Why Do I Always Get A 'crotch Rash'?

[fishhooks]

Keep some folded sheets of paper towel with you and place on the usual vinyl or plastic type seating which is fairly universal here, if sitting for longish periods.

This seems to be one of the main causes of sweating in the lower regions for me anyway.

Of course, the earlier advice re different types of powders etc given earlier in this thread are important as well.

However no matter how well you powder up initially, it doesn't take long in this climate to build up a sweat during the day.

[trucking]

hi there ,

when i come from aus to thai the humidity is what starts the fungle rash even worse if you exersize , but the cure for me is metholated spirits its cheap just splash it on and you will forget about your rash.

Put your cigarette out first though !!

[gregb]

Most people get it. Very common over here. Nothing that can be done about it but to keep treating it.

Best solution I have found is Tonaf. Same stuff that is in Tinactin in the states. About 100 baht for a small green tube at the pharmacy at Lotus. Good for a few applications, and it always stops the rash dead for about a week Then it is back again. I'd love to hear of a way to make it go away permanently, but none of my friends have any ideas either. Everyone just kind of lives with it. I'm going to try the iodine idea. I haven't heard that before.

I've tried powder. It does nothing for me and just makes a mess.

A chlorinated swimming pool does actually work (but it has to be well chlorinated), and so does swimming in the ocean. Both of these are dependent on an extended immersion. Frequent bathing or showering in fresh water however makes no difference.

[JSixpack]

hi there ,

when i come from aus to thai the humidity is what starts the fungle rash even worse if you exersize , but the cure for me is metholated spirits its cheap just splash it on and you will forget about your rash.

I alway thought you drink that stuff

Where exactly do you buy methylated spirits? Most pharmacies seem to have only standard rubbing alcohol.

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I would suspect a Gluten sensitivity allergy. Eliminate all gluten from the diet for a few weeks and if your rashes clear up then you have the answer.

The more chronic version of Gluten sensitivity is Celiac or Coeliac disease which there is a ton of information on the web. Gluten senstivity is supposed to affect 20-30% of humans or so I have read.

I used to get rashes and itchy skin symptoms and tried eliminating gluten and to my surprise completely cured my skin issues in about 2 weeks.

It takes some detective work to avoid all the sources of gluten but it's possible as a lot of people do it successfully.

Bacteria, yeasts and fungus are everywhere. Does it sound plausible that your not doing a good enough job keeping them off your body or is it more likely your immune system is weakened and not doing its job properly?

[Lancelot]

I suggest that you try "Timi" Antifungal cream. Costs around 90 baht in mst Thai pharmacies for a 15 gram tube.

Actice ingredients-Miconazole nitrate, Triamcinolone acetonide.

Sure worked for me.

Chok dee krab!

[dmax]

get some algipan rub round the shucks , that should do the trick nicely

maybe wearing cotton trousers or shorts and not 90 % polyester ?

[anatta]

if i get over a certain temperature i get it, use quadriderm, absolutly brillaint, immediate relief .i kid you not,.

Dertec is the same composition as Quadriderm but much cheaper.

[MB1]

Heres what Patient UK says about Tinea Cruris...

http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Tinea-Cruris.htm

.

Tinea cruris is an infection of the groin caused by a fungus. Treatment with an antifungal cream usually works well. The tips given below may help prevent recurrences.

What is tinea cruris and how do you get it?

Tinea cruris is a fungal skin infection of the groin. Some types of fungus germs (fungi) are commonly found on human skin. They usually do no harm. However, if conditions are right they can 'invade' the skin, multiply and cause infection. The conditions fungi like best are warm, moist and airless areas of skin, such as the groin..

.What are the symptoms of tinea cruris?

Typically the groin becomes itchy and irritable, mainly in the crease between the top of the leg and the genitals. It is more common in men, and the scrotum may also be itchy. A red rash then develops in the groin, usually with a definite edge or border. Both groins are commonly affected. The rash often spreads a short way down the inside of both thighs.

Sometimes the infection spreads to the skin on other parts of the body (or may have first started in another area, such as athlete's foot). Fungal infections do not usually go deeper than the skin into the body, and are not usually serious.

A website with pictures of tinea cruris is here: www.dermnet.org.nz/fungal/tinea-cruris.html.

.What is the treatment for tinea cruris?

You can buy an antifungal cream from pharmacies, or get one on prescription. There are various types and brands. For example; terbinafine, clotrimazole, econazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, and sulconazole. These modern creams are good at clearing fungal skin infections..

•Apply the cream to the surrounding 4-6 cm of normal skin in addition to the rash.

