completely down and hope anyone could help with some tips?

Thanks a lot!

[xsevenx]

Have you been checked for diabetes?

[sufferer78 in reply to xsevenx]

Hi xsevenx,

Thank you so much for your tip!

I read about that already that diabetes could cause balanitis. But I never tested as I didn't think it would be likely to have diabetes as I eat very healthy and I did sports 4-6 times a week. That was before balanitis kicked in. Now I can't move much anymore.

Every time I go to the doctors I get a setback due to the underwear rubbing. This is why I think really twice if going out could be an advantage. I just went to dermatologists, not normal doctors as you have to wait for 4 months for an appointment at an urologist in my area.

I tried already reducing carbonhydrates and even eating sugar for some days (what i usually don't do) to find out if there is any difference. But I can't see any difference. Also coffee and no coffee doesn't make any difference to me. Even considering histamin in my meals didn't make a difference.

But if I will have to visit my normal doctor next time, I will make a test.

[Norwich1 Moderator]

Winkia Neuii is a gram positive rod shaped bacteria that can be treated with Penicillin G, ampicillin/amoxicillin, antipseudomonal PCNs, most cephalosporins, macrolides, tetracycline, imipenem, clindamycin.

staphylococcus haemolyticus: medicallabnotes.com/staphyl... This can be difficult to treat because of antibiotic resistance

I would suggest that fresh cultures are taken and for any bacteria to be treated with appropriate antibiotics - possibly oral or IV. You may need a combination of antibiotics

[sufferer78 in reply to Norwich1]

Hi Norwich1, thank you so much for your help!

If my initial research was not wrong, all 3 bacteria should be gram-positive ones?

Since my latest appointment at the doctors, I thought already about "Fucidine creme" with fucidine acid. That destroys the proteins of the bacteria and should also work with staphylococcus haemolyticus. Do you think that could work?

Are all staphylococcus haemolyticus resistent bacteria? I thought that would just be for those inside hospitals. You know, by cleaning the surgery devices they get resistent and you risk to get them when having a surgery. I never had a surgery and I don't take antibiotics all too often. I guess, 2-3 times in the past 15 years. Does that mean the chance is very low that my haemolyticus are resistent ones?

Your tip with the culture sounds great! That would definitely be the best way. I'm just not sure if I will get my doctor to do that. I will ask him, for sure. And as a plan B something like Fucidine?

The risk with Fucidine is just: the mentioned bacteria got detected in September. Meanwhile they could be gone and others could be here or fungus. Or do you think it is unlikely that the pathogens change?

One thing maybe: The skin of the blister shines a bit white. Difficult to say if bacteria or fungus, right? Could be both?

[Norwich1 Moderator in reply to sufferer78]

Not all Staph bacteria are resistant. Lab testing would be needed to determine that for a particular infection. Such testing should be then able to advise on the best way of treating the infection. Staph infections are all around us. We hear about hospital acquired infections as they are more newsworthy that does not mean that they cannot be acquired in the community.

The problem with a bacteria for which there are warnings of resistance is that throwing antibiotics at it that may not work only increases the problems of antibiotic resistance generally.

Best to have the skin affected retested and the lab asked to advise on a suitable and effective antibiotics. A fungicide will be needed alongside an antibiotic if both types of infection are present.

I would suggest a dermatologist rather than a urologist.

[sufferer78 in reply to Norwich1]

Hi Norwich1, thank you so much, these are some good points! I was at my dermatologist today, but he told me that would not be a blister. The problem is: the blister is empty most of the time, it just refills with water-like liquid all few days when it gets more itchy. Since I let the foreskin retracted during the day it doesn't do that anymore unless I'm using Deumavan or olive oil. Coconut oil without anything else feels best at the moment.

I showed photos and videos to the doctor, but it is not well to see. He is not convinced that there is/was really liquid inside the blister. It is indeed almost not recognizeable on the photos and videos. But it really looked like that. I mean, theoretically it could be that it was just swollen in a way that the skin got that shiny, so that it looked like filled with water-like liquid. What do you think?

