Balanitis – Inflammation of penis glans, Causes & Treatment
Balanitis is a condition when the head of the penis (glans) is inflamed. This can be due to different reasons such as tight foreskin (phimosis), infection or even due to irritation of the penis glans. This is not a severe problem but if ignored, this can turn out to be a problem. Kids under the age of 5 may have this problem due to tight foreskin (phimosis) but after 5 to 6 years of age, the issue usually resolves on it’s own. If not, you will have to see a good sexologist near you as early as possible.
What are the causes of balanitis?
- Allergic reaction – The head of the penis, when comes into contact with irritants such as the material of your inner wear, chemicals in your soap, shampoo or the chemicals used in the condom that you have recently used, it may swell and cause this condition.
- Yeast Infection – Candida is a yeast infection. The head of the penis can get infected due to improper hygiene.
- Bacterial Infection – If you are not taking good care of your penis such as washing regularly after having sex, cleaning the penis and the glans by pulling the skin backwards when taking bath, bacteria can develop in that area and can cause balanitis.
- Sexually Transmitted Infections – Unprotected sex with an infected partner can also cause Balanitis. (Herpes Simplex Virus, Chlamydia, Syphilis)
- Skin diseases – Certain skin diseases like Lichen Planus, Eczema, Psoriasis can lead to the inflammation of penis glans. In very few cases, skin cancer can also cause balanitis.
- Diabetes – If you are suffering from diabetes, your urine will have more sugar than a normal person’s urine. If the sugars in the urine gets deposited on the glans or just behind it (because of improper cleaning), it can harbour the growth of bacteria and result in balanitis.
- Phimosis – If the foreskin is too tight to retract, sweat, urine and other substances can get trapped under the skin and on the glans leading to infection and inflammation.
Symptoms of balanitis
- Redness and swelling around the glans
- Soreness, itching or irritation of the head of penis
- A possible thick discharge from under the skin on the penis.
- There may be foul smell too if the infection gets worse.
- Painful urination
- Sores on the glans
Diagnosis of Balanitis
It would be obvious for a good sexologist to know the problem just by taking a look at the swollen glans of your penis. He/she may try to assess the cause of the condition. He/She may pose questions about the creams, chemicals that you use to take bath or if you have used any condom in the recent past etc. If the cause of the problem is found to be obvious, he/she may advise you to change the material of your inner wear, apply steroidal creams and maintain good hygiene.
In cases, when none of these help, then the reason could be an infection. In order to determine the type of infection, swab test may be required where the material on the glans will be collected and sent for testing. Urine and blood tests may also be required to check the sugar levels in your blood and urine. In very rare cases, if the sexologist suspects cancer of the skin, a biopsy may also be done.
Types of balanitis
There are three types of balanitis:
- Zoon’s balanitis – Inflammation of the head of the penis and the foreskin. Typically middle aged men to older men gets affected with this condition.
- Circinate Balanitis – Usually seen in people with reactive ‘arthritis’.
- Pseudoepitheliomatous karatotic and micaceous balanitis – a scaly, wart like skin lesions on the penis head.
Are there any home remedies for balanitis?
If you can recall that you are facing the problem after you have changed your inner wear or after you have changed your soap, body wash, shampoo etc, you can immediately change them to get relief. You also need to maintain very good hygiene of your private parts as much as you take care of your face and rest of the body. However, in many cases, these may not be of real help because of the other factors that cause balanitis.
Balanitis treatment:
- As said earlier, allergic reactions can be treated if the reason for the problem is known easily.
- In case of fungal or yeast or bacterial infection – appropriate antibiotics will be prescribed to bring down the infection. Along with this, proper cleaning of the penis is important.
- If balanitis is recurring because of the tight foreskin problem (phimosis), circumcision will offer permanent help for the problem. Alternatively, a small slit will be made along the top of the foreskin to separate it from the penis.
If you are suffering from this problem, it is advisable to take an appointment with good sexologist and go for a consultation. In many cases, simple medication or creams will be good enough to get rid of the problem but there may be other underlying causes of the problem that your doctor may find out.
Still got questions on balanitis, read our latest article – FAQs on balanitis.
I have redness in my forehead for past 4 days .could you please help me
Dear Raj, we don’t deal with ‘forehead’. If you are talking about the head of your penis, please see me or a good sexologist near you.
Erection is very low what can I do sir
Dear Sathish, there can be many reasons why erections can be weak.
There is no one solution for all kinds of problems. If you can, please see me at my clinic, we will evaluate the reason and prescribe the medicines accordingly.
Thank you
Dr. Karthik Gunasekaran
Sir apko hindi malone hi
sure, pls ask in hindi
Sir mujha penis pr red color k dana sa h . sir mujha aapko dikhana h kha or kese mil sakta h aapsa pls tel me
Amit, if you are in Chennai, please see me. Or, please find a good sexologist in your city.
But, don’t worry, it will be fine.
