Fungus on the penis in men: what it looks like (PHOTOS) and how to treat fungus on the genitals

Last update: 06/07/2020

Author of the article

Gartleb Oksana

Obstetrician-gynecologist of the highest category, Head of the gynecological department of the Medgard-Saratov network of multidisciplinary clinics

Chronic fungal infections: symptoms
Treatment of fungal diseases of the genital organs
Prevention of recurrence of genital mycoses

Mycosis (fungal infection in the vagina, candidiasis) is a common problem faced by many women.

The disease is caused by representatives of opportunistic microflora, present in small quantities in the vagina, intestines and oral cavity of healthy women. However, if, under the influence of internal or external factors, a decrease in immunity occurs, the amount of opportunistic microflora increases (see photo of what it looks like). As a result, mycosis of the genital organs develops. If the fungus has not been completely cured, the disease can develop into an advanced form, causing the woman a lot of inconvenience.

Expert opinion

Recurrent mycoses of the genital organs occur in both women and men. However, their prevalence in women is higher, which is due to the nature of the structure of the female genital organs and the lower susceptibility of the male body to pathogens of mycoses of the intimate zone.

Obstetrician-gynecologist of the highest category Oksana Anatolyevna Gartleb

Causes of fungus on the penis

Fungus on the male genital organ is a very common disease due to poor personal hygiene.

When fungi of the yeast group Candida begin to multiply, this leads to the development of thrush. This disease is characterized by the development of inflammatory processes on the foreskin and head of the penis. Thrush simply haunts men who have problems with blood sugar levels. This is due to the fact that diabetics have a very weak immune system.

Another common reason why fungus appears on the penis is numerous sexual relations with different partners without the use of contraception, especially if the young ladies have thrush.

Fungus on the head of the penis regularly appears in guys who have poor personal hygiene, suffer from excessive sweating, or are often hypothermic. There are many reasons that are associated with the course of other diseases. If the patient is diagnosed with:

tuberculosis,
long-term hormonal imbalances,
HIV,
viral diseases or flu,
oncology at different stages,
intestinal candidiasis, which was provoked by long-term use of hormonal drugs or antibiotics.

All these cases almost 100% guarantee the parallel asymptomatic course of thrush. It should be understood that fungus on the penis in men cannot be left without treatment. This disease requires high-quality and correct diagnosis in order to select the optimal treatment regimen.

Symptoms and signs of fungal infection

A patient who has an excessive amount of Candida fungus on the glans penis experiences many discomfort symptoms. At the initial stage of development of thrush, almost all patients complain of increased dryness of the mucous membranes and tightness of the foreskin, which leads to pain when touched. The following symptoms clearly indicate that you need to visit a doctor:

the development of an inflammatory process around the head and foreskin, which provokes active redness in these places,
there is mucous discharge, sometimes of a cheesy nature,
mild itching that constantly bothers the patient and if the disease is not treated, this symptom intensifies,
burning sensation and unpleasant pain during urination.

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If a man has at least two symptoms from this list, it is already necessary to make an appointment with a doctor.

The fungus also provokes the development of a disease such as Candida balanoposthitis. It is transmitted sexually, therefore, when the first signs of the disease appear, it is recommended to abstain from sexual contact for the duration of treatment. Treatment must be carried out simultaneously with a sexual partner. If you ignore the problem and do not start treatment immediately, you can provoke the occurrence of serious complications, such as persistent phimosis or erysipelas of the penis.

Another common disease that develops as a result of the active proliferation of a fungal infection. At risk are men whose work involves constant exposure to conditions of high humidity and high temperature. The symptoms of all these diseases are similar. Burning, itching, redness are the main symptoms of fungal development in the groin area.

In an advanced state, thrush in a man can provoke more pronounced symptoms. These include: elevated body temperature, pronounced chills, nagging pain in the lower abdomen and lumbar region, frequent urination, pain during sexual intercourse.

White coating on the penis after sex

Usually these are remnants of female genital lubricant. Discharge is suitable food for bacteria, so after sexual intercourse, be sure to wash the male organs and wipe dry.

Failure to comply with hygiene provokes the addition of infection and the onset of diseases:

balanitis - inflammation of the skin;
balanoposthitis - damage to the head and inner part of the foreskin;
phimosis is a condition when, due to tissue swelling, it is difficult or impossible to expose the head of the genital organ;
urethritis is the penetration of infection into the urinary canal, causing pain when urinating.

The transition to disease is caused by a decrease in immunity due to chronic diseases, hormonal problems, and diabetes. Urologists are often the first to detect hidden diabetes.

