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Penile psoriasis can appear anywhere on the penis, from the beginning of the shaft to the tip of the glans, whether you're circumcised or uncircumcised. Unlike plaque psoriasis, the skin is usually red, but smooth rather than rough and dry. Although its hidden deep in your underpants, it can be worse than any psoriasis on any other body parts. Lending a Hand to Your PrivatesNo, not that type of hand. There are many ways of relieving the physical discomfort of penile psoriasis. Whilst it may not look great visually, it can still feel great if you treat it right. The first piece of advice is that the more you touch it, the worse it gets. Masturbation jokes aside, it is not a great idea to keep picking or scratching at skin around your groin, because it will just make the area sore and expose your skin to more infections. The skin around your penis is extra thin, so scratching it or pulling the dry skin off can make it quite sensitive - ouch! The second bit of advice is to wear 100% cotton underwear. You can choose Y-fronts, briefs or boxers, just make sure that its cotton. Cotton allows the skin to breathe properly and absorb extra moisture, which means that your skin won't be aggravated by sweat. Please don't wear spandex or anything made from itchy, bristly wool! The third words of wisdom are to use moisturizer! Moisturizing the dry areas in the morning can make the daytime more tolerable; but you will have to experiment with what brands to use. For example, you probably don't want to go to your office with a massive tub of some greasy ointment that leaves a mess everywhere. Your co-workers might get the wrong impression and you will probably leave oily fingerprints on important paperwork. Natural, hypo-allergenic lotions work best. The fourth and final suggestion is to wear loose fitting clothes. Skinny jeans might be all the rage right now, but they'll only enrage your penile psoriasis. All that friction from fabrics rubbing around will irritate your skin a lot so consider being a bit less fashion conscious and buying some parachute pants like MC Hammer. There's lot of room for all your bits and bobs in there. What treatments are available?The groin and penile area is very sensitive, and therefore can be quite difficult to treat. However, there are a few options, as follows. The first line of attack is usually a topical treatment using a corticosteroid cream such as hydrocortisone. It can treat psoriasis of the penis quickly, but there are some severe side-effects to consider. Since the skin in the groin and penile area is so sensitive, it can absorb up to 30% of the cream. This can lead to thinning and discoloration of the skin and even impotence. It's not worth it. The second treatment option is phototherapy using ultraviolet B and ultraviolet A light. It can take from 20 to 60 sessions for this to have an affect, and it exposes you to major side-effects. These risks include damage to the skin and skin cancer, and even testicular cancer. It's also not worth it. The best way of controlling psoriasis is identifying exactly what triggers cause your flare-ups, and then limiting your exposure to them or cutting them off completely. Whilst it is okay to use a little bit of Hydrocortisone or Betamethasone to keep away the worst of the psoriasis on your penis, doing so over the long term can cause significant and undesirable side-effects. Please consult your dermatologist or health practitioner for a detailed plan on dealing with your psoriasis. 2011-12-26
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