[ ARC forum 2 ]

Re: Betamethasone in the UK

Written by Paul B. at 20 Mar 2003 22:41:25:

As an answer to: Re: Betamethasone in the UK written by Val at 20 Mar 2003 12:30:34:

> I'm also in the UK. My doctor said she was aware of the use of topical steroids for the treatment of tight foreskin

Good point for her!

> and prescribed hydrocortisone rather than betamethasone.

And now directly contradicted! If she was actually aware of the use of topical steroids in treating of tight foreskin, then she would know that hydrocortisone is inappropriate (and why)! You only have to look at the classical study (in children), which is dead easy to find on a google search, to see that hydrocortisone is not mentioned, and for very good reason - it specifically does not have the necessary effect on the skin.

> The hydrocortisone treatment is also available over the counter without a prescription HOWEVER I have to say that its use has landed me with a fungal infection on my penis that I've been treating now with a new cream for about a month with hardly any success.

Suggest you try using a miconazole (Daktarin) cream instead, without the hydrocortisone, and make sure you are not putting soap on it at all (as that aggravates both "thrush" and any tendency to dermatitis). If you then try a steroid ointment in the future, use the correct betamethasone (or triamcinolone) plus whichever antifungal proves to be effective. Your problem is however, a little more complex than just phimosis, and is definitely not fraenulum breve - since your fraenulum is obscured by the adhesions.

> I think that the stretching can really help and if it is slowly working for you, it might be a good idea to continue without the use of any cream.

Excellent advice.

> This was my personal experience. But I might be wrong in the sense that betamethasone may be a completely different product to the one I've used and maybe the risks of infections are different.

It is most certainly a completely different product as regards effectiveness for phimosis, but the risk of accelerating candida (which we presume to be your problem in the first place - what caused the adhesions) is probably similar.

> PS: Paul B., could you remove the pics from the mirror website.

Reluctantly, I have veiled them at your request. I'm not sure why you are so anxious though as there does not appear to be any way they could in practice, identify you!


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