•Apply for as long as advised. This varies between the different creams, so read the instructions carefully.

•For skin that is particularly inflamed, your doctor may prescribe an antifungal cream combined with a mild steroid cream. This would normally be used for no more than seven days. You may need to continue with an antifungal cream alone for a time afterwards. The steroid reduces inflammation and may ease itch and redness quickly. However, the steroid does not kill the fungus and so a steroid cream alone should not be used.

An antifungal medicine taken by mouth is sometimes prescribed if the infection is widespread or severe. For example, terbinafine, griseofulvin, or itraconazole tablets..

.The following tips may prevent tinea cruris from recurring

•Wash your groin daily, then dry thoroughly. Drying is perhaps the most important point. It is easy to put on underwear when your groin is not quite dry. The damp groin is then an ideal site for fungi to multiply. (A hairdryer is useful if you have hairy groins.)

•Change underwear daily. Fungi may multiply in flakes of skin in unwashed underwear.

•Check for athlete's foot and treat it if you have it. Athlete's foot is a common fungal infection of the toes. In a typical case of athlete's foot, the skin between the toes is itchy and flaky - especially between the outer two toes. The fungi from athlete's foot may spread to the groin. The same creams are used to treat athlete's foot and fungal groin infection.

•Do not share towels with people in communal changing rooms. Wash towels frequently.

•Keep your own towel when you have a fungal skin infection to reduce the chance of passing on the fungus to others.

Note where it states that steroid cream should not be used alone as it wont kill the fungus.

I suffered one particular bad bout of infection and when travelling to Thailand now always take some kind of anti fungal cream and also take a pack of Fluconazole tablets which are used to treat a wide range of fungal infections, but as with any tablet read the user information carefully.

[bangkokburning]

There is plenty of advice here and of course, Sheryl's is the always best. I think as well this is fungal so I won't belabor that point. I would double her advice as well as gunnyd and ask to disregard all advice to use steroid creams.

billp makes some great comments but unless you are really (!!) raw and bleeding, dont go to a doctor. They will give you some sort of medication that are totally over the top. Medicines are over perscribed in this country to scary proportions.

Try the anti fungal. If no change in 4-5 days. OK, see a doctor.

My contribution...why does it keep coming back? You are predisposed, sweat and in the heat. The current weather is horrible and quite sticky, but if you plan to spend your life here - get out in the heat! Get used to the weather so when you do go out the weather is somewhat tolerable and you are not sweating like a pig.

Next, try not wearing long pants, not wearing underwear and wearing LONG but thinner shorts.

Isolate the culprit. Do you use public towels or towels from your apt or guesthouse? Gym? Stop, that is very well the problem.

Finally, it is unlikely but possible if you have the same sex partner that s/he is carrying this and giving it back to you.

I had this once from apt towels sure. FYI it took a few weeks for it all to disappear to my satisfaction. If you are really raw, maybe even three weeks. You will be amazed at how the redness goes if you get some Lamisil - and that is the problem. It will more or less vanish in a few days.

If that works, that is a great sign - means potentially you never really got rid of it in the first place. Now you have the right meds - you will be in much better shape!

Edited August 13, 2010 by bangkokburning

[IMA_FARANG]

You need to be concious to keep "dry" as much as possible. Use a talcum powder or the eqivalent in the appropriate place. Dry completely after each shower. Powder it up down there with a drying powder.

If you were briefs/tights/whatever you call them...switch to boxer shorts. The more room you have there the better. If you have to get a slightly larger size, do it. Tight fit and wet shorts are your enemy. Do NOT sleep in your shorts overnight. If you insist on pajamas, do it...but do not make them a tight fit. Baggy is better. Use powder before you go to sleep. Dry is your friend, wet is your enemy.

If you have issues about your laundry, I'm sure you can get the laundry maid to give you special service by washing your shorts in hot water and your laundry soap for a small extra fee. She may think it's funny, (you are a crazy farang anyhow,you know) but I'm sure if you pay extra, they will be willing to do it. If not, find a laundry service that will. Since you are a silly farang anyway, you've got nothing to lose (except maybe your crotch rash).

If you need to go see a doctor about your rash, do it. use the medicine he tells you to.

But seriously, DRY is your friend...WET is your enemy. Always go out of your way to stay DRY.

Edited August 13, 2010 by IMA_FARANG

[fred110]

There is plenty of advice here and of course, Sheryl's is the always best. I think as well this is fungal so I won't belabor that point. I would double her advice as well as gunnyd and ask to disregard all advice to use steroid creams.

billp makes some great comments but unless you are really (!!) raw and bleeding, dont go to a doctor. They will give you some sort of medication that are totally over the top. Medicines are over perscribed in this country to scary proportions.

