Hemorrhoids or something else?

I’ve been losing my mind for a few days now—seriously, I'm about to snap. -.- I’ve got these "scabs" going on, and my skin is incredibly dry even though there's some kind of moisture there (not much, maybe just sweat, who knows? xD) :S It’s getting to the point where I can't even sit properly, let alone walk. Sometimes I even see little spots of blood on the toilet paper (maybe from the dry skin or the scabs??). I don't think it's hemorrhoids because my old man told me he dealt with those back when he was in high school at 🙂. Now I'm starting to wonder if it might be some kind of fungal infection, since I don't think you get scabs like this with hemorrhoids, or maybe I'm just wrong :S This isn't my first rodeo with skin issues either; I had a flare-up down there once after taking some Augmentin, except this time the skin isn't peeling... I haven't taken anything that heavy lately, but last week I had a massive sore throat, so I was constantly popping Strepsils and swallowing Angelol, and for a bit I was on Tylenol too because of the fever... so maybe it's because I overdid it on the meds? I know I need to go see my doctor, but the problem is I absolutely cannot right now because I have a ton of tests at school, plus I have classes in the afternoon, so seeing her would mean pushing everything back a few days... Ugh, I seriously need some advice on how to soothe this pain and constant stinging before I go insane 🙂

To whom it may concern,

What you’re describing sounds most like perianal dermatitis—essentially skin inflammation in that area.

There are several ways this happens. It could be simple irritation, or perhaps a fungal infection—which often crops up when your immune system is down, if you've been eating too many carbs, or following a course of antibiotics. Hemorrhoids are another possibility, among others.

It would be wise to check in with your primary care physician. A quick exam should determine if you need any follow-up testing.

In the meantime, my advice is to skip the harsh soaps or body washes in that area. Stick to oil-based cleansers instead, and apply a gentle cream designed for sensitive skin after washing.

Best regards. 🙂

Maria Fisher46 said:Hey there,

What you’re describing sounds a lot like perianal dermatitis—basically just skin inflammation in that area.

There are a ton of reasons why this happens. You could be dealing with simple irritation, or maybe a fungal infection (which usually kicks in when your immune system is down, if you've been eating too many carbs, or if you've recently finished a round of antibiotics). Then there's hemorrhoids, or even other stuff entirely.

Honestly, you should probably just check in with your primary care doctor. Get them to take a look and they can send you for more tests if they need to.

Until then, my advice? Don't go using harsh products on that area—stay far away from scented soaps or body washes. Try sticking to oil-based cleansers instead, and after you wash, use a gentle cream meant for sensitive skin.

Take care. 🙂

Like what, for example? xD No way, I'm way too "green" for people to call me that! xD

Regarding skin care for this area, you might want to try heavier ointments—think Aquaphor or even a simple calendula salve. There are also specialized creams containing zinc and copper, such as Desitin, which is specifically formulated for this kind of issue (though it does come with a higher price tag), or perhaps a standard Sudocrem barrier cream.

My old man went to the drugstore and picked up some Hematopropin and a pack of wet wipes... It’s helping, but I’ve got a question about this cream. I applied it around 7:00 PM today, went back to sleep, and then by midnight, the stinging started all over again. Is this stuff supposed to be used just morning and night? Does it actually last long enough? Honestly, I feel like it should "hold" way longer than that xD. Anyway, I can actually walk around now without dying, which is good, and sitting down doesn't hurt nearly as much anymore. I know you guys recommended those other creams earlier, but I wasn't exactly in any shape to drive to CVS myself, so I just told my dad what to grab. He decided to ignore everything we found online though—old school mentality, right?—and just asked the pharmacist what they thought they should get.

If things look better after just one day, the cream is clearly doing its job. Stick to the instructions and you'll see if the trend continues. Fingers crossed things take a turn for the better. 👍

So, I just noticed some blisters popping up today :S WTF??? Are we talking hemorrhoids here or what??

Honestly, this sounds exactly like a perianal abscess to me! I’d seriously suggest you get to a doctor ASAP. If it really is that, we're talking about a medical emergency that needs immediate surgery—it's pretty much on par with an appendicitis situation.
The symptoms you're describing seem like just the "tip of the iceberg"; there's clearly an abscess brewing deep inside. Especially since you mentioned some kind of "mucus"—that's likely just pus slowly leaking out from the abscess. Seriously, go see a doctor right away, because the longer you wait, the messier things get, the surgery gets harder, and you run a much higher risk of complications like a fistula or whatever else. If it starts feeling worse, just head straight to the ER. They can operate on you right then and there, but make sure you go on an empty stomach since they'll probably have to put you under with general anesthesia. Assuming nothing goes sideways, they might even let you head home the same day. And hey, don't freak out—the procedure isn't actually that intense; it's basically just an incision, a deep cut, and a drain to let all that pus out. Just so you know, an abscess isn't anything malignant; it's just an inflammatory process where a pocket of pus builds up, sometimes getting so swollen it looks like a tumor...

So I went to see my doctor about 3 or 4 days ago... and apparently, I don't have hemorrhoids. Nothing. She actually prescribed me those suppositories (yeah, seriously, F***!)—I have no clue why—and told me it’s nothing serious and to just keep using this cream I’ve got on right now. Well, today the "protective barrier" finally gave out because this Hamamelis cream is absolute garbage. It doesn't even sting while it's actually on there, but the second it wears off? Instant burning. I only bought the Faktu cream because I saw a bunch of people online saying it actually worked for them... but man, I hate these damn suppositories. I don't get why she even gave them to me. If I actually had internal hemorrhoids, how would she even know? She just took one look and called it a day; it wasn't like she did some "deep dive" exam or anything. So... yeah... I've got little blisters forming now, so I'm guessing they *are* hemorrhoids after all. -.-''

My advice? Go ahead and seek out a specialist’s opinion—it won't hurt—but all those facts and medical insights will be utterly useless if you don't overhaul your diet first. If you're dealing with nothing but hemorrhoids, you have to face reality: the acidic foods, the spicy stuff, the alcohol—it all has to go. You also need to be mindful of how you sit—and for heaven's sake, stay away from the cold...