How to Identify, Treat, and Prevent Friction Burn on Your Penis
Frustration burns are very common when it comes to penises. They happen due to various reasons such as:
Penile trauma (such as being hit with something hard) or poor hygiene (not washing properly) causing irritation in the area. Sometimes friction burns occur because of other conditions like diabetes mellitus, which causes high blood sugar levels.
High blood sugar causes the body to produce less insulin which results in the blood vessels becoming narrow and resulting in more friction.
The most common cause of friction burns is from excessive masturbation. A man may get up too early, masturbate for a few hours, then go back to sleep.
When he wakes up again, his erection was not fully erect and caused friction burns.
Another common cause of friction burns is from using a vibrator. A vibrating toy may rub against the skin causing friction burns.
Some men have even reported that they had friction burns after having sexual relations with their wives. This could be due to the fact that women tend to lubricate their genitals during sexual activities which makes them slippery and prone to getting caught in tight clothing or garments that are pulled down over the genitalia.
This is more common in women who are not adequately wet during sexual activity.
Just because a man has friction burn does not mean that he is sexually promiscuous or a pervert. It is just something that happens to otherwise normal people.
The area on the man’s genitals where the friction burn appears is different for everyone. It can be in many locations such as the tip of the glans (the head of the male’s organ), under the glans, on the top side of the skin fold on the underside of the glans, or even around the urethral opening at the tip of the glans.
The area is very painful and red. If the burn is on the glans of the male’s organ it can be very sensitive to touch in general, but may not be painful.
The area surrounding it may be painful and red as well.
If left untreated it can leave a scar. It is very important to treat this immediately.
Prevention is Key!
The best way to prevent friction burns is to keep your genitals well hydrated, clean, and exfoliated (remove dead skin cells). This makes the skin less prone to irritation and reduces the chances of getting a friction burn.
Try using the following tips to keep your genitals well hydrated, clean, and exfoliated:
Soak in the tub for at least 15 minutes 2-3 times a week. Add sea salt, epsom salt, or baking soda to the bath to help with hydration and exfoliation.
Use a gentle wash (no bars!) like baby wash, dove, simple, or ivory to clean your genitals. Avoid using harsh soaps like dial or harsha. These can actually dry out your skin and cause it to be more prone to irritation. After you bathe, gently pat dry your genitals with a clean, dry towel. Never rub or push on the genitalia as this may also cause irritation. After you pat dry, do not dress immediately. Let your genitals air dry the rest of the way. This allows the air to hydrate the skin. Pat dry the outside of your underwear if there is moisture on the outside too. If you do not have time for a full bath, you can just wash your genitals with a washcloth and some water. This will clean your skin and eliminate odor (do not use soap).
Everyday Exfoliation: We recommend that you exfoliate your genitals every day. This removes dead skin cells and keeps your skin smooth.
This decreases the chances of getting a friction burn.
Use a washcloth or exfoliating glove two to three times a day to gently rub the genitals. Start from the bottom and gently rub up and down.
This allows you to remove dead skin cells and hydrate the skin. After you are done, gently pat dry. Never use an electric scrubber, this may cause tiny tears in the skin and cause tiny pockets for harmful bacteria to collect in.
Addicted to Shaving?
Try These Tips: There is nothing wrong with being a man and keeping the genitals well groomed. But remember, skin on the genitals is much more sensitive than skin elsewhere on the body. If you choose to keep it trimmed or shaved, we recommend that you do not do it everyday. Always wait at least three days in between shaves to give your skin time to repair and regenerate. This will also decrease your chances of getting a shaving burn.
When you do shave, we highly recommend using a fresh blade or new razor every time. This ensures that the blade is sharp and less likely to cause tiny tears in the skin.
If the skin is torn, bad stuff can get inside where it shouldn’t. We also recommend using a good shaving cream or gel. It will hydrate your skin and provide a protective barrier between the blade and your skin. Some examples of good shaving products for men are mens nivea, gillette, and skintimate. Before you start, use hot water to wet your genitals. This will soften the hair and skin for easier shaving. Be careful during this process. Shaving too fast can cause tiny tears in the skin!
When you are done, make sure to clean all the tiny nooks and crannies where hair may still be present. Between the butt checks, in and around the genitals, and in and around the lips.
This prevents harmful bacteria from entering these areas. Use soap and water or an alcohol based sanitizer to thoroughly clean the area.
If you happen to get a shaving burn, use an over the counter hydrocortisone cream to relieve the irritation and soothe the skin. If it gets too bad, see a doctor as you may have an infection.
Mentally prepare yourself: Knowing what to do and actually doing it are two different things. If you find yourself to be highly anxious or nervous about performing these personal hygiene tasks, consider asking a trusted friend to help you the first few times.
It is perfectly normal to feel anxious about changes in your life, but taking care of yourself is extremely important, so don’t let fear get in the way of doing what’s best for you!
It is also important to remember that you have our support. If you are feeling anxious, worried, or scared about anything, we want to help.
Please call if you need us at 1-800-555-6273.
Best of luck on your new hygiene program!
Your friends at Personal Hygiene Partners
Sources & references used in this article:
Symptoms of a swollen penis by L Nadler, JM Rothschild – buoyhealth.com
Review of organic friction modifiers-contribution to fuel efficiency? by D Kenbeek, T Buenemann, H Rieffe – 2000 – sae.org
Efficient recovery of environmental DNA for expression cloning by indirect extraction methods by EM Gabor, EJ de Vries… – FEMS microbiology …, 2003 – academic.oup.com
Organic friction modifiers by D Kenbeck, T Bunemann – Lubricant Additives: Chemistry and …, 2009 – books.google.com
Penile implants among prisoners—a cause for concern? by L Yap, T Butler, J Richters, E Malacova, H Wand… – PLoS …, 2013 – journals.plos.org
