Itching, burning and redness in the intimate area in men

Itching on the body is not a dangerous, but very unpleasant and annoying symptom that most people have encountered more than once. Itching always causes an obsessive desire to relieve your suffering by scratching the itchy place. If it is your hands or face, there are no particular obstacles to satisfying the need to relieve itching mechanically, but itching in the intimate area in men and women is a real problem. We, humans, are somehow not accustomed to scratching our intimate places in public, and regular itching itself may not be a harmless symptom of some disease. What can itching in the genital area and perineum actually indicate and how to deal with this unpleasant symptom?

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Causes intimate itching

Since there are significant differences in the structure of female and male genitals, it makes sense to touch upon the problems of one specific gender in one article, rather than speak in general terms. Today we will talk about the problem of itching in the intimate area in men.

It must be said that, despite all the painfulness of the symptom, the stronger sex is in no hurry to go to the doctor with the problem of intimate itching. Some people simply treat the symptom carelessly and believe that everything will go away on its own, while others experience a psychological barrier when it comes to intimate problems. And there are those who are simply afraid that the itching will turn out to be a symptom of an existing venereal disease, which is better to keep quiet about.

In fact, there are quite a few reasons for itching in intimate areas, but only a specialist doctor can determine which of them is associated with the appearance of the symptom, and only after certain studies. Diagnosing yourself on your own is unprofessional, but having an idea of the possible causes of itching in intimate areas is even useful for general development.

Before trying to understand the factors that provoke itching, you need to understand what this symptom is. Doctors call itching a response of the body to certain irritants, which can be both external and internal. This is like an intermediate stage, which will be followed by pain. But it must be said that sometimes it is easier to endure pain than itching, which simply forces a person to somehow influence the itchy place, namely, to scratch it. And since itching does not occur out of nowhere, scratching can only aggravate the problem, leading to the formation of wounds.

So, what can cause severe itching in the intimate area in men, forcing them to harm themselves? The reasons can be external and internal. Let's first consider non-pathological external reasons:

• Itching is a response to the impact of irritating factors, which can be simple physiological secretions (urine, feces, etc.). If a man does not pay due attention to the hygiene of the penis and perineum, it is not surprising that over time, itching and irritation (redness, tissue swelling, burning due to the appearance of microcracks in the skin) may appear in the groin area.
• But itching and redness in the intimate area in men is not always an indicator of poor hygiene. Symptoms may appear suddenly after starting to wear new underwear. Perhaps the fabric of the underwear contains synthetic threads that cause allergic reactions in the man's body. Usually in such situations, itching, redness and rashes (and they are quite possible with allergies) disappear almost immediately after stopping wearing underwear that is inappropriate in composition.
• An allergic reaction can occur not only in response to the composition of underwear, but also to detergents used when washing clothes. If many powders cause allergic irritation on the hands, what can we say about the delicate sensitive skin in intimate areas.
• Allergy to fabric and powders is just the tip of the iceberg. The fact is that such manifestations are also characteristic of individual sensitivity to individual components of detergents used for intimate hygiene (soap, shower gel, special products), various lubricants used during sexual intercourse, and condoms (this may be an allergy to latex or additional components).
• What else can cause allergies and itching in intimate areas? Of course, medications. Hypersensitivity to the components of local and systemic drugs can cause various reactions, including itching, burning, and skin rash. If we are talking about solutions and ointments applied externally in intimate areas, it is not surprising if allergic reactions appear in this area.
• But let's get back to underwear. Synthetic fabrics in underwear and clothing are dangerous not only because of the possibility of allergic reactions to them, but also because of the "greenhouse effect" they create. "Non-breathable" underwear contributes to the fact that the temperature in the genital area will be constantly elevated, which can cause not only itching in the perineum, but also reproductive dysfunction in men.
• It should be said that hypothermia, which reduces local immunity, is no less dangerous for intimate areas than overheating. Itching can be a kind of allergic reaction to cold, or it can be caused by a decrease in the body's defenses, and as a result, the proliferation of opportunistic microflora on the skin. For men, both excessive wrapping of the pelvic area and its freezing, and especially a sharp change in temperature, are dangerous.

Now it's time to pay attention to external pathological causes, i.e. diseases affecting the outer skin in the intimate area. The following diseases can be considered risk factors for the appearance of itching of this kind:

• Pediculosis. Do not think that this disease is characteristic only of the head area. Lice can be found on any hairy part of the body, including the pubic area. Of course, the pubic louse is somewhat different in appearance from the "tenants" on the head (it is very small, translucent and slightly mobile), but the itching that it can cause a month after infection is much stronger than the itching with pediculosis on the head.
• Mycoses, for example, ringworm in the groin. The lesions of microscopic fungi, like lice, can also be observed on any parts of the body covered with hair, including the pubic area, perineum, scrotum, anus. And one of the symptoms of mycoses of the genitals is considered to be excruciating skin itching and burning in the perineum in men.