And he also doesn't think that there are still pathogens in the game. He meant, if there would be pathogens, the symptoms would be more constant. But when I remember back to the beginning, the symptoms also fluctuated and ultimately the mentioned bacteria were diagnosed.

He sent me to a dermatology clinic now, where I've been already in August/September. They'll examine my glans again and hopefully, they will be able to clarify that blister. I will also ask them for the culture you suggested. Thank you again, therefore!

The appointment is in 2 weeks from now. In the meantime, I will go on with coconut oil and keep the foreskin retracted during the day, as that works.

Do you have any idea what such a big blister around the corona glans could be? I can't find anything like that documented on the internet. It appeared first some days after using Octenisept in September. After that, it went on/off all the time. I found no bacteria or fungus that would do something like that. Maybe just an irritation and it's still not cured as the skin can't grow together as there is always liquid rising it all few days? But the fact is that the coconut oil erases the symptoms.

[roddythescot in reply to sufferer78]

I note that you have a foreskin that you are considering keeping retracted.

The foreskin retains bacterial, fungal or viral problems under it. In all cases of persistent problems despite a range of creams and bactericides it is prudent to seriously consider getting circumcised to remove the reservoir under it.

[sufferer78 in reply to roddythescot]

Thank you, Roddy! As I let the foreskin retracted during the day, I think that I'm avoiding this already by that. I would like to avoid a circumcision, to be honest. That was also never suggested to me by a doctor.

[sufferer78 in reply to Norwich1]

I had an appointment at the dermatological center yesterday wanted to have new swabs taken for bacteria and fungus, as you have suggested, @Norwich1, with cultures. However, the doctor refused to take swabs.

I told him that I had severe symptoms at Christmas, but there were no appointments available over the Christmas holidays, which is why I tried coconut oil, which worked immediately and that I had therefore made the most progress in the past 4 weeks, and that the effect of coconut oil would be an indication for me that there are still pathogens involved.

However, he said that coconut oil is not a medical product and would not work. If there were actually pathogens involved, coconut oil would have no effect. So he saw it the other way around. When I then told him that it contains lauric acid and caprylic acid, which are against bacteria and fungi, but are not concentrated enough, he just shrugged his shoulders.

He said that he wouldn't see any acute inflammation now, nothing that would be weeping, so it wouldn't make sense to take swabs. In his opinion, that would lead to nothing. Is that really so? He also took a quick look at the glans, I showed him the slightly white spots, but that left him unimpressed. Of course, there was no blister to be seen that day either. It only occurs every few days and that is completely gone since I've been taking coconut oil.

He said that !!!if I want!!!, he could prescribe me an antiseptic cream with cortisone (Betaquinol). I asked if it was also available without cortisone, because cortisone wouldn't make sense for me at this point. He replied: if he prescribes something, then something with an active ingredient. A simple shower lotion would be already antiseptic.

Although it made no sense to me at all, I still had the cream prescribed and to think about it again afterwards. But it still doesn't make sense to me, I'm more afraid that this ointment would only make things worse, right?

The doctor also said that nothing more could be done dermatologically anyway, I should rather go to an urologist. He could detect pathogens in the urethra that are responsible for it not healing. I think he was getting at chronic prostatitis. I already thought of that myself, because the bacteria found in the beginning would fit and I had already read about cases on the Internet where that was actually the cause. I then refrained from commenting that bacteria should also be detectable on the skin now.

Now I wanted to make an appointment with an urologist: They all have a waiting time of 6+ months now. And that although I described the considerable extent of my complaints on the phone. Although I naturally hope that it won't take that long, I have now made an appointment for mid-July. If the balanitis would be gone before July, I could then use it for a prostate screening at least.