Treatment depends on the cause of the plaque and is prescribed after smear tests, PCR, and drug sensitivity cultures.

Diagnostic methods

To verify the causative agent of the disease, you will need to undergo tests

In order to identify a fungus on the head of the penis, you will need to take several tests and seek help from a urologist, mycologist or dermatologist. After the specialist conducts an examination to confirm the diagnosis, he will need to study the results of the smear. If the result is positive, then there is a need for a culture test to determine the type of fungus and its concentration.

It is worth understanding that there is more than one type of fungus that can affect the glans penis, so before prescribing treatment, the doctor must verify the type of causative agent of the disease.

Diagnosis of mycosis of inguinal folds

Most cases of inguinal mycosis can be recognized by examination by a dermatologist. Additional examination may include:

scraping the skin from the affected area, treating it with potassium hydroxide and examining it under a microscope to identify fungal cells;
placing a scraping sample on a nutrient medium so that fungal cells grow in large numbers, which will allow them to study their biochemical properties.

Sometimes inguinal mycosis is misdiagnosed. In this case, it occurs under the guise of other diseases, for example, eczema. Treatment of inguinal mycosis may not be effective enough. In this case, you may need to be examined by a dermatologist using a Wood's lamp or even a biopsy of the affected area.

How to treat fungus on the penis

Effective treatment of fungus on the penis directly depends on the quality of the examination and correct determination of the type of fungus that causes unpleasant symptoms. The attending physician must draw up a comprehensive treatment regimen individually for each patient. In parallel with antifungal drugs, it is necessary to inject vitamins to restore the functioning of the immune system. Most often, the doctor prescribes for fungus on the penis: tablets, ointments, gel creams. Also, in parallel, it is simply necessary to begin treatment of chronic infectious diseases (carious teeth, urethritis, etc.)

Ointments and other external remedies

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An effective topical drug that has an inhibitory effect on the fungus

How to cure fungus on the penis? Since the disease is fungal in nature, to treat it the doctor will prescribe the antifungal ointment Clotrimazole or other options with a similar composition. This ointment for fungus on the penis shows a good antimycotic reaction and has proven itself well among the antimyotics in this area. Before use, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the contraindications, of which there are quite a few for this ointment, so you should not prescribe it yourself. Effective topical drugs that have an inhibitory effect on the fungus of the Candida family include Candida, Miconazole and Micogal. Local therapy using ointment for fungus on the penis lasts on average 10-14 days.

Medicines for oral administration

In addition to external ointments and gels, it is necessary to simultaneously purchase antifungal drugs for external use, which are taken in parallel with a diet and complete abstinence from alcohol and intimate life (for the duration of treatment). Today doctors prefer such drugs as: Miconazole, Ketoconzole, Econazole, Pimafucin, Natamycin.

If the area of infection is large, the attending physician may prescribe corticosteroid drugs (Medoflucon, Diflucan, Flucostat). Modern systemic drugs are sold in the form of tablets and injections. Biosed and Saparalyu work well.

The selection of any medications occurs on an individual basis based on the results of smear tests. The specifics of taking antibiotics and the duration of treatment are also determined by the attending physician. In this case, if any side effects occur, the patient must notify his doctor to adjust the treatment regimen and replace the drug. All medications used during treatment must be strictly controlled by a urologist or dermatologist to ensure that there are no deviations from medical prescriptions.

Folk remedies

To treat fungus on the penis, you can use ingredients from traditional medicine recipes

You can try to treat fungus on the penis in men using traditional medicine. Naturally, such treatment cannot be the main one, but only an auxiliary method along with the main therapy. In this case, it is better to discuss the possibility of using each component with your doctor. Natural remedies are used for lotions, compresses, ointments or baths. In order to treat fungus on the skin of the penis, it is recommended to use the following traditional medicine recipes.

Chamomile and calendula decoction. Two tablespoons of chopped herbs of each type are poured into a fireproof container, which are poured with two glasses of boiling water. After the broth has been infused for half an hour. It can be used for soothing baths.

Juniper fruits. From them you can prepare a tincture for internal use. The fruits of the plant are poured with boiling water and infused for 24 hours in a dark place. After which the tincture is filtered and taken a tablespoon three times a day.

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Tea tree oil is a powerful antifungal and antiseptic. It is recommended to apply a small amount of oil to the fungal lesion on the skin of the penis twice a day (morning and evening)

Garlic. Treatment of penile fungus can be carried out using such a strong antimicrobial and antifungal agent as garlic. It is recommended to use it in the daily diet, drink juice, make tinctures and compresses.

