Patient's question:
I have been experiencing some slight irritation on my glans recently. Could you please tell me what are the clinical manifestations of balanoposthitis?Doctor's answer:
1. Acute superficial balanitis is often caused by underwear friction, trauma, or local irritation from soap or cleaning agents. It presents with edema, erythema, exudation, and erosion. Secondary infection may lead to purulent discharge, easily forming ulcers, accompanied by pain.2. Circumferential erosive balanitis involves inflammatory lesions on the glans and foreskin in a ring-like pattern, or a ring with cheesy smegma. Over time, it may rupture into shallow ulcers. If the ring-like feature is lost, it becomes difficult to distinguish from superficial balanitis. This condition can exist alone or as a mucosal symptom of Reiter syndrome.
3. Plasma cell balanitis is more common in middle-aged individuals, presenting as a single or multiple chronic, persistent inflammatory lesions in plaque-like form. The surface may be smooth, scaly, or moist, with significant infiltration. The borders are well-defined and less prone to rupture, with tiny, chili pepper-like spots visible on the surface. The appearance is difficult to differentiate from proliferative erythema of the glans. If similar lesions occur in the vulva, it is referred to as plasma cell vulvitis.