Only, what do I do until then? I am now completely on my own for 6 months. Regarding my prostate, it is the case that I have no pain, but it is noticeable that it drips for quite a long time after going to the toilet. And when I sit down afterwards, a few more drops come, which means I have to go back to the toilet to dry it off. Is there perhaps something natural that I could try for a suspected prostatitis, i.e. something that wouldn't harm and you could try? I would have curcumin capsules, boswellia capsules and myrrh capsules in the house, which would basically be against inflammation. Would that at least have a supportive effect? Or what else would support that?

[hedgehogan]

Coconut oil can be soothing, but if it's working better than prescription treatments, it suggests the need for more targeted therapy (antibiotics/antifungals).

You probably should request a referral to an urologist for a second opinion even if it has a long wait or try another doctor if you don't feel your current one listens to you or the recommendation feels off. Sometimes you just have to trust your gut instinct...

Good luck. I hope you get this sorted soon

[sufferer78 in reply to hedgehogan]

Hi hedgehogan, thank you so much!

Yes, these were also my thoughts: if coconut oil helps, which is against bacteria and fungus, it is very likely that I'm infected with bacteria or fungus.

I forgot to tell that before: the skin of the blister shines a bit white. I guess it's impossible to tell if that is bacteria or fungus?

I also thought already about an urulogist. The only problem: in my area it takes 4 months to get an appointment. This is why I initially went to a hospital and they sent me over to a dermatologist.

My thoughts to an urologist: if my research wasn't wrong, the mentioned bacteria are untypical for balanitis. But I found case studies for prostatitis. Due to a prostatitis bacteria would always be in the urine and spread over my glans after the toilet.

I know, a wild theory, especially as I don't have pain in the prostate. I just need quite a long time to get the last drops of urine out. I even have to sit down and press my fingers at the urethra of my shaft to get everything out. But is that the symptoms of prostatitis? I don't know.

Maybe I should really ask my dermatologist next time that he sends me to an urologist. Maybe he can arrange anything that I don't have to wait 4 months.

[Alex1232234234 in reply to sufferer78]

Sorry for asking, did the Travocort did some changes in your skin ? I've got this from stu..pid doctor to use when I already beat the yeast infection, thanks to God I didin't used this for 14 days 2 times a day as he recomenneded me and just stick to Clotrimazole 1% but 1 day I used this 2 times the same day and 2 days after becouse the day after I didin't knew but I wen to docort 2 days after I masturbate dry my skin become very red for like I think 4 days I been sick this time normal sick and I didin't knew why this happened after time when I used saliva it's gets better now I didin't dont it in 3 days so I don't know but I found out this information also I got some small skin peeling I had the same on my hands and now on my feets where I used the cream I think for like 2 weeks or longer, I started putting la rochede posay lipikar baume AP+m and this bassicly finish the problem with hands skin peeling In 2 days I will try to make the same on my dick I hope it will work but my skin also got more dry, it was dry from antifungals overwashing but now more and the skin quality changed I hope la roche de posay lipikar baume ap+m and night can go back to time before using this cream with skin feeling and skin quality and the redness I hope will go down by itself

[sufferer78 in reply to Alex1232234234]

Hi Alex, it is already some months ago, but I had a look into my med diary:

I used Travocort just for 5 days, then I stopped using it, because it made things worse: the skin got more itchy, the touching-sensitivity got worse, and the corona glans got more swollen. After some days of using it, the pain got so much that I almost fainted several times.

And interesting that you said you got sick: in my diary I found that 3 days after starting with Travocort I got quite a high pulse during the night and I also felt systemic sick. I though that would be random. You know, any other infection or so. These 5 days when I used Travocort were exactly those when I felt worst, when also the pain was the highest. Things got better when I stopped using it.

But what we should consider is that I had a bacteria infection at that point, not a fungus infection. Travocort is a cortison ointment that is against fungus. My dermatologist didn't test me against pathogens, he just tried different ointments.

I guess, if he had tested from the very beginning and prescripted the right ointment, it had never become that stubborn. The common statement about the duration of balanitis is some days up to 4 weeks.

