Treatments
Dryness
By far the most important thing you can do to reverse BXO is keep the area dry. Studies have linked the development of BXO to exposure to urine. Although what does seem so widely known is that you can reverse its development by removing the irritant. Use toilet paper every time you finish urinating, and ensure you squeeze several times, dabbing the urethra each time with toilet paper, before you are done. If you ever feel dampness on your underwear, you will need to repeat the process.
Talcum Powder
Talcum powder serves several beneficial purposes in treating BXO:
Hydrogen Peroxide
Medical (3%) hydrogen peroxide wouldn't be on my 'top shelf' of treatments, but it still makes a nice job of accelerating peeling.
Usage
Pour a small amount of Hydrogen Peroxide into a lid
Cover your glans entirely with your foreskin
Tip the contents into your penis
Pull tightly on the skin, to move the liquid all over your head and inner foreskin
Leave yourself covered with the treatment on, for at least an hour.
Manuka Honey
One of the first treatments I read was successful in healing BXO was Manuka Honey. The higher the UMF number, the better the honey is (and the more expensive, usually). I found the most results by using it overnight, although my underwear came away a little worse for wear!
Usage
Using a teaspoon, remove a small amount of Manuka Honey from a jar
Take the honey, and spread it over your fingers, then transfer this to any parts of your penis that are affected
Cover your penis with your foreskin
Ensuring you wear underwear, leave this treatment on overnight
Be aware that, as Manuka Honey heats up, it becomes less viscous. Eventually it will be as runny as water, and will leak out of your foreskin into your underwear, creating a large mess. To avoid this, only apply a thin layer.
Creme Complete
One of the most frequently recommended products you'll see come up on forums discussing BXO is Creme Complete by Perrin Naturals. (Note, it's "Perrin" not "Perrin's"). Creme Complete is a wonderful mixture of 31 ingredients, mixed into a small container. It is somewhat greasy, and has a very distinctive smell to it. To me, it's the smell of impending progress. Perrin Naturals manufacture another product called Perrin's Blend, which I personally haven't tried, but is also recommended for treatment of BXO/LS.
Usage
To apply, simply use your fingers to remove some product from the container, then apply directly to all affected areas. Leave it on for as long as you can. I often like it as a daytime treatment.
Note that some people find themselves unable to tolerate Creme Complete after a long period of use. I personally experienced this for a period of about a year, when it created unbearable itching.
Use this treatment in moderation. You can use it for consecutive days, but no more than 3-5 days in a row.
Comfrey
Also apparently known as 'knitbone', Comfrey has a reputation for being one of the great natural healers. Rich in a compound called Allantoin, Comfrey has been used over centuries for healing of anything from flesh wounds to broken bones (don't ask me how!). There is some contention around which species of the plant is safe to use. You can either attempt to find a natural product made from it, or you can look for it yourself in the wild and make an infusion from it.
To Prepare
Take a handful of dried leaves and add to some clean water
Heat the mixture in a pot, until just below boiling
Hold the mixture at this temperature for approximately one hour
Strain the mixture through a sieve, removing any plant matter
Take the remaining mixture, then heat again until the liquid has mostly boiled off. You will be left with a very dark liquid
Remove from heat, then pout into an ice cub tray and freeze.
Usage
Take an ice cube from the tray, and rub it over all affected skin until it melts
Rub the liquid thoroughly over the skin, then leave covered for several hours (3-4)
Tea Tree Oil
It's hard to think of a health forum where I didn't see this wonderful oil mentioned in a discussion about BXO. Tea Tree Oil comes from the leaves of the Melaleuca tree and is a great antiseptic with a very strong smell. In its concentrated form, it's too strong for direct application, but when diluted in a carrier oil it makes a wonderful treatment for BXO affected skin.
Usage
Squirt a small sized drop of moisturiser on your hand
Add one drop of Tea Tree Oil
Mix the two together until they are well combined
Rub the mixture all over the affected area, and leave on for 8 hours, or overnight.
Use this treatment in moderation. You can use it for consecutive days, but no more than 3-5 days in a row.
Emu Oil
This wasn't a treatment I personally used, however, it reportedly has wonderful skin healing properties. I will expand this section as I find more anecdotal evidence of men using it successfully to treat BXO.
By far the most important thing you can do to reverse BXO is keep the area dry. Studies have linked the development of BXO to exposure to urine. Although what does seem so widely known is that you can reverse its development by removing the irritant. Use toilet paper every time you finish urinating, and ensure you squeeze several times, dabbing the urethra each time with toilet paper, before you are done. If you ever feel dampness on your underwear, you will need to repeat the process.
