Final cleanup - one week update

My latest project, to remove the last remnants of BXO skin, is progressing nicely. I've been using a combination of treatments, more as an experiment rather than because of what's best.

I have been using talcum powder throughout, with the exception of the three times this week I have applied Creme Complete. Recall that last time I used that, it caused an itching reaction, and I could no longer tolerate it. I thought it was time I tried again. I'm pleased I did, as I now appear to tolerate it just fine.

Rather than rely solely on Creme Complete, I've been using it every couple of days, in the hope that perhaps it gives me a 'boost'. Other than that, it's been talcum powder, using toilet paper after urination, and squeezing over and over when I've finished. I have noticed a lot of dribbling after I've finished (not a lot as in volume, but a lot as in it takes a long time before I stop seeing urine). This is why I'm also doing pelvic floor exercises several times a day, hoping to tighten those muscles again.

Initially, after starting the talcum powder, I saw a large peel. BXO skin, like all skin, probably has a life cycle. Because I went from 'doing nothing' to 'keeping the area dry', I saw the shedding of  dead skin cells that had been hanging on for some time. The second and subsequent days, the peeling was nowhere near as pronounced. Creme Complete doesn't appear to promote peeling any more than talcum powder, although in saying that, if it gives a 'boost', perhaps it alone has helped stimulate the peeling I see on the talcum powder days.

What I find, after using talcum powder all day, is that the surface becomes almost rubbery to the touch, I can rub it and remove the talcum powder along with tiny skin fragments. Once I do this to the entire area I'm treating, I can then assess how far the peeling has progressed. There are a couple of areas I had thought were just pieces of circumcision scarring that have already started peeling away at the edges. Nothing drastic yet, but notable progress.

I have to say, compared to the last time I did this, I'm enjoying myself so much more. The last time I was in this position, I was treating myself from a very bad state. This time, I look normal to most people. I function normally too. But I just know myself that I'm not as 'complete' as I could be.

Last time I did this, I hoped that I could solve my BXO, but if I'm honest, I didn't really know if I could. This time, not only am I dealing with a very minor amount, but I know what to do, and I know that it works.

I'll be taking photos as soon as change becomes apparent also, so you can see the progress on this last stretch.

Comments

  1. tg123422 February 2019 at 20:09

    First of all, this blog is an amazing resource for this subject. Thank you for taking the time to create so many highly detailed posts over the last few years.

    If have two questions that I'd like to ask...

    Do you ever use creme complete along with talcum power or is it more a case of one or the other?

    Have you found that maintaining a certain diet has been important in your recovery?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. twn22 February 2019 at 21:54

      Thanks so much for your comments. It's words like those, showing the real appreciation of sufferers of this disease, that help keep me motivated to keep writing and visiting here.

      Creme Complete and any kind of drying treatment cancel each other out. Creme Complete makes the skin oily, while the purpose of talcum powder is to dry the skin as much as possible, so you can't really combine them in any way.

      I have been thinking, however, that Vaseline (which is petroleum-based and therefore water repellent) might make a good substitute.

      I did try removing certain foods from my diet in the very early stages, but didn't really notice a difference. However, I think that was partly because BXO recovery is so slow that you'd need a prolonged period of a changed diet before noticing any real improvement in recovery.

      Delete
    2. tg12349 March 2019 at 09:48

      Thanks for your reply.

      Have also wondered if Vaseline would be a good option as it would surely prevent urine from getting onto the skin. However, as I'm sure you said in an earlier post, it would most likely also trap sweat.

      I will say that this blog has been light years ahead of any 'official' medical advice if I've been given which has been an absolute nightmare and really damaging overall.

      Sat year, about June I think, I finally got to see a urologist after suffering the symptoms of BXO for about 5 months prior.

      After examining me he told me that all I had was slight scarring as a result of a tight frenulum. He also said that "he had seen thousands of foreskins in his time" and what I had was definitely not BXO.

      He advised me to stop all treatment as I had nothing to worry about and discharged me from his care.

      I left thinking that I should be released but I somehow wasn't. In my heart of hearts, I felt that he had been wrong. However, he was the professional so I pretty much took his advice.

      Fast forward to January of this year and the symptoms had never been worse. I had eaten a lot of sugar over Christmas which I assumed was a large part of it. My foreskin had gotten so tight with white marks that it had actually split and for the first time was causing me quite a lot of pain.

      I went back to a different urologist and this time I got a completely different response.

      He took one look and immediately said that the only option was a circumcission.

      He said that I most certainly did have BXO (balanitis was what he referred to it as) but that it was far too late for me as it had gotten too bad. He referred to the white marks as simply "scarring" from splitting. I didn't agree with this either as my skin had only really split on that one occasion.

      Anyway, he really didn't have any more encouragement than that and really seemed quite impatient at the prospect of continuing any sort of conversation so I just let him schedule the operation (which is still months away).

      I left the appointment feeling completely flat but an anger towards the original Urologist was already starting to build. The last guy had not been much help either.

      Some quickly decided that whilst waiting for the operation I might as well go for broke and try everything that I've read online on blogs like this one.

      As soon as I got home, I went online ordered creme complete, immediately cut out all sugar in my diet and started the laborious process of ensuring everything got completely dry after ur I sting, hair dryer, talcum powered, everything I could think of.

      After only a week, the skin started to peel like never before and the cut was also healing nicely. After a couple of weeks I was able to retract it again although only when flaccid. It was still progress though.

      Recovery is never a straight of course and there have been setbacks. However, I honestly believe that progress is happening all the time.

      I'm now at the point where I am able to keep the foreskin retracted almost all the time. Doing that only 3 weeks ago would have been out of the question. This is keeping it constantly dry which I'm hopeful about.

      The operation is still scheduled but I'm determined that it will be an absolute last resort.

      Anyway, to cut a long story much shorter than I've done here, without this blog I'd probably still be very much in the dark as t how to approach this. I'd probably still be messing around with steroid cream which does absolutely nothing.

      So thanks very much! I'm going to continue reading for sure!

      Delete
  2. Anonymous1 March 2019 at 17:23

    Hello thanks for writing this blog. It is very helpful to see how you healed. I think I have BXO also. My dr prescribed an anti fungal with anti inflammatory. He didn’t give me a diagnosis but just to try this out.
    The medication didn’t seem to do much. I added Creme Complete and it looks better. It created some peeling.
    My question is does the white patches show up better when wet? It’s hard to tell now unless I shower. That’s when I see the scaly patch.
    Moreover, in the morning it doesn’t show up as well. Is this how BXO works? Do you experience this?
    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. twn1 March 2019 at 20:11

      Your doctor may have been trying to cover all bases with that prescription. I had the same experience when I first went to a doctor after an infection caused by a lesion on my BXO skin - I was given an ointment containing anti-inflamatory, antibiotic, and anti-fungal. Like you, it did nothing for me.

      Yes, when wet, the white patches show up more pronounced. I think it's a bit like how thick skin on the fingertips by the nails changes colour after you spend a long time in the pool. It used to freak me out, because I thought my BXO was suddenly getting worse. Sweat will do it as well.

      It's not a permanent change. It's just a temporary one.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous10 March 2019 at 11:33

    What are your thoughts on using skin peels like the ones people use for their face? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. twn11 March 2019 at 20:00

      I've never used them myself, but I suspect they would be quite effective. Genital skin is very sensitive, so I'm not sure whether there would be the risk of other harm, but in principle I suspect that would give good results.

      Delete

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