I didn't write down anything about dryness according to Travocort. But my skin got extremely dry after using Octenisept for 2 weeks to kill the bacteria. The doctor said I should use Bepanthen and/or Deumavan to get it moistured again. Bepanthen was a big game-changer for ~2 weeks. Then it got too moistured by it and I had to exchange it with the Deumavan. Bepanthen is good because it contains vitamin B5, which helps to regenerate skin.

What I found out in general is that moisture is important to consider: is it too dry, it gets worse, but is it too wet, is also gets worse. I always tried to find the golden middle and interesting is that that continously changed: In the beginning, I needed more ointments to moisture, but then less and less.

[Alex1232234234 in reply to sufferer78]

I've got a normal sickness after walking a lot in cold weather and from my sister. it was not from the cream. I didin't had any pain or irration after using the cream

[Norwich1 Moderator in reply to Alex1232234234]

where does your sister fit into your genital issues?

[Alex1232234234 in reply to Norwich1]

I meant normal sickenss running nose, 40 degree celcius fever

[sufferer78]

An Update:

Unfortunately, the doctor's visits are leading nowhere. There seems to be a complete unwillingness to help me. The last dermatologist "examined" me very reluctantly (again, just a few seconds of looking, despite being a different doctor) and made it clear that "there's nothing there."

However, after seven months, I still can't wear underwear and therefore can't leave the house, except for doctor's appointments, which only make things worse for a few days. This is just a waste of time and has only negative effects. I'm apparently on my own. They only see a snapshot of a very dry glans after it's been closed during the journey, which compresses it, and logically, you can't see the swelling. They look at my phone photos with disdain but completely ignore them for the diagnosis, which makes the whole thing pretty pointless.

What I've figured out in the meantime:

One drop of frankincense oil in ten applications of coconut oil has a positive effect, but only if I do it once a day and then another 1-2 times with just coconut oil on the same day. And everything only very thinly applied. Over-moisturizing makes it worse!

I also tried Bepanthen again: it works better with an open glans (which I still have open during the day) than with a closed one. The pantothenic acid seems to help. However, I still have to be careful about over-moisturizing: one thin application of Bepanthen a day is enough and preferably only every few days. Because if I use Bepanthen two days in a row, for example (just tried it again), the glans rim swells up again a little, and it starts to itch slightly. Whether this is positive "healing itching" or negative over-moisturizing itching, no one wants to tell me.

Basically, I now think that perhaps the pathogens are indeed killed. The glans rim has healed nicely on the surface; the skin is smooth, even if sometimes a little swollen. But I think that deeper layers are not completely healed yet.

Two weeks ago, I tried to keep the glans closed during the day. It went well at first, but around 3:00 PM, it started to burn slightly on the surface, so I opened it again, and it took 2-3 days for it to get better again. So, I have to disagree with the doctors who say it's already fine.

Could it be that I have tissue damage? Perhaps from using Bepanthen three times a day for about two months in the fall, because it got too moist? A doctor prescribed that for me back then. The glans rim is sometimes more, sometimes less swollen, and under direct light, it looks whitish grey, sometimes the top layer looks transparent, and after showering with Eucerin wash oil, it looks dark due to dryness.

I really don't know what else to do. I have DMSO at home, which logically should help if I mix it in a low dose, perhaps with frankincense/coconut oil, so it can penetrate deeper. But unfortunately, I can't find anyone who has successfully used it on the glans. I don't dare to do such experiments by chance. Especially since I'm not sure if this swelling is perhaps from over-moisturizing and the oils already penetrate deeper anyway, which would make DMSO pointless.

I find it very strange that there are no experts who have a solution. It would actually be the most logical thing: to go to a doctor who prescribes something that helps me. But apart from the diagnosis in August, unfortunately, no doctor has prescribed anything useful or otherwise helped me in any way. A nightmare!

By the way, I still take frankincense, curcumin, and myrrh daily in capsule form to counteract any possible asymptomatic posthitis (urologist appointment is only in July), but I couldn't say that I've noticed any positive effects from it, and I'm not sure if it helps at all.

