My boyfriend came to me with a rash on his pubic area. He is very faithful, no doubt about it, and he sees his rash as extremely embarassing. He does not have any medical insurance, so he can't see a doctor.
His rash: There are small clusters of pustulates about 3 inches from the penis, maybe 10 in all. They look like an allergic reaction, but they are only confined to the front of his inguinal area. (I've tried washing his sheets, towels, and boxers in baby hypo-allergenic detergent for the last 4 weeks but have had no luck.) He has had this issue for about 8 to 9 weeks. The rash has not grown larger/increased intensity since it started. In the last 3 days it has abated slightly. He mentioned that he tried to "pop" them like a zit but only had blood coming out of them; I told him it was not a great idea. He does not have any significant itching or burning in that area. The rash itself is neither on the penis or the scrotum. He is not experiencing any difficulty in urinating or sexual activity (although there has been barely any since this started). His main issue is that he is very embarassed. He has been applying an antibiotic ointment to the affected area somewhat regularly for 3 weeks, with the above mentioned decrease in the last few days.
I think he has "tinea cruris" because his symptoms seem to match. I want to basically make sure that I'm not missing anything that may cause significant damage to his health. (I am a Nursing student and have urged him to seek professional help, but I'm afraid it will have to almost kill him or permanently disable him before he will consider it.)
Also, if there is a recommended over-the-counter medication or a good way to get him to see a doctor, it would be helpful.