my son is 9 mo. old and on Tues, his foreskin started getting red and swollen. I looked up some info and read that it was similar to diaper rash - use a barrier cream and change more often. so have done that, we use cloth diapers, so I've been using fleece as well to keep it dry, and letting him go without a diaper as much as possible. I did let him soak in a bath today. however, it's not getting better. still red, swollen, and some of the skin is starting to peel and occasionally is bloody, just a tiny bit ... so the sticky above seemed to say that red, swollen, etc. was from separation, but this early? and it's still not better. I must confess I feel uneducated. DS is showing no signs of discomfort.
**11 month Update**
So, here we are 2 months later and this problem is still not resolved although we've thought it has been several times. When we went to the ped., she gave us a antibiotic cream and oral Rx, suggesting that it might be a herpes infection. So we used the cream for 10 days and it seemed to be getting better although never completely cleared up. After a week or two it had fully returned. So after consulting with ped., we started the cream again. We also stopped using our wipes warmer because the water was taking on a funny smell and we also switched back to the only detergent we'd used since ds was born. Within a few days his penis was beautiful
Then, a few days more and it's back. It was not getting red and swollen as much but getting blisters that would swell up and then peel off. Now in the past few days it's getting red and swollen again. I really don't want to use the oral antibiotic just to see if that covers it. Especially after reading here that it could just mask something for a time. I asked the ped about herbal treatment and we're making a mixture of almond oil w/lemon balm which is supposed to help specifically with herpes. So, here's the sad part ... when I said to the ped, if it is herpes, does that mean this will be something he could deal with forever, she said "well, I don't know, you might want to consider circumcising" 
I know she won't mention it again and won't push us, because she's very good about that, so not really too bothered, but, man, I was hoping she would believe in the foreskin!! I asked her if the infection (or whatever it is) would still be present even if he was circ'd, and she said, yes, very well. She also mentioned it could be from teething, which we have been in the throes of for a couple of months, but it just doesn't seem right.
Anyway, sorry to be so long ... I just want this resolved so badly. ANY suggestions would be so appreciated. Thanks for reading!
**11 month Update**
So, here we are 2 months later and this problem is still not resolved although we've thought it has been several times. When we went to the ped., she gave us a antibiotic cream and oral Rx, suggesting that it might be a herpes infection. So we used the cream for 10 days and it seemed to be getting better although never completely cleared up. After a week or two it had fully returned. So after consulting with ped., we started the cream again. We also stopped using our wipes warmer because the water was taking on a funny smell and we also switched back to the only detergent we'd used since ds was born. Within a few days his penis was beautiful
Then, a few days more and it's back. It was not getting red and swollen as much but getting blisters that would swell up and then peel off. Now in the past few days it's getting red and swollen again. I really don't want to use the oral antibiotic just to see if that covers it. Especially after reading here that it could just mask something for a time. I asked the ped about herbal treatment and we're making a mixture of almond oil w/lemon balm which is supposed to help specifically with herpes. So, here's the sad part ... when I said to the ped, if it is herpes, does that mean this will be something he could deal with forever, she said "well, I don't know, you might want to consider circumcising" I know she won't mention it again and won't push us, because she's very good about that, so not really too bothered, but, man, I was hoping she would believe in the foreskin!! I asked her if the infection (or whatever it is) would still be present even if he was circ'd, and she said, yes, very well. She also mentioned it could be from teething, which we have been in the throes of for a couple of months, but it just doesn't seem right.Anyway, sorry to be so long ... I just want this resolved so badly. ANY suggestions would be so appreciated. Thanks for reading!
:
Frankly it sounds as if your ped doesn't have a clue. If it's herpes, which is viral, an antibiotic (whether cream or oral) won't do a thing. Antibiotics don't work against viruses!