Any ideas?

[sufferer78]

As I got some messages with the tip, I should try another doctor:

Thank you so much to everyone, I really appreciate each single tip! But I already tried 8 or 9 different doctors. I stopped counting, maybe even more. No difference, unfortunately. No one seems to be interested in helping me.

I've even been to a dermatological clinic several times, but they also didn't help me. The only thing that worked at doctors was the diagnosis in August 2024 (at the dermatological clinic), although it came 3 weeks too late. Because during that time I had pain that I almost fainted. It had been necessary to start the treatment weeks earlier. And I went immediately to a doctor after my balanitis started, as I was in treatment for something else - a little injury on my glans at another position. It was the Elidel creme that led to my balanitis. My balanitis is caused by that - by the treatment of a doctor! However, the diagnosis worked, but everything else doctors did or did not for me didn't work at all.

Even the treatment after the diagnosis was a nightmare: instead of giving me an antibioticum for exactly the bacteria they found, they gave me a disinfectant (Octenisept), which damaged the skin on my glans.

Around Christmas, as it got worse, I didn't get an appointment at any doctors, as they were all in holidays. This is why I started to experiment myself with coconutoil, later with adding frankincense oil. And I started to let my foreskin retracted. From that point on, the healing process started. Before it didn't! It got even worse again, as it got too wet by the Bepanthen creme I got told to use by a doctor.

So, it's getting better now, but I'm anyway far away from being cured, from being able to leave my house again. Right now it feels again a bit like I'd reached a plateau again.

The waiting time for an urologist appointment is 6 months. I have that appointment in July, as I reserved it in January. But to be honest, based on my experience over the past months, I'm sceptic that they will be able to help me then - or at least willing to help me...

I'm really not sure what I could try else. My big hope would be that anyone out there would have experience and could give me a tip that would make it cured.

I think, the bacterias are all gone already. I think, it's really "just" all about getting the skin repaired. I'm pretty sure it goes deeper than just the upper skin layer. The skin is damaged into deeper layers and I don't know how to boost the healing process.

[Curious17]

Hello sufferer78. What trials you have been through! I feel for you.

Having had this issue for decades, I was diagnosed some 10 years ago by a dermatologist with Zoons Balanitis, and prescribed Trimovate cream. Although I note it says on the box to be used twice a day for 7 days to deal with any flare-up, I have found I have to apply it every day or it relapses. The dermatologist actually seemed to think this was ok, as Trimovate is a moderate steroid. Certainly it seems to work, mostly, though sometimes I am getting infections, I think.

This prompted me to ask if my GP could set up a referral to a Urologist, and I am now somewhere in the system waiting for an appointment. I haven been considering circumcision, but have heard so many accounts of the difficult healing journey afterwards that I need to take advice when I see the Urologist.

But, I have to say that Trimovate certainly has been the best of the bunch over several decades of having balanitis and applying various creams etc. It has antibacterial and an anti fungal ingredients.

I hope you soon get some relief!

[sufferer78 in reply to Curious17]

Hi Curious17, Thank you so much for your kind response.

Oh man, so sorry that you are suffering already for decades. I hope, you can at least leave you house and live your life? However, I really feel with you, brother!

That means, you think, I have also Zoon Balanitis? I googled already for all the different types of Balanitis, but mine doesn't look like Zoon on the images.

It is in general difficult to find an image that looks like mine. I don't know if it's allowed to upload images here, I guess not. So, here a link to a public website of a dermatological clinic that contains sample images:

dermanostic.com/hautlexikon... shows an image where at least the corona glans looks a bit like mine. When you scroll down around 75%, there are 3 example images side by side. It is the third one, where the corona glans looks a bit blueish!

That's not mine, but it is the one that looks most similar, at least when it's dry. Not that red patch at the foreskin, also not that patch at the side of the glans, just the corona glans! But mine looks better. Not as "pumped" as on the image anymore (more flat). And when it's compressed after pulling the foreskin to front again during the night, it is even flat. Then it is just a bit red.

