PT Health Life – Itching in the genital area or itching in the penis in men is very normal and often happens. Itching in the penis seems to be obvious, but to some extent, it causes a lot of trouble and can also be considered a symptom of male or dermatological diseases.
1. What troubles does penile itching bring to men?
Many people often cover up and do not want to share when they have symptoms of itching in the private area . Because of self-consciousness and not sharing, many times diseases in the private area change from mild to severe.
Itching in the genital area, especially the penis, makes men very worried because they do not know if they have sexually transmitted diseases or not? Does this inflammation affect reproductive function? When itching and scratching like that, will it cause infection and how to take care of it, what cleaning solution should be used? All of these things cause anxiety, but do not dare to share, or are afraid to go to the doctor, many men have gone online to find out how to treat this disease. Only when the disease is severe do they go to specialized medical facilities for examination.
2. Causes of penile itching
Sometimes, the penis may become itchy. This may occur alone or along with other symptoms, such as inflammation, swelling, or discharge.
There are 2 main groups of causes of penile itching, which are sexually transmitted diseases and diseases unrelated to sex.
2.1 Due to sexually transmitted diseases
Genital herpes (HSV) : Includes HSV-1 and HSV-2. HSV-1 often causes patients to develop blisters around the mouth. HSV-2 mainly causes genital herpes , and in men, itching of the penis. The most recognizable feature of Herpes is blistering ulcers.
Gonorrhea : The tip of the penis may discharge a yellow, beige, white or green fluid. The patient will feel pain when urinating, having sex, itching of the penis, sore throat, frequent urination.
Syphilis : In the early stages, syphilis often does not show obvious symptoms. The first manifestation is usually the appearance of small round ulcers in places such as the mouth, anus or genitals. Although not painful, the ability to infect syphilis is very high. Some other symptoms of the disease are: fatigue, rash, headache, fever, weight loss, joint pain, hair loss;
Lice, scabies, pubic lice : They breed and develop in hairy, moist places and often cause genital itching.
Genital warts : A sexually transmitted disease that can appear on the trunk and head. They appear as growths or lumps and may itch or bleed.
2.2 Diseases not related to sex
Psoriasis: A condition that can cause the skin to become red, flaky, and scaly. Psoriasis on the penis can appear as red patches on the shaft and head.
Contact dermatitis: Occurs when the skin comes into contact with something that causes an allergic reaction. When it affects the penis, it can be caused by using a condom. Contact dermatitis can appear on the penis as raised, itchy bumps.
Allergy : It can be caused by irritation of the penis skin with ingredients in perfume, condoms, soaps or spermicides…
Fungal infection : Fungal infection causes men to have a rash, itching, burning or observe a thick white residue on the penis. Most of the disease is caused by the fungus Candida albicans.
3. How often is itching abnormal?
the normal frequency of itching is 1-2 times a day, which is completely fine. If the itching is so severe that men scratch many times a day and the skin area when scratched appears red spots, white patches appear or the skin area has lesions, lumps, these are signs of a serious illness. At this time, it is necessary to quickly go to a specialized medical facility for examination.
The doctor may order a urine test to check for urinary tract infections. A sample of the penis skin may also be taken to identify the type of bacteria and microorganisms causing the disease. Based on the cause of penile itching, the doctor can recommend appropriate and effective treatment options.
4. Preventing penile itching
To avoid unpleasant symptoms occurring in the genital area, men should take the following measures every day:
- -Regularly clean your body, especially your private area, with warm water every day;
- -Do not use cleaning or skin care products that contain irritating ingredients;
- -Before putting on clothes, dry the private area to avoid moisture in this area, which can easily become a haven for disease-causing microorganisms;
- – Prioritize clothes made from cool, loose, and non-restrictive fabrics;
- -Before and after going to the toilet, masturbating or having sex, wash your hands and penis thoroughly;
- -During sex, use condoms and lubricants to avoid damaging the genitals and reduce the risk of sexually transmitted diseases.
- -Avoid certain products: Avoid soaps that contain perfume, as this can irritate the penis.
- -Cleaning the foreskin: It is important for people with foreskin to keep it clean. This can clear away dirt and bacteria that can lead to irritation and itching.
- – Phimosis: Some causes of penile itching, such as balanitis, are due to the presence of a foreskin. One study found that circumcision may act as a preventative measure.