Talcum Powder
Talcum powder serves several beneficial purposes in treating BXO:
- Keeping the skin extremely dry
- Highlighting peeling
- Providing an inidication of urine dribble
Usage
Cover the entire area you wish to treat with a thick layer of powder.
Spread it manually over any areas you haven't reached, or where the skin was folded over.
Leave the treatment on for as long as you can - 8 hours is a good length to start noticing peeling at the end.
Cover the entire area you wish to treat with a thick layer of powder.
Spread it manually over any areas you haven't reached, or where the skin was folded over.
Leave the treatment on for as long as you can - 8 hours is a good length to start noticing peeling at the end.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Medical (3%) hydrogen peroxide wouldn't be on my 'top shelf' of treatments, but it still makes a nice job of accelerating peeling.
Usage
Pour a small amount of Hydrogen Peroxide into a lid
Cover your glans entirely with your foreskin
Tip the contents into your penis
Pull tightly on the skin, to move the liquid all over your head and inner foreskin
Leave yourself covered with the treatment on, for at least an hour.
Manuka Honey
One of the first treatments I read was successful in healing BXO was Manuka Honey. The higher the UMF number, the better the honey is (and the more expensive, usually). I found the most results by using it overnight, although my underwear came away a little worse for wear!
Usage
Using a teaspoon, remove a small amount of Manuka Honey from a jar
Take the honey, and spread it over your fingers, then transfer this to any parts of your penis that are affected
Cover your penis with your foreskin
Ensuring you wear underwear, leave this treatment on overnight
Be aware that, as Manuka Honey heats up, it becomes less viscous. Eventually it will be as runny as water, and will leak out of your foreskin into your underwear, creating a large mess. To avoid this, only apply a thin layer.
Creme Complete
One of the most frequently recommended products you'll see come up on forums discussing BXO is Creme Complete by Perrin Naturals. (Note, it's "Perrin" not "Perrin's"). Creme Complete is a wonderful mixture of 31 ingredients, mixed into a small container. It is somewhat greasy, and has a very distinctive smell to it. To me, it's the smell of impending progress. Perrin Naturals manufacture another product called Perrin's Blend, which I personally haven't tried, but is also recommended for treatment of BXO/LS.
Usage
To apply, simply use your fingers to remove some product from the container, then apply directly to all affected areas. Leave it on for as long as you can. I often like it as a daytime treatment.
Note that some people find themselves unable to tolerate Creme Complete after a long period of use. I personally experienced this for a period of about a year, when it created unbearable itching.
Use this treatment in moderation. You can use it for consecutive days, but no more than 3-5 days in a row.
Comfrey
Also apparently known as 'knitbone', Comfrey has a reputation for being one of the great natural healers. Rich in a compound called Allantoin, Comfrey has been used over centuries for healing of anything from flesh wounds to broken bones (don't ask me how!). There is some contention around which species of the plant is safe to use. You can either attempt to find a natural product made from it, or you can look for it yourself in the wild and make an infusion from it.
To Prepare
Take a handful of dried leaves and add to some clean water
Heat the mixture in a pot, until just below boiling
Hold the mixture at this temperature for approximately one hour
Strain the mixture through a sieve, removing any plant matter
Take the remaining mixture, then heat again until the liquid has mostly boiled off. You will be left with a very dark liquid
Remove from heat, then pout into an ice cub tray and freeze.
Usage
Take an ice cube from the tray, and rub it over all affected skin until it melts
Rub the liquid thoroughly over the skin, then leave covered for several hours (3-4)
Tea Tree Oil
It's hard to think of a health forum where I didn't see this wonderful oil mentioned in a discussion about BXO. Tea Tree Oil comes from the leaves of the Melaleuca tree and is a great antiseptic with a very strong smell. In its concentrated form, it's too strong for direct application, but when diluted in a carrier oil it makes a wonderful treatment for BXO affected skin.
Usage
Squirt a small sized drop of moisturiser on your hand
Add one drop of Tea Tree Oil
Mix the two together until they are well combined
Rub the mixture all over the affected area, and leave on for 8 hours, or overnight.
Use this treatment in moderation. You can use it for consecutive days, but no more than 3-5 days in a row.
Emu Oil
This wasn't a treatment I personally used, however, it reportedly has wonderful skin healing properties. I will expand this section as I find more anecdotal evidence of men using it successfully to treat BXO.