Treatment

Timely treatment of these diseases is extremely important. Untreated mycoses can develop into an advanced form and lead to the development of other diseases of the pelvic organs - inflammatory processes in the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes, cystitis, colpitis, cervical erosion, etc. In especially advanced cases, chronic vaginal fungus can indirectly affect the complications with conception, normal pregnancy and childbirth.

Treatment of mycoses should be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. The doctor will collect anamnesis, conduct an examination in the chair, prescribe the necessary laboratory tests and, based on the results obtained, select the appropriate medications. Irrational self-medication using traditional medicine and dubious advice is highly discouraged. Usually it is precisely this that leads to the transition of the disease to an advanced form with periodic relapses.

Treatment of mycoses is aimed at solving the following problems:

Destruction of fungal infection.
Reducing pain.
Normalization of microflora.
Elimination of pathogenic agents.
Increasing the body's defenses.

To achieve these goals, antifungal drugs are usually used (for external use (ointments, suppositories) and for oral administration (tablets), immunomodulators, vitamin complexes; in rare cases, antibiotics may be required. Nutritional correction plays an important role: it is advisable to reduce the amount of simple carbohydrates, sweets, yeast baked goods, fermented cheeses, beer and kvass.

In addition to medications with antifungal effects prescribed during a gynecological consultation, the use of the restorative gel “Gynocomfort” occupies an important place in the treatment of mycoses. This product has undergone clinical studies, which have proven its high effectiveness as part of complex therapy for candidiasis to restore normal vaginal microflora and in the fight against fungus. The gel contains lactic acid, panthenol, bisabolol, chamomile extract, tea tree oil. Thanks to these active components, its use helps restore and maintain normal vaginal microflora after treatment with antibacterial or antifungal drugs, reduces inflammation, relieves itching and irritation. The gel was developed by specialists from the pharmaceutical company VERTEX and has the necessary documents.

Why is bending an intimate organ dangerous?

If Candida fungus on the penis is not treated for a long time, this can lead to dangerous complications. The inflammatory process is concentrated around the head and foreskin of the reproductive organ and over time can spread to healthy organs of the genitourinary system, which will not only worsen the general condition of the patient, but also the entire clinical picture of the disease. If you don’t know how to treat fungus on the penis, seek help from a specialist before the prostate gland becomes inflamed due to this disease, which can lead to decreased potency, erectile dysfunction and infertility.

What does fungus on the penis look like?

In order to diagnose thrush on the male genitalia, a dermatologist only needs a visual examination. And laboratory tests are carried out only to confirm the preliminary diagnosis. The first signs of the disease are obvious, so at the first symptoms you should contact the clinic for a prescription for treatment.

Candidiasis balanoposthitis on the penis during visual examination

Prevention

To prevent the development of a genital fungal infection, you must follow simple preventive rules. If you adhere to them, you can get rid of the possible proliferation of fungi and prevent the disease without worrying about how to treat fungus on the penis.

It is necessary to keep your genitals clean and wash your penis at least twice a day. During active physical activity and excessive sweating, you need to shower even more often. It is necessary to keep the groin area warm and dry at all times.

Under no circumstances use other people's personal hygiene products, especially other people's underwear. It is advisable to have sexual contact with a new partner using a condom, and it is generally recommended to avoid casual relationships in order to maintain your health. Minimize visits to public baths, saunas and swimming pools. Eat right and lead a healthy, active lifestyle. By adhering to these simple recommendations, you can protect the penis from the development of fungal infections and medical procedures in this case will not be needed.

Prevention of recurrence of genital mycoses

In order to prevent relapses of mycoses, it is important to follow preventive measures:

Avoid uncontrolled use of antibiotics.
Avoid injury to the skin and mucous membranes of the genital organs.
Wear underwear made from natural materials.
Eat a balanced diet.
Use lubricants when taking oral contraceptives to prevent hydration deficiency, injuries and abrasions of the mucous membranes.
Use suitable personal hygiene products - special detergents for the intimate area. For example, Ginocomfort Washing Gel for Intimate Hygiene is recommended for daily use, as well as during pregnancy and menstruation. Due to the presence of lactic acid in its composition, the normal pH level of the vagina is maintained. Tea tree oil and bisabolol have an anti-inflammatory, soothing and antiseptic effect. Chamomile extract and panthenol help accelerate the regeneration of microtraumas and relieve irritation. Sodium lactate creates a protective barrier and fights pathogenic agents.

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