Balanitis is a type of swelling that occurs on the soft skin found on the tip of the penis. The skin surrounding the head of the penis develops swelling. Balanitis can develop due to infection or skin irritation and sometimes due to skin problems in men. It can occur on any man irrespective of his age. The glans(penis) is covered by loose skin which develops inflammation gradually. The chance of developing balanitis is more if you are not done with circumcision. Balanitis is also known as Balanoposthitis.
Symptoms
Balanitis is marked by swelling of loose skin located on the head of penis. It can cause irritation and redness at the end of penis. For severe infection foul smelling thick discharge comes out of the foreskin. The tip of the penis becomes sore and painful. For some men, it can cause pain while urinating and it becomes difficult to pull the foreskin back due to inflammation.
Balanitis Causes
Some of the major causes of balanitis are listed below:
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Improper Hygiene
Poor hygiene is the major cause for getting balanitis. It occurs commonly in uncircumcised men who are maintaining poor hygiene in private parts. Some men may not clean the penis properly after passing urine which leads to the formation of cheese like substance on the tip of penis.
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Infection
Due to poor hygiene there is high risk of developing bacterial infection on the penis. Bacteria that live on the skin would grow and multiply in large numbers if the part is not kept dry and clean. Balanitis can develop due to Candida infection in men. Infection is more likely to occur if the person is diabetic or if he has already some sort of inflammation on the area. A condition called phimosis is quite common in young boys (5-7 years) in which the foreskin that envelops the penis would not retract easily causing irritation and soreness.
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Sexually Transmitted infection
Balanitis can develop due to sexually transmitted diseases if a man enjoys sex with infected female. Many types of sexual infections like genital herpes infection, Chlamydia infection and gonorrhea can cause balanitis.
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Allergy
The skin found in genitals is so soft and sensitive that it develops inflammation due to chemicals. Acidity present in the urine can cause allergy and irritation on the shaft that surrounds the penis. Sweating can also cause irritation and allergy leading to inflammation. Using harsh soaps on your penis can cause irritation leading to balanitis.