Definition
Red patches on the glans are a skin condition which can be very diverse. There can be a great variability in the form, number, duration or localization of this symptom, which does not describe a clinical picture in itself. However, the nature of the red spots on the glans can be a guide for the doctor to determine the cause and initiate a meaningful therapy.
Often the spots are also a rash, which in medical terminology is called exanthema. There can be a variety of causes for the development of red spots on the glans. If such skin changes occur frequently and/or persist over a long period of time, a specialist should be consulted urgently and the underlying disease diagnosed.
Red patches that appear on the glans do not necessarily indicate the presence of a serious disease. Often, small red patches of skin on the glans occur after frequent intercourse due to irritation. Irritation in the sense of an allergic reaction can also become noticeable in the form of red spots after changing a washing or care product.
However, affected men should pay attention to whether there are other symptoms besides redness. Red patches on the glans may be accompanied by itching, burning or pronounced general symptoms (such as fever and chills). In addition, it is important to pay attention to the shape of the blotches, i.e. whether the redness on the glans is actually only flat or whether they are small blisters.
Men who have regular unprotected intercourse should also inform their partner. Red patches on the glans may be the first sign of a sexually transmitted disease. For this reason, the partner of an affected man should also see a specialist (in this case a gynaecologist). In the case of a large number of typical diseases that lead to red spots on the glans of a man, the sexual partner urgently needs to be treated as well. Otherwise, there is a risk that the infection will be passed on from one partner to the other again and again and thus not really heal until both are treated.