Patient's question:
For a while now, I've noticed that my glans is particularly dry, and it seems to have some flaky stuff falling off, like dandruff. I also feel itchy and painful. Is this balanitis? Please ask: What are the common treatments for a red and swollen glans?Doctor's answer:
The redness and swelling of the glans are usually caused by balanoposthitis, which is the term used when balanitis and posthitis occur simultaneously. Balanoposthitis can be infectious or non-infectious, and in clinical diagnosis, infectious balanoposthitis is more common. Infectious cases are often caused by unprotected sexual contact, leading to the transmission of Candida albicans, trichomonas, chlamydia, mycoplasma, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, or other bacteria. Non-infectious factors are mostly due to excessive foreskin, insufficient hygiene, or the accumulation of unclean substances between the foreskin and glans, known as smegma, which can irritate the local foreskin and mucosa, triggering inflammation and causing redness and swelling of the foreskin.