u/Windgrace90

Hi. I tried posting this before but it got taken down, likely because I included a picture. Unfortunately the problem is only visible when erect—I suppose DM me for the pic if you can help me figure out what is wrong.

Background: I’ve been dealing with genital psoriasis for two years. I’m two weeks into a new systemic/oral medication, which has seen a lot of skin quality improvement.

However, I am still experiencing very painful erections that makes sex and masturbation impossible. I can retract the foreskin, but it hurts and is uncomfortable to do so.

What I think is the source of the pain is there is a tight band of skin that’s visible about a half-inch below the head/glans. This has improved a little since the medication started, but only just. It used to be so tight on the right side it caused a more significant bend, but that seems to be slowly going away (possibly frenulum issue?).

Is this phimosis? Has anyone else experienced this and can this be fixed without surgery? Since I can retract I’m not sure if this still is considered phimosis. It’s mostly only noticeable when erect.

I might just be impatient and needing to give the medication more time to address the inflammation. I have tried all sorts of topicals from aquaphor to clobetasol to virtually every OTC antifungal cream I can get my hands on.

Hi everyone, I’m trying to figure out what’s wrong with me.

To cut a long story short, I’ve been dealing with a bunch of doctors who have spent almost two years underdiagnosing and under-treating a skin problem on my penis. The current consensus is psoriasis, and I started taking a systemic medication that has significantly improved the clarity of my skin.

Over the past two years, while I had various skin issues, I also developed symptoms that align with parts of both phimosis and a frenulum breve.

The skin is finally clearing up, but I’m experiencing painful erections. I can retract the foreskin completely and easily while flaccid, but it’s incredibly painful to do so when erect. Once it’s retracted, it doesn’t hurt as much, but it’s uncomfortable and makes masturbation difficult.

Since the foreskin retracts, I’m not sure if it’s phimosis. Could this be just a frenulum breve?

It’s worth noting that while I had plaques and swelling from the psoriasis, I noticed a bend that appears during retraction below the glans. However, it didn’t pull the glans down; it only appeared on the right side of the shaft. I’m not sure if that’s a part of frenulum breve, as most descriptions or depictions of it show it pointing downward, not to one side.

I have tubes of clobetasol from trying to treat the psoriasis, but I’m not sure if it will help to use it to try and stretch the skin.

Hi everyone. I was recently diagnosed with (genital) psoriasis (35, M). While the diagnosis itself is new I’ve been dealing with the symptoms for the better part of two years.

History: symptoms appeared almost two years ago. Initially told it was fungal and tried OTC creams for about a year. Then I was told it was dermatitis, and was prescribed betamethasone. After no relief I was finally referred to dermatology who diagnosed it as psoriasis. I used clobetasol for a few weeks, and it initially helped but once I swapped to tacrolimus I had the worse plaque/flare-up to date.

Meanwhile, I have also experienced what I have come to realize is likely psoriatic arthritis, with unusual joint/bone pain happening in my calf and hips. Because of this additional symptomology my dermatologist put me on roflumilast. I’m starting at 250 mcg for one month (I am here now) and then upping it to 500 mcg.

I wanted to see if anyone has had any experience with this treatment, positive or negative. It’s not a biologic (my derm said it’s difficult to get insurance to cover it through Kaiser but that she’s found it effective for skin and joint inflammation).

I have noticed an almost immediate improvement in the skin-related symptoms, but after a year and a half I’m wary of things regressing.

Thanks for taking the time to read/respond.