Cracks on foreskin

[babygrant]

DH would be so mad if he knew I was posting this here. He gets cracks on his foreskin and he doesn't know what causes them or how to treat them. He sent me an article that recommended circumcision and then sending the foreskin to a pathologist to look at it. : He won't get circ'd but wants advice on what to do. He says it's like little splits down the foreskin.

[glongley]

Cracks down the foreskin doesn't sound very normal or comfortable. But the answer is probably really simple, and circumcision is almost certainly not the only solution.

Has he been seen by a doctor? Dermatologist? Naturopath? Diagnoses? Alternative treatments tried? Possible yeast infection? Allergens or irritants?

There so much to look into, that circumcision should be so far down the list as to not even be considered at this point. He should also make this clear to any practitioner he goes to see.

I suggest you email Marilyn Milos at NOCIRC (http://www.nocirc.org/contact.php) for some additional suggestions, but just following up on any one of the above approaches/second opinions should find you a solution pretty soon.

Gillian

[gabysmom617]

I could be wrong, but I'm betting it's a pesky yeast infection. They cause cracks on lots of things, including right now, on my nipples. : Ouch.

Does he have any itching or discharge or otherwise peeling?

He could try taking some grapefruit seed extract pills. He could even put a few drops of liquid grapefruit seed extract in his bath water if you think it might be yeast related.

Editing to ADD:
When I first clicked onto this thread, I thought it was going to be discussing "Cracks on foreskin" as in, jokes on them in the lockerroom or something.

[babygrant]

Well I had a yeast infection that is going away slowly but surely. So maybe it IS yeast and that's how he got it.

[AutumnMama]

Yeah, I would say that it's probably a yeast infection then. Nasty things.
I remember the first time I got one, the Dr prescribed meds for both me and DH because it can be passed back and forth.

You can probably just get some vaginal anti-fungal cream and have him apply that several times a day; it should help!

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

If you had yeast and he is having this issue now I would about bet money he has yeast. When dh got it from me he had splits on the shaft right near the glans (he is circed) get him some otc 7 day monistate and make sure he uses it every day. I bet he gets better.

He could also be suffering from simple dry skin. Just like the lips the foreskin can get chapped and bust in the dry air of winter. He can always put some good quality lotion on it and see if that helps before going to the monistate.

[Frankly Speaking]

Yep, it sounds exactly like a yeast infection to me too and until you both get it cleared up, you'll continue to re-infect each other and it'll never completely go away.

I just a few days ago saw an advertisement for an over the counter yeast test kit that can confirm if he has the infection or not and if he does, the same over the counter meds that work for you will work for him.

.

[thixle]

Another vote for yeast. Had my first yeast infection when pregnant, I was given a prescription. A few days later, DH told me about some itchiness- I called my doc to get him the same prescription and was told MEN DON"T GET YEAST INFECTIONS :
Anyway, 7-day monistat cream treatment made it all better!

Could you post that link that reccomends circumcision? I'm really curious now!

[babygrant]

This is the one DH found:

http://www.doctorndtv.com/FAQ/detailfaq.asp?id=8883

[SleeplessMommy]

Has to be a yeast infection. The men's "yeast infection" OTC product is called "jock itch cream". Much more masculine than yeast infection.

To help it go away, he can cut down on sugar. Also, he ought to have his blood sugar tested.

[MCatLvrMom2A&X]

I swear I wish I knew were Dr's get the 100% false information that men cant get yeast infections : :

I was talking to one poor woman who was suffering so badly with yeast and could not get it cleared up. When I asked her if her dh had been treated yet she told me that her Dr. had said men dont get them : and so he just kept giving it back to her over and over. She finally printed off some info. I looked up for her and took it to her Dr. who finally got her dh treated and surprise, surprise no more yeast.

[Roxswood]

Dh has had this, we just treated him with otc vaginal thrush cream (called Canesten over here in the UK) and it went away. He just had to make sure to get some under his foreskin 3-4 times a day for a few days.

[Mommiska]

Originally Posted by babygrant

This is the one DH found:

http://www.doctorndtv.com/FAQ/detailfaq.asp?id=8883

Oh my goodness - what an a** of an answer.

Cut off the foreskih and THEN analyze it to see what was wrong with it? : These freaking cut-happy doctors are idiots.

What are they going to cut off a circed guy (since this can happen to circed guys as well - they just have the cuts on the shaft, since the foreskin isn't there any longer)? Nothing - he'll get treated.

Just like a woman with a similar problem would be treated.

It is infuriating, the idiocy. : :

[thixle]

Originally Posted by Mommiska

What are they going to cut off a circed guy (since this can happen to circed guys as well - they just have the cuts on the shaft, since the foreskin isn't there any longer)? Nothing - he'll get treated.

Just like a woman with a similar problem would be treated.

It is infuriating, the idiocy. : :

That's what I was wondering, too!!! Why wouldn't they just swab first for a "smear" exam under a microscope? I could see taking a small punch biopsy as well, but to remove the entire foreskin (on a grown man at that)??? :

And no offense, but the "expert" doctors are from New Dehli, so I'm wondering if this is simply India "modernizing" with old medical advice... Did that make sense?

eta: "grown man" -- as in, I am against circ 100% I can't imagine being an adult and having to make a decision to cut off your foreskin over a POSSIBLE problem... not someting life threatening, KWIM?