A furuncle on the penis is an acute inflammation localized in the connective tissues. The formation process is due to a number of reasons. This applies to infections and climate conditions in which men live. Squeezing out ulcers will lead to further infection of the genital organ. Self-medication at home is fraught with additional complications. Qualified medical assistance will be required.
Causes of boils in intimate places in men
A furuncle in the groin in men develops due to purulent inflammation of the hair follicle. This area is rich in sebaceous glands, hair, and is sensitive to changes in hormonal levels and external conditions. It is hidden under clothing and there is a high risk of injury to the skin and hair follicles.
Chiria on the penis is not sexually transmitted. You won't be able to infect your partner, but you won't be able to have intimate intimacy either.
According to ICD 10, the disease was assigned code L02.8. Causes of boils on the penis:
- complication of staphyloderma;
- microtrauma of the skin of the organ, scrotum due to shaving, tight underwear;
- eczema;
- scabies;
- neurodermatitis;
- impaired immune defense;
- general exhaustion of the body, lack of nutrients, vitamins and minerals;
- pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, nervous system;
- alcoholism, drug addiction;
- failure to comply with the principles of personal hygiene;
- HIV infection, hepatitis B and C.
Weak immune defense of the body is the main reason for the formation of a boil on any part of the body, including the genital area, penis. The peak of the disease occurs in the cold season.
Description of the pathology
A furuncle on the penis is a purulent-necrotic inflammation of the hair follicle and the connective tissue around it. Follicles form on the penis because the penile area is filled with sebaceous glands and hair follicles. Chiri looks like a bright red tubercle protruding above the skin, pressure on which causes pain, and sometimes pus is released. Pathology does not apply to sexually transmitted diseases. More often, a boil on the genital organ is formed due to damage to the foreskin, into which dirt gets trapped. The greatest number of patients is observed in early spring and late autumn.
How to distinguish from other formations
It is not difficult to distinguish a boil on the penis or pubis from manifestations of other diseases. You need to know the main symptoms of cutaneous and subcutaneous inflammation and sexually transmitted diseases.
| Disease | Symptoms |
| Furuncle |
|
| Syphilis - chancre |
|
| Haemophilus ducreyi infection – chancroid |
|
| Genital herpes | Accompanied by symptoms characteristic of viral diseases. Small papules filled with liquid form on the head of the penis and pubis, after opening which ulcers remain. There is itching and pain. |
| Atheroma | A sebaceous cyst that appears due to blockage of the excretory duct of the gland. Volumetric subcutaneous painless dense elastic formation on the penis with clear contours. Capable of spontaneous opening. Contains fat cells. |
| Wen (lipoma) | Benign subcutaneous tumor. It is not fused to the skin, it is mobile, it is connective tissue. As a rule, it does not open on its own. |
| Hidradenitis | Purulent inflammatory process in the sweat glands. In men, it most often develops in the groin area and on the penis. It occurs with severe pain, itching, swelling of the gland, the temperature rises, and general intoxication is present. |
If in doubt, and you have had unprotected sex with an unfamiliar partner in the recent past, consult a doctor. He will confirm the diagnosis of boil or refute it.
Causality
In men, a boil on the penis is not uncommon; already during puberty and throughout adult life, a young man faces this problem. The activity of the bacterium is caused by several reasons:
- dirty skin;
- minor injuries, cracks, men often develop a boil at the site of a razor cut;
- mechanical damage to the tissues of the genital organ, tight underwear, tight trousers lead to external injury to the skin;
- eczema, scabies, neurodermatosis on the penis can contribute to the further development of boils;
- excessive work of the sebaceous glands, when sebum and sweat are secreted in excess;
- unhealthy diet, smoking, alcohol;
- impaired metabolism;
- vitamin deficiency, when the amount of vitamins consumed exceeds the amount entered into the body;
- disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system;
- when the immune system fails. This reason is on the list of the first ones that cause the appearance of boils on the penis;
- banal lack of hygiene of the genital organs.
