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Hi there Aunt Vadge,
I had thrush which went away a few days before the first time of having unprotected sex with my new partner. The morning after, he had a very sore, itchy rash all over his penis. His doctor diagnosed dermatitis from poor hygiene or perfumed soaps. I’m fine, except my thrush has returned. Should I be worried it’s more than thrush that caused his problem? It’s now four days since we had sex and his penis is sore, red and very itchy.
Sincerely,
Worried
Age 49, Derby UK
Dear Worried,
The most likely explanation is reassuring, in that it’s common and treatable: you most probably passed thrush (a yeast infection) to your partner during sex. Even though your thrush had “gone” a few days before, it clearly hadn’t fully cleared – yours has come straight back – and men can absolutely catch candida from a partner. It shows up as exactly what he has: a red, itchy, sore rash on the penis, called candidal balanitis.
His doctor’s “dermatitis” and a yeast infection aren’t mutually exclusive – irritation and thrush can sit together – but given the timing (the morning after unprotected sex with someone whose thrush was only just “gone”), yeast is high on the list and worth treating directly.
So the practical plan: he should see his doctor or a pharmacist for an antifungal cream and treat it as thrush if that fits, and you should treat your returned thrush properly at the same time – otherwise you’ll keep passing it back and forth. Avoid sex until you’re both clear, and skip perfumed soaps and shower gels on the area, which only add to the irritation.
The bigger question is why your thrush keeps coming back, especially at 49. Recurrent thrush deserves a proper look – a swab to confirm it’s yeast and identify the strain, and a check of whether anything (a stubborn strain, blood sugar, or hormonal changes around menopause that thin and alter the tissue) is feeding the cycle. It’s very unlikely there’s anything sinister behind his rash – far more likely it’s shared thrush – but getting you both treated, and sorting your recurrences, is how you stop this happening again.
Warmest regards,
Aunt Vadge
This is general information, not a substitute for personalised medical advice.