By the way, the proliferation of fungi in the intimate area can be provoked by wearing synthetic underwear, which does not allow the skin to breathe and creates a zone with increased temperature and humidity in the groin. And these are the conditions that fungi need to reproduce.

Our skin, especially in delicate areas, accumulates many pathogenic and opportunistic microorganisms, but in order for them to start multiplying and causing disease, special conditions are needed. Heat and moisture are the most suitable of them, especially if the body's immunity is not strong enough (and who of us has it at a level?).

• Not only fungi but also numerous bacteria love moisture and warmth. Some microorganisms live on our skin constantly and wait for the right moment to improve the demographic situation of their species. Others (pathogenic microflora) get on our skin from people who are carriers of this type of bacteria (this is how sexually transmitted diseases or STIs are transmitted) and also wait for suitable conditions. As soon as the immune system weakens, the living microflora accumulated in the intimate area will begin to actively multiply. This in turn will lead to the development of an inflammatory process, the first signs of which can be considered itching, tissue swelling and redness.

In this case, the itching will not be as intense and constant as with fungal infections, and quite soon microscopic cracks and pain may appear at the site of the itching. Infections that tend to penetrate deep into the body are usually additionally manifested by discharge from the genitals, which also have an unpleasant odor.

• Eczema on the genitals. Yes, eczematous lesions are not often seen even in intimate places. True, itching occurs mainly at night. More pronounced symptoms are pain and burning in the genital area, redness, swelling of the skin and vesicular septicaemia in the intimate area.

So far we have talked more about external factors that can cause itching in the intimate area in men. But there are also some internal factors that contribute to the appearance of the above-mentioned symptom. Some of them, such as hormonal imbalances that affect the skin condition, or psychological factors (stress and anxiety) are not pathologies in themselves, but they can become predisposing factors for the appearance of various diseases.

Don't think that hormonal imbalances are a purely female problem. The same thing happens to men, which can be seen in decreased potency, hair loss, mood swings, changes in figure and skin. The skin (including intimate areas) usually becomes drier and more sensitive, which can manifest itself in itching and irritation.

Psychological problems are also more common among women. The stronger sex is considered to be more stress-resistant than the weaker. However, some situations can cause severe anxiety even in physically strong men. Thus, various problems in the sexual sphere are considered a sore subject for men. Breakups and troubles at work that reduce a man's self-esteem (demotion, lack of career growth, low salary compared to his wife, dismissal, inability to find a new decent job) are not much easier to deal with. Outwardly, a man may act like a good man, but the passions boiling inside undermine the nervous system. And failures in its work quite often manifest themselves in an inadequate reaction to irritants. Such a reaction can even be an itch in the perineum.

But these are all temporary factors and not as dangerous as some internal pathological causes. It has long been no secret that some internal diseases, sometimes not even related to the reproductive system, can also cause "itching" between the legs. Such diseases include:

• anemia (low levels of red blood cells in the blood, which may manifest as tingling and itching of the skin),
• diabetes mellitus (itching in the intimate area is a common symptom of the disease in men and women),
• inflammatory pathologies of the urinary system: cystitis, pyelonephritis, urolithiasis and nephrolithiasis, etc., in which the patient may feel both burning and itching in the urethra (the patient's urine has a specific composition, which can also cause irritation and itching of nearby tissues if it is not possible to wash immediately after urination),
• oncological diseases (at the early stage of the malignant process, doctors sometimes hear such complaints),
• intestinal parasites (they can also bother a man at night, causing itching in the intimate area),
• systemic infections (pathogens of internal diseases can spread throughout the body with the bloodstream, reaching the groin area, plus they significantly reduce overall immunity, which allows opportunistic microflora to multiply, settling on the genitals and anus),
• viral pathologies, and first of all, genital herpes (the pathology is easily transmitted sexually and manifests itself in the form of redness and the appearance of itchy blisters on the genitals of a man, which burst with the formation of painful ulcers).

It should be said that many of the above reasons are also typical for women, although their list of risk factors will be even longer. So the stronger sex is lucky in a way, they are not affected by many of the women's problems that cause such a painful symptom.