Hi there for like a month now I have little red dots on head of my dick it’s itchy and it hurts after i masturbate and they get worse when I do masturbate but if I don’t they start to get better and my skin gets rua and dry
Could be an infection. See a doctor.
Penis front skin konjam back la ilutha antha skin la white ah allergy pola iruku doctor. clean pannunalum pogala, ena panradhu ?
See a sexologist immediately.
I’ve a white pimple like infection on my penis head !! There’s a lot , it’s more like a wound . But I’ve no itching or irritation…. And the white (dead cells maybe) thing goes when i wash it with water !! What is it and how can I tret them? (Also my penis head is dry most of the time )
See a doctor immediately Athul.
Hello Dr I been having a white bumps in my forehead not in all my forehead but on the below not under what it is and what hime threatment I can do
There are red marks around my penis and blisters on the cap and there is itching.
please consult a good sexologist near you or see me at my clinic.
Hi sir…i found some white substance or layer under foreskin of penis..i peeled off…some skin damages also occured…and the white substance dropped like powder.. foreskin also sticky to head of penis and some mild tight to take backwards.. whether its yeast infection??
Wash your penis without fail when taking bath. Pull your skin backwards and wash it neatly with soap.
If you still the same thing happening after a week, please take an appointment.
Thank you for ur response sir!!
Dr. I feel the same the white substance under the foreskin and sometimes an odour too. Why is this happening and I’m washing my penis after pulling the foreskin backwards only as you mentioned wash and clean it neatly with soap. So which type of soap should I use?
Use the normal soap that you use to take bath. Think of changing it to a handmade soap only if you feel that your penis has become dry or inflamed. Otherwise, regular soap or body wash works.
Hi Sir,
In my glans red dots are occurring oftenly and it is itching. And white colour substance forms in my glans. And sometimes my foreskin got tightened can’t pull back. I am cleaning everyday twice or thrice while bathing and but I don’t use any soap to clean inner side. I am using plain water only. These problems are occurs weekly once. After two to three days it is get back to normal. But white layer is forming everyday.
What should I do now?? May I know the reasons for that. Help me what should I do?
If you are cleaning regularly but the white substance is still forming, you will need to see me in person.
Hi Sir,
My foreskin has been swollen.and i was able to pull back my foreskin but after that i was able to see my foreskin has been swollen heavily. I am not in chennai and i an from local village. Here there is no doctor related to this and i couldn’t able to came to chennai. So if i have phone consultant it will be useful.. Please note this swollen foreskin has been there for more than a week. Kindly help me
Dear Selva, you must see a good sexologist near you immediately.
Hi Sir,
For past 5 days, there is a mild pricking sensation when touched on left side of meatus in glans. I sense a very mild inflammation kind off but no irritation or pain at all. Is it a symptom of balanitis ? And the pricking sensation has reduced a bit compared to the first 2 days. Please share your thoughts sir.
Hello Mr. Suresh, I will have to physically examine to see whats going on.
If you can, please see me at my T nagar clinic.
Thank you,
Dr. Karthik Gunasekaran
Hi sir,
I’m 18 I have a patches of reddish white rash on my foreskin about 6 to 7 months which forms a ring while I retract it. I consulted with a dermatologist he said it is because of secretion nothing to worry and said me to apply coconut oil there..but there is no changes there.please give me a remedy..
Please see me, it is not something a dermatologist would know.
Sir the tip of my penis is pinkish and its tender when I touch it. I can’t retract my foreskin. What exercises can I do to improve that and can you tell me what is that pink tip mean? Thank You
Hello David, the reasons can be many. One physical examination can tell me what might be the issue.
hello i need help
Write to us or call us please.
Hi doctor
I had some itching problem in my penish i consulted with urologist and they provide some medicine itching is sttoped,
But only some times when I retract my pensih i can see there is a tan colour or yellow i cant guess powder substance is formed and the condition is dry, only sometimes.
Iam using body wash regularly for bath not soap
Is it anything issue or its common
I don’t have any itching or pain or any kind of problem apart from this
Please advice
That means, you are not washing your penis regularly.
Wash it everyday when taking a shower. Push your foreskin back and clean the area with soap.
It’s like the picture you posted
Same kind of thick discharge in tan or yellow colour.
See a doctor near you asap
lz suggest me that i forgot wash last time after use delay spray what i have to do i am having irritaion and even i can not remove foreskin from my tip of penis plz help me sir
keep washing gently, you will be fine. If the condition continues for few days, pls see me or a good doctor near you.
Penis head feels itchy, sometimes goes little reddish, i also feel like i need to pee quite often, sometimes that goes though, i also had small spot like bump appear, ive had this before then it went after like a week, not often i get the bump though, this has been going on for a year, ive had every test done and examined by doctor and everything is negative they say im fine, but i know im not, all of this started when my partner at the time passed on chlamydia to me, before this i were fine.
Tests are negative but you still have symptoms. This could be an issue with UTI also or skin problem.
Go for a second opinion.