The activity of the disease can be traced during the change of season, when spring is just beginning and autumn gradually turns into winter. At this time, the body is most weakened and has not yet had time to adapt to climate change. The boil looks like an inflamed, red nodule in the area of the hair follicle; it can also appear with purulent formations. Skin affected by staphylococcus and completely healthy areas of the skin are susceptible to it. A scattering of painful neoplasms is called the disease furunculosis, a subtype of staphyloderma. A boil that has risen on the penis causes tingling and pain. If you do not provide timely treatment, then there is a possibility that the number of boils will increase, and gradual poisoning of the body will occur. Symptoms will include:
People with excessive sweating are at risk of developing boils
Localization of boils and danger
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A boil on the scrotum, in another part of the pelvis - the pubis, testicles and penis - poses a danger to a man’s health. This area is rich in blood vessels, lymphatic collectors, and nerve endings; the skin in this area is thin. All this creates favorable conditions for the proliferation of staphylococcal infections.
Pathogenic flora is easily spread by hematogenous and lymphogenous routes throughout the body. The medical literature describes a kind of metastasis from boils on the penis and the detection of staphylococcus in the tissues of the liver and kidneys.
What to expect:
- a boil on the head of the penis can cause a chronic form of the disease, which is accompanied by multiple rashes on the organ;
- after healing, a depression forms at the site of the boil - the aesthetic side suffers;
- when the boil is localized on the scrotum - pain, swelling, itching, discomfort when walking, wearing clothes;
- Sexual life with an active form of purulent process in any part of the male genitalia, scrotum, penis is excluded due to pain;
- abscess, phlegmon, carbuncle formation;
- severe complications - Fournier's gangrene - an extremely aggressive form of scrotal necrosis. Mortality ranges from 50 to 80% of patients even in a hospital setting and with massive antibiotic therapy;
- orchiectomy - if complications of furunculosis develop on the scrotum - removal of the testicle from the affected side. Indicated for the development of organ abscess;
- dysfunction of the testicle, its epididymis, patency of the vas deferens;
- androgen deficiency, infertility;
- when localized on the foreskin - phimosis, curvature of the penis.
Negative experiences affect the state of erection after recovery.
The location of the boil that is relatively safe for the male reproductive system is the lower abdomen, the pubic area. Purulent-inflammatory processes in this area are painful, but do not pose a danger to the male reproductive system. In the absence of proper treatment for a boil in the pubic area, an abscess or phlegmon may develop.
Possible complications
The danger of a boil on the penis is the risk of extensive suppuration. The genital area is filled with a large number of lymph nodes and blood vessels. Due to the close proximity of the vessels, the microorganisms that caused the boil can penetrate the bloodstream and spread throughout the body, causing damage to other organs and systems. The liver and urinary organs are most often damaged.
It happens that the infiltrate forms without the presence of pus and necrotic plug. The prolonged course of the disease and weakened immunity leads to modification of the abscess and the formation of an abscess. This course is the result of erroneous treatment. Abscesses cause a dangerous complication - the spread of metastases to the liver and kidneys. The reason for this is the advanced form of the disease and violation of the prescribed treatment.
The close location of the boil to the lymph nodes leads to the formation of acute diseases - lymphadenitis and lymphangitis. The appearance of complications requires urgent medical attention. Furunculosis appears when a large number of purulent formations form. The fusion of several boils leads to the formation of a carbuncle, which is distinguished by the appearance of several purulent heads. The carbuncle in some cases reaches the size of a chicken egg. Complications due to a boil arise due to attempts to squeeze out the boil on your own and failure to consult a doctor in a timely manner.
The specificity of the severity of symptoms in men and how dangerous it is
A boil on the penis, testicles and pubic area in men has the same stages of development as on any other part of the body. The clinical manifestations of boils do not depend on the gender of the owner.
Stages of the purulent-inflammatory process:
- Infiltration – maturation of the boil. An inflammatory infiltrate with a necrotic core in the center is formed. The duration of the stage is up to 3 days.
- A boil breaks out on the penis - the skin over the abscess becomes thinner and bursts. Purulent masses, the rod comes off. The pain subsides, the swelling of the penis decreases. The wound is cleaned.
- Regeneration – filling the wound surface with granulation tissue and scarring. When the tumor is small, no scar is formed; when it is large, a depression or scar remains in the skin.
The specificity of furunculosis on the penis and perineum in men is that the symptoms are more pronounced. This area is rich in nerve endings, there is intense blood circulation, and any inflammatory processes feel more aggressive.
