Balanitis Lichen Sclerosus

[Nstocks]

Over the past 2 months I've had problems 'down there'. I visited a sexual health clinic who provided various tests all of which came back negatives for sexually transmitted stuff.

I was given a steroid cream which worked for a week and then it got worse.

Visited my Doctor today who said I have Balantis Lichen which is kinda like eczema, except this is on my glans. He gave me another steroid cream (know to cause the skin to thin) which also contains an antibiotic.

Question is, could this be a candida overgrowth? I have had bloating issues for 5+ years but never really tested for candida and perhaps now things are starting to get too much, hence the skin condition?

 

[TradClare]

I would love to see what others think about this. I was told I have lichen down there too. It seems to come and go though since I was 11 (I'm now 42) and I've never had the white patches or fusing that lichen causes. When it is bad the itching is horrible but it never looks that bad and is all external which makes doctors think it's not yeast.

I used to be very bloated when eating homemade yeast breads and having a glass of wine every other day or so. I tested IgG reactive to yeast for what that's worth and my stomach is much better without yeast. I also get itching ears after certain things like fresh bread, alcohol, and peanut butter and I think it makes the problem down there flare but it's so hard to figure out!

Looking back, it has gone into remission during high stress times in my life. Then it comes back with a vengeance. And I have done high carb raw vegan, low carb, anti-candida, and many other diet extremes.

 

[ecstatichamster]

I find that using a bit of urea powder and sugar after a shower helps this a great deal.

 

[CLASH]

You guys may be eating something thats irritating you.

 

[Nstocks]

You guys may be eating something thats irritating you.

Diet hasn’t changed really for at least 6 months.

Past month I have been stricter with gluten and only consume lactose free dairy.

It’s worth reviewing what I’m eating though.

 

[CLASH]

I can give you examples from my experience:

-dark honey reliably produces a rash on my testicles

-dairy gives me acne, constipation, loss of motivation, loss of libido. I’m lactose tolerant by the way

-grains bloat me, make me cold, tired, aggressive, hypersexual for a period of time and then hyposexual and change my stool

-spinach gives me mania, slows down my digestion and irritates me colon

-orange juice increases my sympathetic nervous system to the point that I can get hyperhidrosis from under my arms

-granulated sugar in high consistent amounts makes me gain weight, apathetic, excessively relaxed and lowers libido

The only way to find these things out is to experiment in my experience. A base framework has helped me find foods to experiment with and experimenting helped me narrow foods down to the ones that worked. I also played with macros until I found a framework that made sense. My current framework is that we are monkeys (primarily fruit eaters) that evolved to eat meat/ seafood. So the ideal diet seems to be one centered around fruit, meat, seafood and possibly roots/ tubers/ leaves as secondary foods. As for macros check this out, take his perspective on carbs with a grain of salt though:

 

[Nstocks]

After 2 weeks of applying the cream and 1 week off, the issue has come back just as before. Coconut oil hasn't had an effect either, though maybe over the long term it couldd help.

If it came back, my Doctor said he will refer me to a skin specialist for a biopsiy (on my glans).

Given that there is no cure, do I seek natural alternatives from either diet/supplements and topicals? Research suggest circumcision is an effective way to get rid of the problem, but there's no way I'm doing that.

 

[ecstatichamster]

Urea and sugar. Try it.

 

[Nstocks]

Urea and sugar. Try it.

DO you have any papers on the effects and method of this?

I understand Urea is in some cosmetics but obtaining it in a pure form?

Have you personally had success with it?

 

[ecstatichamster]

I have had issues that this has fixed. I personally find it works very well. I sometimes put a little progesterone on my penis which eases any irritation. Between the two it’s all good.

Urea is very inexpensive and easy to get as it’s synthesized (not from urine, but from petroleum I think) to make fertilizer. High grade is USP for use on or in the human body.

 

[Nstocks]

I've made an appointment with my GP on Friday who should refer me to a specialist. Either dermatologist or Urologist since the problem is between both departments.

Reading up on it, it appears that 1-3 months of strong steroid creams are routine and if that fails, circumcision. But, LS can still be present after circumcision and obviously that's not something I want. (My brother was cut as a early teenager and has never been happy with it)

 

[ecstatichamster]

Look online as I’m sure you have and you’ll see guys have had this for years and nobody has figured out how to fix it.

I think urea and sugar, and some progesterone topical, keeps it at bay.

 

[Nstocks]

Just came back from the Doctors appointment.

He had another look at it and gave me a different cream. Betonvate which is:

Each 1 g contains 1 mg of betamethasone (0.1% w/w) as valerate. The other ingredients are chlorocresol, cetomacrogol 1000, cetostearyl alcohol, white soft paraffin, liquid paraffin, sodium acid phosphate, phosphoric acid, sodium hydroxide and purified water.

He said it could be an auto immune issue and asked me if I'm anxious or depressed. I sort of said yes to both. Then he said natural treatments of the body are best, which honestly surprised me because in the past he always pushed drugs for acne etc.

I think possibly some blood tests (which ones) and maybe look at psychiatrist for my stress and mild anxiety that I have always had...

 

[ecstatichamster]

urea, sugar and progesterone...

 

[Nstocks]

Worth a try.

How do you mix and apply the sugar and urea? How often?

 

[Nstocks]

So the glans has 90% cleared up using Betnovate, however the skin (shaft, foreskin) has some sort of lesions, almost like eczema which are getting worse (spreading).

I visited my GP yesterday who is referring me to a skin specialist, but he explained that I'm likely better off going private as the NHS is limited and at best they can rule ou that it's anything more than a cosmetic issue, which I'm mostly in agreement with - there is no pain or discomfort since the glans has cleared up. A private 10 minute consultation is £250...

He concluded that it is an auto immune disease like thyroid issues and there's no test that he can do to figure out the cause. I do know there is an antinuclear antibody test which will tell me if I have high levels of antibodies, but it won't tell me the cause without systemic testing, again NHS won't do that and private is £££.

In a few weeks I will receive results on a private gut health stool test which looks quite comprehensive:https://atlasbiomed.com/uk/microbiome/results

I can keep going with topicals, but like the acne I had for over a decade, putting on a band aid isn't the solution to what is likely an internal problem.

 

[ecstatichamster]

Worth a try.

How do you mix and apply the sugar and urea? How often?

I mix sugar and urea powder and keep a baggie of it in the bathroom. When I shower, I put some on my penis when I get out, when I’m still wet.

I also use a little Progest-E sometimes which I also find very helpful.

 

[ecstatichamster]

The only thing that doctors know is to prescribe cortisone cream. It’s not a good idea and so I would never (as usual) bother with a doctor for this problem, personally. Not telling anyone else what to do. It’s just crazy how they have no idea what they are doing.

 

[Nstocks]

The only thing that doctors know is to prescribe cortisone cream. It’s not a good idea and so I would never (as usual) bother with a doctor for this problem, personally. Not telling anyone else what to do. It’s just crazy how they have no idea what they are doing.

I agree and the fact that these steroidal creams come with flammable warnings is worrying. I've stopped using it and I have my doubt about visiting the "skin specialist"... Is it really worth the risk if they need to take a skin biopsy? I'm not sure.

 

[ecstatichamster]

I personally avoid the medical crapola, but I can’t speak for anyone else.

It is my observation on this problem that doctors are clueless. There are people on forums who have had this for 15 years without resolution. I think we are on our own.