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PLEASE HELP URGENT

I'm going to try to be as thorough as I can. My scrotum has been red and itchy for what's going on five months. It also appears thicker than normal with more folds/creases. The perineum and intergluteal cleft (butt crack) have been itchy as well but show no signs of discoloration. The shaft of my penis is completely normal and does not itch at all. I occasionally (daily) get a strange tingly sensation almost as if something is crawling over my skin that spreads down my inner thighs almost to the tops of my knees. No sign of rash or discoloration on my thighs. Occasional intense pain that feels like its coming from inside my scrotum. I've seen seven people that include dermatologists/Urgent Care physicians who have prescribed a wide range of different treatments that include everything from tea tree oil to topicals to antibiotics. NOTHING seems to have worked. I've tested for STDs and everything has come back negative. I've used Cortisone/oxistat/diflucan/antifungal foot fungus spray/gold bond/zeasorb/colloidal silver/elidel/terrasil, literally EVERYTHING. I've also changed detergents and wear 100% cotton loose fitting boxers with an all natural antifungal soap. It's really taken a toll on my sleeping patterns and psyche in general... my girlfriend broke up with me because of it and i feel like I am at the end of my rope here....

Does anybody have any idea as to what is happening... please...
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Avatar universal
Absolutely, that the nomenclature changes abruptly there, though the cause is apparently the same!
Helpful - 0
4851940 tn?1515694593
Both men and women with genital dysaesthesia may experience similar symptoms of burning, irritability or discomfort of their genital region.  But women do NOT have a scrotum.   The symptoms in women would be called vulvodynia.

There are also other medical conditions with similar symptoms, hence it is always best to seek the advice of a specialist and get the appropriate testing done.
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Avatar universal
Both men and women with genital dysaesthesia may experience similar symptoms of burning, irritability or discomfort of their genital region.
http://www.dermnetnz.org/site-age-specific/male-genital-dysaesthesia.html

While older age group have been more commonly affected, and steroid implicated, yet can occur in the younger age group.
And then while Red scrotum is commonly confined to scrotal area, a coexisting fungus is also known.

Best wishes.
Helpful - 0
4851940 tn?1515694593
I don't thing that women would ever get "red scrotum syndrome"  :)
I have read that "red scrotum syndrome" is only confined to the scrotum and is usually due to cortisone use.  

It think that it was negligent of the care physician to recommend a foot fungus spray.  The composition of this is different to the antifungal medications for the genital area.  

If you are ever uncertain which product to purchase, the pharmacist will advise and assist you.  You only need to ask.

Don't forget to show the doctor all the area that is red including your inner thighs and it is very important that you mention the painful scrotum.  This does needs investigating.
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Avatar universal
Thank you very much for your insightful input. I've made an appointment with a physician to discuss the possibility of it being red scrotum syndrome... I'll give an update as soon as possible.

I'm only twenty-two and it seems most cases are found in elderly men/women. But we shall see. Fingers crossed.

and to the foot fungus spray... an urgent care physician recommended I try it. Needless to say, I did not use it for more than a day.
Helpful - 0
4851940 tn?1515694593
Don't neglect your scrotal pain.  This needs to be investigated urgently.  It may or may not be connected to the skin problem.

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Avatar universal
While the test is known as "Scraping for fungus"as requested to the labs-, as to whether a real scrape has to be done, or a touch preparation depends on the presence of epidermal tissue and of course the location.The presence of pus may merit a culture and sensitivity test.Usually a fungus test indicates scraping of tissue lightly and examining with KOH for hyphae.
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4851940 tn?1515694593
They don't scrape the skin to take a swab.
They usually use a cotton bud to just touch the skin area which is then sent to the laboratory for analysis.
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Avatar universal
The intense pain is in favour of the "Red Scrotum", but then a clinical examination, and fungus scapings are needed to have a proper diagnosis.

Cheers.
Helpful - 0
4851940 tn?1515694593
Have you had a swab taken from the skin areas that are causing you your problem?

If not, then you should ask your doctor to arrange for this.  The swab is sent to the laboratory to identify any bacteria/fungus etc.

Care needs to be taken when using cortisone creams as these can thin the skin.  Why have you been spraying your private area with an antifungal foot fungus spray?  This is not suitable for use on the genitals. Don't do it.

You can purchase antifungal creams that are for the specific use on the genitals. Your doctor can prescribe this for your and you can also purchase antifungal creams for use on the genitals from the pharmacy without a prescription.  If you are unsure which product to purchase, you pharmacist can assist you.

When you get your skin swab results and it does indicate a fungal problem, your doctor can also prescribe antifungal capsules to take by mouth.  You can purchase this from the pharmacy without a prescription, but because you seem to have a large problem area, I would wait for your skin swab results.  Your doctor may need to treat you for many months on antifungal medications if it is found to be a fungal problem.  

Because your condition is spreading down your thighs nearly to your knees you need another medical assessment.   I do not know whether "red scrotum syndrome" is only confined to the scrotum.

If you do have a condition called "red scrotum syndrome" this is not going to be easy to treat.

Because you have mentioned the itching on your "crack" and the condition spreading down your legs, it is may likely be a fungal problem.  Fungal problems can take many months of treatment by oral capsules, creams and bathing to treat the fungus.

You are doing the right thing by wearing loose underpants. Wear cotton fabric ones.   An antibacterial cream or antibacterial soap will not work for any fungal problems. You may find using non perfumed soaps, soap that has the same pH level as our skin and baby washes fine to use.  Other soaps will just dry and irritate the skin.  You can also purchase an emollient from the pharmacy to use as a substitute for soap, your doctor can prescribe this too.  

Only use non biological washing detergents and the fabric softeners that are suitable for people with sensitive skin.  You may find using latex free condoms better for you as you may have an allergy to the latex.

Even though everything is itchy, try not to scratch, as hard as it will be to resist.  Scratching will damage the skin and can cause the thickening of the skin.
If you feel the itching is unbearable, have a cool shower to cool down the itchiness.  As a home remedy, you can also try putting natural set yogurt to your washed and gently dried problem area.  The yogurt is very cooling and helps to reduce any inflammation in the skin.

With the pain that you feel is coming from the scrotum, have you had that checked out?  Speak with your doctor with regard to this as you may need a referral to a urologist.

With the condition spreading and you can feel the sensations of the crawling going down your inner thighs, ask your doctor if he can check you for glucose intolerance or diabetes.  It is very common to experience skin problems with diabetes.  

You may find that bathing with a big cupful of Epsom Salts with some baby oil (Epsom Salts is drying) may help your skin issues.  It does take a long time to treat the skin problem.  

Make sure that you eat a healthy and well balanced diet, cutting out or cutting down on junk, sugary and processed foods.  Eat more fruit and vegetables and ensure that you drink plenty of fluids.  2 litres of water a day is usually recommended, more if you sweat a lot.

It would be helpful to you if the underlying cause was found so that you could receive the appropriate treatment.

Make the appointment and see your doctor again and ask for a skin swab to be done and consider the other points I have mentioned.

Let me know how you get on.

Best wishes.
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