This is Chappie, coming to you from my lockdown position, poised at my desk and ready to bring you the latest instalment from the Chappie The Man official blog.
This week, we’re covering the reasons why you might have experienced (or are currently experiencing) a sore and smelly penis, which can be both alarming and a great source of discomfort. Make sure you know your stuff when it comes to your little chap needing some TLC.
You’re suffering from an STI
Some STIs (like chlamydia) can be elusive, presenting no symptoms until it becomes so advanced that your fertility is affected. However, in some cases, chlamydia can cause a white and watery discharge to leak from the penis, whilst in the case of gonorrhoea, this discharge is white, green or yellow and odorous.
It’s also common to experience inflammation of the foreskin and pain whilst urinating, in the case of the latter. Be sure to refrain from sexual contact and get tested ASAP if you think you might have contracted an STI.
Balanitis
Affecting around 3-11% of males during their lifetime, balanitis is inflammation of the penis – if your foreskin becomes inflamed too, this is called balanoposthitis. It’s more common for uncircumcised men to develop balanitis-related complications, as it’s more difficult to reach certain areas of the penis when cleaning it.
If this sounds familiar to you, try using a flannel with a small amount of unperfumed and alcohol-free soap, gently pulling back the foreskin and cleaning it carefully.
Skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema can exacerbate balanitis – if you’re a chronic sufferer of these conditions, you should speak to your GP about prescribing a topical cream to manage it, and thus reduce your chances of developing balanitis.
Yeast infection
You will likely have heard of a yeast infection referred to as ‘thrush’, which occurs when Candida fungus (it’s natural to have a bit of this across certain areas of the skin) on your penis multiplies too readily and gives it a mould-like smell. Yeast infections are more common in women, but males who have unprotected sex with women can pick up thrush along the way.
If you have it, you might experience burning, rash and irritation which isn’t life-threatening but can be a damn nuisance! Make sure you head to a pharmacy and ask to speak to a pharmacist in private – they can either prescribe you a cream or advise you to visit your GP depending on the severity of the infection.
Smegma
h smegma! The old friend that never gets the hint when you want to cut ties with them! If you have a penis, it’s likely that you will have experienced a build-up of smegma at some point in your life – it’s your little chap’s (pretty harmless) arch-nemesis. Smegma is simply the accretion of dead skin cells.
When a person hasn’t cleaned their penis properly (even just once) smegma can occur, in the form of a thick white and rather smelly substance. Activities that cause you to sweat can also trigger the creation of smegma under the foreskin. Be sure to clean your penis thoroughly, to prevent smegma build-up from leading to balanitis.
Signing off
If you’ve got symptoms such as the above that have been lingering for longer than a week, and home remedies aren’t helping, it’s important that you visit your GP ASAP. Even during the lockdown period, your genital health is still paramount and could be trying to indicate a serious problem that needs treatment right away. Don’t ignore it, sort it chaps!