What is balanitis?

Balanitis is when the head of your penis (the ‘glans') becomes inflamed. This can cause the skin to become red, sore or itchy.

Balanitis is common. It usually affects males younger than 4 years of age and males who are not circumcised.

What are the symptoms of balanitis?

If you have balanitis, the tip of your penis may be:

• red
• swollen
• sore
• itchy
• scaly or flaky

You may have a rash, blisters or patches of abnormal-looking skin.

What causes balanitis?

There are several causes of balanitis.

Irritants

Balanitis is often caused by contact with an irritating substance.

This could be:

• soap or other personal hygiene products
• urine trapped under your foreskin
• soiled nappies

Forced retraction (pulling back) of your foreskin can also cause balanitis.

If you are taking certain medicines, you might have a reaction that causes balanitis.

Infection

Fungal infection, most often with Candida albicans (thrush), is a common cause of balanitis. This can happen if you have poor hygiene. It can also happen with nappy rash.

Bacteria, viruses and other types of fungus can also cause balanitis. Sexually-transmitted infections (STIs) can cause balanitis.

Skin conditions

Balanitis can be caused by skin conditions, such as:

• contact dermatitis
• psoriasis
• eczema
• lichen sclerosis
• pre-cancerous skin conditions

Risk factors for balanitis

You may have an increased risk of balanitis if you:

• are not circumcised
• have poor hygiene or over-wash your genital area
• have diabetes
• have a condition or take medicines that affect your immune system

When should I see my doctor?

See your doctor if the head of your penis is sore, red, swollen or itchy.

Also see your doctor if you have any problems passing urine (doing a wee).

How is balanitis diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and examine you and your penis. They will ask your permission to do this. A parent or carer should always be present when a physical examination is needed in children.

In some cases, your doctor may take a swab or urine sample for testing.

If a skin condition is suspected, your doctor may refer you to a skin specialist (dermatologist).

How is balanitis treated?

Treatment for balanitis will depend on the cause.

Self-care

A bath in salty water might help. Soak the area in warm, salty water to ease swelling and discomfort.

At least once a day, gently wash your penis. If you can easily pull back your foreskin, wash underneath it when bathing or showering. Rinse off and dry under your foreskin before replacing it over the head of your penis.

If your foreskin cannot be easily pulled back, don't force it. Simply wash your genital area thoroughly.

You should avoid soap, hot water and vigorous rubbing, which can make the inflammation worse. Ask your pharmacist about soap-free products you can use.

Try using soft white paraffin ointment (Vaseline) — you can apply this after cleaning and drying.

Avoid anything that may be irritating your skin. This can include baby wipes.

Topical treatments

Your doctor may recommend using an over-the-counter mild steroid or antifungal cream. Barrier creams can also be helpful. These can be applied to the head of your penis.

For babies, apply nappy rash cream to the tip of the penis to help clear up or prevent balanitis.

Medicines

Take pain-relief medicines if needed.

Your doctor may sometimes prescribe corticosteroid, antifungal or antibiotic tablets for you to take.

What are the complications of balanitis?

A complication of balanitis is a bacterial skin infection. See your doctor if you are being treated for balanitis and it is not improving or seems to be getting worse.

Can balanitis be prevented?

Keeping your penis clean and dry can help to prevent balanitis. It's also important to avoid anything that irritates your skin, such as soap.

Adult males

When showering or bathing, pull back your foreskin and wash underneath. Use a soap-free wash to reduce skin irritation. Rinse off and dry under the foreskin before replacing it over the head of your penis.

You should see your doctor if you can't comfortably pull your foreskin back to expose the glans penis. If your foreskin doesn't retract easily, don't force it as you may cause damage.

Male babies and children

It's normal for a child's foreskin to adhere (stick) to the head of the penis — if it doesn't retract easily, don't pull on it. The foreskin only becomes easy to pull back later in childhood.

Once it pulls back easily, you should teach your child to clean under their foreskin when they bathe or shower.

When your child is wearing nappies, change them often.

Resources and support

Healthy Male has information on balanitis and foreskin problems.

The University of Queensland has information on cleaning your penis.

The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne has information on penis and foreskin care in languages other than English.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.