Course of the disease
Neoplasms on the head of the penis cause a man physical and moral inconvenience, which must be eliminated as quickly as possible. Self-medication in this case is dangerous, especially if the person is encountering the problem for the first time. The first clinical symptoms of a boil require consultation with a doctor. An abscess that occurs on the male organ is characterized by a cyclical development.
Stages of boil formation
- the appearance and spread of infiltration;
- necrosis of tissue around the pimple and rejection of pus;
- resorption and scarring of damage.
It is strictly not recommended to open boils on the penis yourself. The first symptom of the appearance of pathology on the genital organ is the appearance of an infiltrate with a red tint. The infiltrate is located within the hair follicle and rises above the skin. On palpation it is hard to the touch. Itching and tingling occurs at the site where the tubercle appears. In 24-48 hours, the resulting tumor can increase 2-3 times in size. An enlarged pimple is accompanied by pain in the penis.
The second phase of development begins 48-72 hours later, when the boil continues to grow. The diameter of the boil reaches 2 centimeters; a purulent core is visible in the middle. Chiriy takes the shape of a cone. During this period, increased body temperature, weakness, fatigue and even migraines are possible. This pathology requires opening the abscess mechanically to remove the purulent masses. After removing the pus, the pain decreases and the swelling subsides. Following the purulent masses, a green necrotic plug comes off. The exit of the plug means complete cleansing of the cavity resulting from the boil. An autopsy is performed only by a doctor in a medical facility or at home. Sometimes chiri open on their own without human help. A scar remains at the site of the abscess, which heals after a while. The ripening cycle of a boil is 10 days.
Which doctor should I contact?
If a boil occurs in a man’s intimate area, you should contact a dermatovenerologist or urologist. The doctor will rule out venereal and other purulent-inflammatory diseases of the penis.
At the initial stages of treatment, antibacterial therapy, agents that promote boil maturation, and physical therapy are indicated.
When a boil core forms, the urologist will refer the patient to a surgeon. The doctor will open the tumor on the penis, remove its shaft, and apply drainage to facilitate the outflow of purulent masses. It may be necessary to apply dressings and treat the wound.
Symptoms
The maturation of the boil occurs gradually. First, a small lump appears on the penis, the surface of which is red and hot to the touch. Such symptoms characterize the presence of a clogged omentum under the hair follicle. The accumulation of fat in the omentum occurs little by little; the more subcutaneous fat is formed, the larger the core of the boil. The end of the rod is the head of the abscess. If white ulcers on the penis appear in different areas, this indicates the appearance of a disease - furunculosis. The following symptoms occur:
- fever, with an increase in body temperature to 38 degrees;
- headache;
- weakness and fatigue;
- pain at the site of boil formation, aggravated by pressure.
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Treatment Options
If a boil occurs on the penis, then you should choose the right treatment method. The method of therapy is determined by visual inspection of the abscess and depends on the extent of inflammation. Doctors categorically do not recommend self-medication; moreover, it is forbidden to remove or squeeze out the formation using improvised means. There are 4 ways to solve the problem:
- drug therapy;
- physical therapy or surgery;
- treatment with medicinal herbs;
- immunostimulating procedures.
At the initial stage of development of the pathology, treatment is carried out using antiseptic ointments applied directly to the affected area. Most often, when the first symptoms appear, Ichthyol ointment is used. Antibiotic creams are applied when a spontaneous breakthrough of the abscess occurs to prevent the penetration of pathogenic bacteria into the subcutaneous layer. Before using antibiotic ointment, the abscess on the penis must be treated with an antiseptic; for this, use “Chlorhexidine” or “Miramistin”. Then apply an antibiotic-based ointment:
- “Levomekol” or “Levomethyl” - destroy pathogenic microorganisms and draw out purulent masses;
- “Tetracycline ointment” is a broad-spectrum antibiotic contained in the ointment that destroys pathogenic strains of staphylococcus;
- "Oflokain" is an anesthetic drug that prevents the growth of bacteria.
After the pus and necrotic plug are released, the wound should be washed daily with antiseptics. The procedure is repeated 2-3 times a day until a hard crust is formed covering the surface of the abscess. In case of a complicated course, the chiri are removed surgically, when the pus is removed after making an incision. Then the doctor washes the wound with Furacilin, which clears the omentum of pus. For prevention, it is recommended to wipe the organ with a decoction of oak bark or chamomile, which have a drying effect.