Is that Zoon Balanitis? I don't think. It seems just that the skin is not finished with its healing process. Maybe it's stuck in its granulation process. I don't know.

If I understand that right, then Zoon Balanitis is a hyper granulation, on the other hand, which means that too many granulation cells get produced, which seems to be the reason why Trimovate is useful for you. Because that creme is against hyper granulation.

But in my case, it just looks a bit more "pumped" when it is too much moistured, which is caused by a not cured skin barrier. I think, the moisture makes it looking pumped. And I also see that this effect of soaking moisture got also better already. It doesn't soak as much as it did 3 months ago, for instance.

Zoon balanitis seems to be caused by moisture, which results in a hyper granulation. So I guess, it will always look pumped, as it is not the moisture that increases the volume, it is the too high amount of granulation cells.

The only think that would speak for Zoon balanitis in my opinion is the fact that my corona glans got too much moistured by Elidel and a little bit of urine in July and August 2024, and with Bepanthen from September to December, 3 times a day (also always with a bit of urine, because I didn't know that it is necessary to avoid that. I wasn't told!). Nobody knows what causes Zoon balanitis exactly, but it seems to have to do with the skin getting soaked by urine.

Just correct me if I'm wrong with anything I wrote above. I'm not a doctor, I'm just an engineer who soaks information from the internet. But I think, as doctors don't seem to be interested in helping (I read that meanwhile also in other forums for other patients), it makes sense to share our experiences and research.

Have you ever tried frankincense oil? I read a lot about its skin-healing properties and finally I gave it a try. It helped me, but it is important to dose it very low (combined with coconut oil), otherwise it's too strong. Right now, I'm thinking about combining it with DMSO (Dimethyl sulfoxide), which is a carrier to bring it deeper into the skin. By that it can also cure chronical deseases, as it can get through the cells. I have experience with DMSO, but not at the glans penis. I guess, if that would work, it should also be dosed very low (maybe a 3% fluid mixed with frankincense oil and coconut oil or so). But I would feel better if anyone would have tried that already before with positive experiences. If anyone has a tip here, just let me know.

Circumcision is also something I want to avoid. It was never suggested by a doctor to me, fortunately. I let my foreskin retracted during the day. But I can't imagine to have no protection during the night. And that although I built a contruction for my bed that keeps the blanket aways from my penis when I'm lying on my back.

I cross my fingers that your urologist appointment will lead to a positive direction. Feel free to keep me updated. All the best!

[Curious17 in reply to sufferer78]

Hi, sufferer 78,

It’s kind of you to be in touch. Having read your story, and how your Balanitis has really messed up your life, I wanted to let you know about the Trimovate cream, since it seems to have been quite effective for me over the past decade.

As I’ve said, if I stop applying it, the B flares up again, and also sometimes even with it I very occasionally get redness and a bit of soreness .This factor, and the fact that I think the cream is not officially supposed to be used continuously, long-term, has made me consider circumcision, which the dermatologist said 10 years ago would be “curative”. So, I am in the NHS system now waiting for an appointment with a Urologist to investigate the possibility….

As you indicate, there are many different forms of B, and to be honest, I think I am very lucky to have one of the less severe ones (Zoons - a plasma cell form, so I understand. One of its symptoms is that it affects the glans in patches in a characteristic red beef-steak colouration, and also has a kind of mirror-image patch on the foreskin it touches).

My form of B is under control, and largely does not affect my life in the way yours does - I feel so sorry for you, and hope you find a better solution. I just wondered if Trimovate had been mentioned to you, but of course I’m not a medic and this field seems vast.

As a postscript, I have found certainly that drawing back the foreskin when peeing, and making sure every drop is removed with tissue when you have finished certainly helps, as urine under the foreskin can exacerbate the B, I think. It sounds like you’re well up to speed on this, though.

I wish you better, I really do.