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Diagnostics intimate itching

In order to understand what exactly a man is dealing with, what is the cause of such an unpleasant symptom, you can’t do without visiting a doctor. Another thing is that sometimes you have to consult more than one doctor. For example, skin diseases are the competence of a dermatologist, and it doesn’t matter on what part of the body the affected area is localized. If we are talking about infections, then several doctors can work together: a therapist, urologist or andrologist (male doctors), infectious disease specialist, venereologist (when it comes to STIs). In case of hormonal imbalances and endocrine pathologies, you will have to get advice from a therapist and endocrinologist.

But be that as it may, health is more important. This is what you need to think about first and foremost, and not about how delicate your problem is and how much you don’t want to spread it to different people.

Diagnosis of the causes of itching in the intimate area always begins with listening to the patient's complaints and examining the affected area. The doctor pays attention to the following points:

• when an unpleasant symptom appeared,
• whether this was preceded by taking medication or buying new underwear,
• does a man regularly perform hygiene procedures in intimate areas,
• how many sexual partners does a man have,
• does he use contraception during sex,
• is there any strange discharge from the penis,
• are there any wounds or scratches in the intimate area, what is their nature,
• whether a similar symptom has appeared before (for example, genital herpes can make itself known periodically and disappear on its own), etc.

The doctor must study the patient's medical history, because information about existing pathologies can explain the appearance of itching in the perineum. In principle, an experienced doctor can make a preliminary diagnosis after examining the patient. However, without tests, it is impossible to talk about a final diagnosis, because there is always a possibility that there is more than one pathology. Laboratory tests help to reveal hidden concomitant diseases.

What tests may be prescribed to the patient in this situation:

• standard urine and blood tests (OAM and CBC),
• biochemical blood test,
• sugar tests (they are the only ones that help confirm or rule out diabetes),
• smear (scraping) followed by testing for the infectious agent (helps confirm or exclude the infectious nature of the disease),
• If you suspect that the itching is of an allergic nature (if infection, diabetes and poor hygiene are excluded), it is advisable to conduct a test to identify the allergen.

If there is a suspicion of tumor processes, the doctor may prescribe additional examinations: ultrasound and tissue biopsy (inguinal lymph nodes, if they are enlarged) in the area of the neoplasm. If there is a suspicion of ringworm of the groin, an additional examination of the "crime scene" is carried out under a Wood's lamp and material is taken for histological examination to exclude oncology.

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Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnostics are carried out based on the results of physical examination and laboratory tests. This allows us to differentiate itching that appears as a result of internal diseases, and the same symptom caused by local reactions to infection or allergen.

In order to be able to prescribe effective treatment, it is very important to find out what kind of infection caused the itching: viruses, fungi or bacteria, and to determine their type. The fact is that viral pathologies (for example, the herpes virus) cannot be completely cured; symptoms are relieved with the help of immunostimulants and special antiviral ointments. A bacterial infection requires the use of antibiotics (locally and sometimes systemically), and fungi can only be destroyed with antifungal agents (antimycotics).

If the cause of itching is an inflammatory pathology of the urinary system, an infection is implied initially, therefore treatment with systemic antibiotics is prescribed.

If the sugar test shows a significant excess of its norm, the diagnosis is "diabetes mellitus". In this case, treatment involves a diet and taking special drugs to reduce blood sugar.

As we can see, the effectiveness of the prescribed treatment directly depends on how correctly the differential diagnosis is carried out. It is very difficult to rely only on the results of an external examination, because the peculiarity of the intimate area is that there is always increased humidity there, and air access is limited, therefore even mycoses and dermatoses proceed in a specific way (with the formation of blisters and weeping wounds, more typical of viral pathologies). Only special laboratory and instrumental studies help to establish the true cause of itching in the intimate area in men.

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Complications and consequences

But men should not be too proud and relax. If you look closely, the number of problems that cause itching in the intimate area in men is not so small to neglect them. How many men regularly carry out hygiene of the genitals, wear only natural underwear, use hypoallergenic baby soap and the same powders, maintain an optimal temperature in the pelvic area? Most likely, there are only a few of them, but there are millions of those who do not perform at least some of the above.

What about protection during intercourse? Let's skip the topic of latex allergy and talk about condoms as a means of protection against sexually transmitted diseases. Do many men use them to the detriment of their pleasure, since latex reduces the sensitivity of the genitals, which affects the strength of the orgasm? And this is not fiction, but the opinion of the men themselves, which they use to justify their reluctance to use condoms. So how does it stand with protection against STIs? Do we have more effective means that the stronger sex uses?