Try the anti fungal. If no change in 4-5 days. OK, see a doctor.

My contribution...why does it keep coming back? You are predisposed, sweat and in the heat. The current weather is horrible and quite sticky, but if you plan to spend your life here - get out in the heat! Get used to the weather so when you do go out the weather is somewhat tolerable and you are not sweating like a pig.

Next, try not wearing long pants, not wearing underwear and wearing LONG but thinner shorts.

Isolate the culprit. Do you use public towels or towels from your apt or guesthouse? Gym? Stop, that is very well the problem.

Finally, it is unlikely but possible if you have the same sex partner that s/he is carrying this and giving it back to you.

I had this once from apt towels sure. FYI it took a few weeks for it all to disappear to my satisfaction. If you are really raw, maybe even three weeks. You will be amazed at how the redness goes if you get some Lamisil - and that is the problem. It will more or less vanish in a few days.

If that works, that is a great sign - means potentially you never really got rid of it in the first place. Now you have the right meds - you will be in much better shape!

I just saw this topic, better late than never. I had this problem for years, doctors here and in US were no help. Then a Thai pharmacist gave me a tube of Spectroderm and it stopped it for about a year, then I used it again for a few days. Good luck.

[namoi]

mate plain old cornflower after your shower on the area/s, 1/2 days gone, no oily/greasy feeling i lived in the bush all my life and never had the problem after an old timer put me onto it, honestly just works on everybody i have told, always have it in the draw in the shower, it does work

[bkkjames]

mate plain old cornflower after your shower on the area/s, 1/2 days gone, no oily/greasy feeling i lived in the bush all my life and never had the problem after an old timer put me onto it, honestly just works on everybody i have told, always have it in the draw in the shower, it does work

Will give it a try! Do cockroaches like cornflower by the way?

[jomomojo]

Had similar problem years ago - athlete's foot, but under one toe nail. Lamisil (terbinafine) cream cured the athlete's foot on the skin, but not under the toe nail. My Dr. in the U.S. wanted to prescribe Lamisil tablets, but after discussing with a friend who is also an MD, and as noted above, the organ problems they potentially cause is not worth a toe nail. Instead I let the toe nail fall off and it grew back just fine...it was ugly, but oh well.

Once I came here, re-occurring jock itch. Keeping dry, and applying Lamisil cream for two weeks at a time was a temporary cure. Anti-fungal powder helped a bit. I did find an "apply once" Lamisil cream at a pharmacy in Suk soi 11, near Ambassador hotel. I applied it once (read and follow the directions carefully). That was 6 months ago, and problem has not returned, which is good because I can't find that type of Lamisil anymore. I'm not a product spokesperson for Lamisil, but it does work for my fungal infections, however, be weary of taking the tablets.

Just my 2 satong...

[Wrong Turn]

pumper

Being a northern farang I sweat extensively in LOS.

I change cloths / shower several times per day.

I had the same problem. I stopped wearing underwear in this hot tropical climate.

I wonder, how many other expats do not wear underwear?

[PattayaParent]

Had similar problem years ago - athlete's foot, but under one toe nail. Lamisil (terbinafine) cream cured the athlete's foot on the skin, but not under the toe nail. My Dr. in the U.S. wanted to prescribe Lamisil tablets, but after discussing with a friend who is also an MD, and as noted above, the organ problems they potentially cause is not worth a toe nail. Instead I let the toe nail fall off and it grew back just fine...it was ugly, but oh well.

Once I came here, re-occurring jock itch. Keeping dry, and applying Lamisil cream for two weeks at a time was a temporary cure. Anti-fungal powder helped a bit. I did find an "apply once" Lamisil cream at a pharmacy in Suk soi 11, near Ambassador hotel. I applied it once (read and follow the directions carefully). That was 6 months ago, and problem has not returned, which is good because I can't find that type of Lamisil anymore. I'm not a product spokesperson for Lamisil, but it does work for my fungal infections, however, be weary of taking the tablets.

Just my 2 satong...

Vick's vapour rub does the trick!

[JSixpack]

Rubbing alcohol worked great for me whereas the creams offered only temporary relief. I did start the alcohol after I'd used a cream.

Fill a small spray bottle with it. Spray after bathing, during the day if possible, in the evening, and esp before bedtime. Now I just spray after bathing and before bedtime as a preventative. Sleeping in the nude is also likely helpful.

Never had a problem before I came to Thailand.