Redness of the glans skin

Redness of the glans skin is a common male disease, mainly a symptom of glansitis. It is caused by bacterial infection due to men's lack of attention to penile hygiene. At this time, the glans becomes red and accompanied by pain, which needs to be treated in time. It is also possible that the glans becomes red due to genital warts. Men are advised to disinfect and sterilize the glans and avoid having sex with women.

Balanitis is inflammation of the glans penis, which refers to inflammation of the glans penis caused by trauma, irritation or infection. Since glans inflammation often coexists with inflammation of the inner foreskin, glans inflammation and balanoposthitis are usually collectively referred to as balanoposthitis. The main clinical manifestations are local redness, swelling, erosion and ulcer formation. Balanitis can retrogradely infect the urinary system, causing cystitis, pyelonephritis, etc. In addition, if the inflammation is not cured for a long time, it can directly affect sexual life, leading to impotence, premature ejaculation and other phenomena. This disease is more common in summer and autumn, and mostly occurs in young and middle-aged men, especially those with prepuce or phimosis.

Causes

Balanitis is related to many factors, which can be divided into infectious factors and non-infectious factors. Under normal circumstances, a large number of bacteria, yeasts and spirochetes can parasitize in the foreskin sac, and when local or systemic resistance is weakened, these microorganisms can become pathogenic pathogens. Balanitis is mainly caused by bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, followed by Candida, Trichomonas, Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, etc. can also cause balanitis.

Non-infectious factors include stimulation from urine, alkaline substances (such as detergents) and foreign substances (such as condoms); friction and trauma; excessive foreskin and insufficient cleaning leading to accumulation of smegma, which can cause damage to the glans foreskin mucosa and aggravate infection by various pathogens.

Diagnosis

It is mainly based on clinical manifestations, combined with etiology and pathological examination. For example, if it is caused by Candida infection, direct microscopic examination and culture of the lesion site can find Candida; if it is caused by amoeba, smear examination of secretions can find amoeba; pathological changes of plasmacytoid glansitis have diagnostic value. This disease should be distinguished from fixed drug eruption caused by drugs.

treatment

1. General treatment

(1) Keep the area clean, avoid various irritations, and clean the glans penis and foreskin daily.

(2) Avoid unprotected sexual intercourse and suspend sexual activity during treatment. If it is trichomonas or candidal glansitis, both husband and wife should be treated at the same time.

(3) Avoid using corticosteroids during the acute phase to avoid aggravating the infection. If the foreskin is severely edematous, do not forcibly retract the foreskin.

(4) If there are ulcers or erosions on the inner foreskin and glans penis, the dressing should be changed promptly, twice a day.

(5) Eat less spicy food and avoid smoking and drinking.

2. Local treatment

For patients with erosive exudation or purulent secretions, apply wet compresses with 1% ethacridine solution or 1:8000 potassium permanganate solution. For patients with dryness and scaling, apply glucocorticoid ointment. For patients with Candida infection, clean the affected area with sodium bicarbonate solution and then apply imidazole ointment. For patients with Trichomonas infection, rinse with 0.5%-1% lactic acid solution or 0.5% acetic acid solution, and then apply anti-inflammatory ointment. Intermittent administration of medium-acting fluoride-free hormone ointment has a good effect on synovial glansitis.

3. Systemic medication

Systemic antibiotics should be selected according to the pathogen and drug sensitivity test. For the treatment of acute superficial balanitis and annular erosive balanitis, antibiotics sensitive to Gram-positive cocci can be used first. The treatment of trichomonal balanitis should start with metronidazole. Fluconazole or itraconazole is often used to treat balanitis caused by Candida albicans.

4.Surgery

Patients with recurrent balanitis due to excessive foreskin or phimosis should undergo circumcision after the inflammation subsides.