I Have a Cut on My Penis: Now What?

When men talk about groin injuries, they're usually talking about getting hit in the testicles. The testicles are every man's kryptonite. They're famously prone to getting thwacked in an endless variety of ways, large and small, causing deep consternation for their owner and cruel hilarity for observers nearby.

But like the testicles, the penis is a rather sensitive fellow, too. Given the kind of mischief he can get up to, it should come as no surprise that a small cut or abrasion on it isn't that uncommon.

Following are some ways the penis can get cut, abraded or irritated, and what you should do if you find yourself in such a situation.

What are the most common penis injuries?

A penis injury is no joke, and while the ways it can be negatively affected are many, let's look at a few of the most common ones.

Friction burn

The skin of the penis is super-thin and can be easily abraded. Topping the list of potentially painful activities, of course, are those you do with your penis out—namely, overenthusiastic sex and masturbation.

How these two activities can cause irritation pretty much goes without further explanation: Long bouts of penetrative sex can lead to dryness, too little lubrication and too much friction, as can rough, dry or excessive masturbation.

'Your penis is your friend for life, so don't abuse it. Since it provides so much pleasure, the least you can do is take care of it.'

But you can also get an injury to your penis while fully dressed. Running, cycling, sports such as football, baseball and basketball, and cardio exercises that involve repetitive motion are all candidates for causing abrasion or a cut on the penis.

Balanitis

Balanitis is a condition of the penis that causes irritation, redness and swelling to the head, or the glans.

Uncircumcised guys are most likely to develop balanitis due to improper hygiene when cleaning under the foreskin. The itchiness and irritation can cause you to scratch and open up a cut or lead to swelling that makes it impossible to pull back your foreskin, which is known as phimosis.

Yeast infection

Thrush, a type of yeast infection, is the result of a fungus growing out of control on your penis. The redness or irritation caused by a yeast infection can cause itchiness and spots that resemble cuts.

A yeast infection can be caused by insufficient washing, excessive sweat or not changing your underwear often enough. It can also be passed to you from a sexual partner and certain conditions such as diabetes and a compromised immune system can make you more susceptible to thrush.

STIs or STDs

Sexually transmitted diseases or sexually transmitted infections (STDs or STIs) can cause swelling, redness, rashes, skin bumps and other irritations that end up presenting as cuts on the penis skin if left untreated. Some STDs that can cause these kinds of symptoms include herpes, genital warts, syphilis and HIV.

How can I heal cuts on my penis?

Even if you can point to a specific sex or masturbation session that went on a little too long and irritated your penis, it's best to be certain the condition is not something more serious if it sticks around for a while.

Any wound on your penis is worthy of a doctor's opinion if it's unchanged for more than a few days. If your cut resembles the symptoms of any of the aforementioned STDs, it's better to err on the side of caution and get it checked out.

You should also seek medical attention if you have a cut that's open and bleeding, severe pain that doesn't go away with ibuprofen, pain when you urinate, blood in your urine or pain in your testicles.

If you've got just a minor cut or abrasion on your penis, you can treat it at home with basic first aid by cleaning the area with water, drying it carefully, applying some antibiotic lotion to the area around the cut and applying some gauze to cover it.

If you're diagnosed with balanitis or a yeast infection, your healthcare provider will recommend an antibacterial or antifungal ointment, depending on the type of infection you have.

You'll get prescription treatments or advice if you have an STD.

How to prevent cuts on your penis

You can avoid most of these scenarios with a few simple precautions:

• Keep your penis clean
• Use sufficient lubrication for sex and masturbation
• Wear clean, breathable underwear that fits properly, neither too loose nor too tight
• Always wear a condom for sex if you are non-monogamous

Your penis is your friend for life, so don't abuse it. Since it provides so much pleasure, the least you can do is take care of it.