Patient's question:
Hello! I noticed patches on my glans with different colors, and there's a ring of white substance around the edge of my glans that won't come off. Is this a sign of balanitis? If it is, could you please tell me what methods are commonly used to treat glans redness and swelling?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 clinically, infectious balanoposthitis is more common. Infectious cases are often caused by unprotected sexual intercourse, leading to infections from 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.