We can talk for a long time about the fact that it is practically impossible to insure against all factors that cause itching in the intimate area. You can only reduce the risk of such a symptom, which in many cases may not be so harmless.

It would seem that there is nothing to worry about if the itching is caused by poor hygiene? In fact, this symptom causes an irresistible desire to deal with it once and for all by scratching the itchy area well. Moreover, the mechanical effect on the skin causes such relief, close to euphoria, that it simply does not allow you to stop in time.

But the skin on the hands and in the intimate area is very different. If the skin on the hands is thick, roughened by the influence of air and sun, then on the genitals it is more tender and sensitive, therefore rough impact can cause its damage (wounds, scratches), and especially if there is already an inflammatory process, indicated by swelling, redness, rash.

Any micro- and macrodamage to the skin causes burning and pain, and this is additional concern. The appearance of a wound in a place where moisture is regularly present is quite a big problem, because such damage can take a long time to heal, and its location is such that there is a high risk of infection getting inside the wound, constantly nesting in the anus and genital area. It must be said, the prospect is not the most pleasant.

In principle, all of the above applies to allergic itching and to such factors as external and internal pathologies, manifested by the same painful local symptom in a delicate area. But pathological factors are also dangerous because some of them, in addition to discomfort, also bring some complications in sexual life. If scratching is fraught with painful sensations during movement and sexual intercourse, then infections, hormonal disorders, diabetes, cancer and some other pathologies can seriously affect a man's potency.

Itching in the intimate area may be the first sign of just such a disease in a man. And the sooner the cause of the symptom is identified, the more likely it is to correct the situation, without bringing it to serious problems in sexual life or a critical condition with a danger to life (as in cancer and anemia).

It is important to understand that itching may be a symptom of a sexually transmitted disease, and then the man will already be a danger to his sexual partners. Shyness, unwillingness to bring your problem to the attention of a specialist and relatives, fear of condemnation are not a good reason not to go to the doctor for examination and treatment, while continuing to replenish the ranks of patients with STDs. Men, if you are not worried about yourself, at least think about those around you.

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Prevention

Those who have experienced this horror associated with itching in intimate places at least once in their lives will not want it to happen again. And although most pathologies and conditions accompanied by the above-mentioned symptom do not pose a particular danger, and the prognosis for their treatment is generally favorable, few people will want to go through this again.

What needs to be done to ensure that itching in the intimate area never appears, what preventive measures will help to avoid this painful symptom:

• As we know, the basis of healthy skin is its cleanliness. The entire skin should be clean, but intimate areas with their secret folds, specific secretions and proximity to the anus should be given special attention. It is not necessary, as during treatment, to carry out intimate hygiene procedures 2 or more times a day. It is enough to wash the perineal area daily with water and natural soap, plus take a shower after intercourse.
• For hygiene procedures, you need to choose hypoallergenic detergents on a natural basis. Any baby soap is considered an excellent option.
• When buying underwear, you should always pay attention to its composition. Ideally, the fabrics for such clothes should not contain synthetic fibers. Cotton and linen are considered the best fabric options.
• It is better to use laundry soap or safer baby powders for washing underwear. This will reduce the likelihood of an allergic reaction to detergents.
• If the skin in the intimate areas is very delicate and sensitive, and there are microdamages and irritations, it is advisable to limit swimming in open water to avoid infection.
• If a drug prescribed for therapeutic purposes causes an allergic reaction, it should be discontinued and antihistamines should be taken for several days.
• You shouldn't wrap up your genitals too much unless it's very cold outside. Overheating the intimate area will negatively affect the condition of the skin and reproductive system, and if a man has to undress in a cold room, the sudden change in temperature will complicate the situation even more.
• If a man notices itching and rashes in the genital area, his first thought may be to cauterize the wounds with alcohol, iodine, or brilliant green. This should never be done, as a painful, hard-to-heal burn may form on the delicate skin.
• Itching in the perineum may be temporary (did not wash in time, used someone else's soap, which caused an allergic reaction, etc.). Usually, this symptom, in the absence of an irritating factor, after effective hygiene procedures and the use of folk remedies, disappears within a couple of days. If this does not happen, you need to seek advice and help from specialists.

Itching in the intimate area in men is a delicate problem that many representatives of the stronger sex prefer to keep silent about, resorting only to the help of traditional medicine recipes and pharmacy drugs that they prescribe themselves. This approach to solving the problem is fraught with the appearance of new unpleasant symptoms. In addition, as a result of ineffective "home" treatment, time can be lost during which it was possible to get rid of the disease without consequences for men's health. Time heals, but not in this case.

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