The red glans, in fact, constitutes an "alteration of the skin of the extremity of the penis, which can be found both after wrong behaviors (eg: too vigorous masturbation, excessive use of intimate cleansers, etc.)," and as a result of infections (eg: genital herpes, syphilis and scabies) or allergic reactions.
A red glans can be characterized by: flat patches or spots, papules, vesicles filled with liquid, real bumps, ulcers, etc .; to establish the precise characteristics of the red glans phenomenon are the triggering causes.
During the diagnosis of the red glans (which is, in itself, simple and immediate), it is essential to investigate in detail the origin of the clinical sign, as it is on this that the future treatment will be based.
Brief anatomical review of the Penis
The penis is the male reproductive organ.
Cylindrical in shape and covered with skin, it can be anatomically divided into 3 main parts, which are: the root, the shaft (or body) and the glans.
- Root: located between pubis and perineum, it represents the point of origin of the penis;
- Auction: it is the central part of the penis as well as the most considerable; the two corpora cavernosa and the corpus spongiosum participate in its formation, three structures made up of erectile tissue and wrapped in connective tissue.
The cavernous arteries run inside the corpora cavernosa; instead, the urethra passes through the corpus spongiosum. - Glans: it is the most distal portion of the penis; including the urinary meatus for the expulsion of urine and sperm, it is provided with a flap of sliding skin called the foreskin.
How is the glans red under such circumstances: initially, it has flat patches of an intense red color; subsequently, thanks to the cell renewal affecting the skin, it develops patches of a less vivid red.
How "is the glans red in such circumstances: has simple undetected red patches of variable size.
How is the glans red under such circumstances: usually has very close flat red patches / spots.
The list of causes of balanitis and balanoposthitis is superimposable and includes: some bacterial, viral or fungal infections, some immune system deficiencies, the aforementioned contact dermatitis and the so-called sexually transmitted infections (NB: some of these infections will be discussed in points subsequent, as potential responsible for red glans even without causing balanitis or balanoposthitis).
How "is the glans red in such circumstances: its appearance varies in relation to the triggering cause; in some cases, it has simple, undetected red patches; in other cases, it exhibits small fluid-filled blisters that burst after a few days, becoming scaly patches; in still other cases, it shows reddish ulcers.
Generally, the transmission of genital herpes occurs during unprotected sexual intercourse with people carrying the infection in question.
How is the glans red under such circumstances: has fluid-filled blisters which, over time, burst and become scaly patches.
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- Syphilis. It is the sexually transmitted infection due to the bacterium Treponema pallidum.
In syphilis, the reddened glans is one of the onset symptoms of the infection and the skin manifestations that characterize it are called syphiloma.
How is the glans red under such circumstances: at the beginning of the infection, it presents one or more nodules of hard consistency; in the phases following the onset of the disease, however, it shows ulcers (which are the evolution of the aforementioned nodules). - Scabies. Belonging to the large category of infectious diseases, it is the infestation of the skin sustained by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei hominis.
Scabies is a highly contagious "infection, mainly affecting the flexor surfaces and folds of the skin.
How is the glans red under such circumstances: has papules, then raised patches. - The molluscum contagiosum. It is an "infection of the skin and mucous membranes, which triggers a virus of the poxvirus family (DNA virus).
The molluscum contagiosum has a "high contagiousness, but, fortunately, it has a benign" evolution.
It affects various parts of the body, not just the penis.
How is the glans red under such circumstances: has skin bumps. - Inverse psoriasis. It is a particular form of psoriasis that mainly affects the skin folds (in simpler words, the armpits, the inguinal region, the navel, the perianal area, the area below the breast in women, the genital area and the of the foreskin in men).
How is the glans red under such circumstances: exhibits smooth, shiny-looking patches.
When to see a doctor?
The phenomenon of the red glans deserves the attention of a doctor (preferably a specialist in penile diseases), when there is a suspicion that it is due to an "infection (whether it is a" sexually transmitted infection or an "infection of another gender) or a non-infectious condition, which requires appropriate care.
To understand when the red glans falls within one of its circumstances just mentioned, the patient must evaluate the associated symptoms (e.g. co-occurrence of fever indicates an infectious state; the presence of similar redness in other parts of the body could mean that it is ongoing an "infection or a disease such as inverse psoriasis).
Complications
The red glans can lead to complications, when its origin is "an" important medical condition (eg: syphilis) and the affected patient has not received timely and appropriate treatment.
, blood tests and allergy tests.
Anamnesis
The anamnesis allows us to establish whether the red glans depends on particular habits (eg: too violent masturbation, poor intimate hygiene or excessive use of detergents), infections or other causes, for which more specific tests are needed (eg allergy tests) .
Blood analysis
In the context of a reddened glans, blood tests are used to clarify whether an infection is in progress and, if so, what that infection is.
Allergic tests
By undergoing allergy tests, the patient with a reddened glans finds out if the present sign is due to some allergy or intolerance towards intimate detergents or other materials (eg latex condoms).
in progress; also including the use of antiviral drugs, the therapy in question does not allow definitive recovery from genital herpes, but is still very effective in limiting its consequences;
- If the red glans is a consequence of the syphilis, the patient will need immediate antibiotic treatment in order to defeat the bacterium responsible for the infection.
- If the red glans is the result of scabies, the causal therapy will include: hospital isolation of the patient for at least 24 hours after starting treatment, the use of topical and systemic acaricidal drugs (to eliminate the mites responsible for the infection from the patient), disinfestation of the domestic environment in which the patient usually stays and the sanitation of personal effects (eg clothing, sheets, etc.) belonging to the infected person.
