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Noticed Redness And Swelling On Foreskin After Unprotected Sex. How To Cure This?

Posted on Tue, 23 Apr 2013

Question: i recently had unprotected sex and one day later the tip of my foreskin turned red and swollen. the tip of the foreskin has now become tight to the point that its painfull to pull it back, it also painful if the foreskin comes intact with clothes or anything else, please help, what can it be?

Answered by Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar (1 hour later)

Hello and welcome to Healthcare Magic. Thanks for your query.

From the description of your symptoms, it appears that you are suffering from a "posthitis", that is, an infection / inflammation of the prepuce (foreskin of the penis). Since your symptoms started a day after unprotected sexual exposure, it is quite likely that you could have contracted a sexually transmitted infection.

The redness, swelling and pain are indicative of persisting inflammation and this is the reason why you are not able to retract the foreskin freely.

Now, it is important that you seek medical help for this as early as possible because, if left untreated, the inflammation can result in fibrosis or scarring, which may cause more complications. You will need a course of anti-inflammatory medication and a course of antibiotics to treat the infection and inflammation.

You can also try washing the area three to four times daily with diluted potassium permanganate solution (potassium permanganate crystals or solution should be available with your local chemist) or diluted povidone-iodine solution.

Wish you all the best.

Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist & Sexologist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar (19 hours later)

Thanks for your feedback, I was researching prior to submitting my query and have purchased Clotrimazole Cream as thought it was yeast infection, would it help or make things worse if i use it?

Also purchased 3x 500mg Azithromycin tablets for the possible STI that may have contracted, taking these will help correct?

Answered by Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar (18 hours later)

Hello again,

Clotrimazole is an anti-fungal medication and is effective against yeast infections. But the description of your symptoms does not match a typical yeast infection; however, it would do no harm to try the cream.

Azithromycin would be a fairly good choice of an antibiotic and is effective against bacterial STIs. So, it would be helpful to take a course of Azithromycin.

Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist & Sexologist

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar (23 minutes later)

Thanks, what would a product name for diluted potassium permanganate solution or diluted povidone-iodine solution. Just that I'm in vietnam and hard to explain these to pharmacy store with out a name brand that I could show them.

Answered by Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar (1 hour later)

Povidone-iodine is available universally under the brand name "Betadine". This should definitely be available in most pharmacies.

Potassium permanganate doesn't come with any specific brand name, but its concentrate or crystals should be available with chemists.

Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist & Sexologist

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar