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Your sex life, your way
“Burn” and “penis”: two words no guy wants to see in the same sentence. Most men are lucky enough to never spill boiling water in their lap, but another type of injury — a friction burn on the penis — can still be pretty uncomfortable.
Thankfully, a friction burn on penis skin isn’t typically a severe heat burn. Usually, it’s sore and superficially irritated from excessive use and just needs some rest.
Understanding how the friction burn happened can help you speed up recovery without necessarily needing an awkward penis exam. But there are other potential causes of penile injury you might want to rule out first. Let’s start with the roughest part of the conversation: the friction itself.
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A penis friction burn is an irritated, sore area on penis skin, typically resulting from excessive rubbing. A friction burn usually heals on its own within a week. But you can support its recovery by avoiding sexual activity or masturbation, keeping your penis clean, and using a soothing lubricant or moisturizer.
Penis friction burn symptoms include:
Redness and swelling of penis skin
Pain or discomfort
Peeling
A blister resembling a scab or heat burn on the shaft
You may wince to visualize it, but the skin of your penis is very sensitive and thin. When this sensitive skin becomes irritated or sore from vigorous rubbing, it’s called a penis friction burn.
Friction burns, or chafing on penis, happen when two surfaces (your penis is one, in this case) rub against each other without enough lubrication.
This type of burn is technically both a thermal burn and an abrasion. How so? The tissue builds up heat from the friction and causes damage (abrasion) due to excessive skin contact.
Think: a rug burn.
The issue could arise after doing some very strange cycling stunts while naked. But more realistically, it’s from one of the most common causes of friction burns: prolonged sex or masturbation.
This is especially true if the sex lasts long, if you have particularly dry penis skin, or if you already had a small cut on your genitals.
It can even happen with shorter sexual encounters if you’re not accustomed to regular sexual activity (and the friction is, therefore, a new experience).
Friction burn on your penis isn’t like normal burn injuries. Minor friction burns only last a few days, and there’s no special treatment involved. Those visual signs of a burn — friction scab on shaft, irritable peeling, a blister— they’ll heal on their own.
Unless the burn is severe, you don’t need to seek medical attention for this specific penile health issue. Instead, give it time and keep the area clean and dry to prevent an infection.
And don’t dive right back into bed with your partner until you’re feeling completely better.
If your friction burn is so severe that you develop a friction blister on penis or tear your foreskin, keep it covered with clean, loose-fitting underwear (like briefs or boxers). And contact your healthcare provider for medical advice.
As the wound heals, you may notice some peeling. That’s a normal friction burn healing stage, so no need to ask, “Why is my penis peeling?” It’s just your skin doing its job.
Everyone heals differently, but most thermal injuries and abrasions affecting the first (superficial skin layer) or second level of skin will probably heal in a week or two.
Friction burn healing stages typically include:
Redness and swelling
Blister formation
Scab on penis
Peeling
Severe friction burns can take months to heal, and they could require surgery to replace the skin that was burned away entirely. We’re going to guess (hope) that you stopped short of that level of injury.
Worried your skin isn’t doing its job of healing correctly, or fast enough? That’s a great reason to talk to a healthcare provider.
Keep in mind the pain from a friction burn during an erection isn’t the same as a painful erection — a completely different but still concerning medical condition.
Now that you’ve winced your way through most of this article, you’re probably wondering how to prevent a friction burn on your penis. The easiest way to never have to Google “Why does my penis burn?” again is to use lubrication the next time you masturbate or have sexual intercourse.
If things feel dry during sex, using an aloe-based or water-based lubricant will not only feel better on your penis — it’ll feel better for your partner too.
Besides lube, another potential way to prevent these injuries is to address problems that could lead to them. See a healthcare professional if you have difficulty ejaculating (delayed ejaculation) due to stress or certain medications. This condition can lead some guys to prolong sex despite dryness and continued rubbing, which could result in a friction rash.
After all, sex shouldn’t be frustrating. Find out more about what to do if you have problems ejaculating.
Other tips to avoid friction burn on penis:
Practice good hygiene. Wash your penis regularly with warm water and soap. If you’re uncircumcised, be sure to pull the foreskin back and wash underneath. Don’t forget about your testicles, either.
Be gentle with your penis. Pat it dry after washing and back off whenever you feel pain or discomfort while having sex or masturbating.
Wear loose-fitting clothing. You can also get friction burn during another sweat-inducing activity: exercise. If you’re heading to the gym, avoid tight clothing that can cause chafing.
The symptoms of a penis friction burn can resemble the symptoms of other, potentially more serious penis problems, including sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
If you’re unsure of the cause of your irritation, see a healthcare provider to rule out the following:
Latex allergy. If you use latex condoms during sex, the material could be causing allergic reactions. A latex allergy can lead to inflammation and itching on the penis.
Balanitis. Balanitis looks like swelling and tenderness on the head of the penis and may also include discharge, itchiness, or a rash — kinda like the red, raw flesh of a friction burn. But unlike friction burn, it’s caused by bacterial or fungal infections, diabetes, or a latex allergy. Balanitis is also more common in uncircumcised men.
Sexually transmitted infections. Many STDs and STIs that can result in penis discomfort and inflammation. How do you know if you have friction burn or herpes? Conditions like syphilis, herpes, and human papillomavirus will also result in small lesions — not typical with a simple friction burn.
Thrush. Thrush is a yeast infection or overgrowth of the fungus Candida albicans. It can result in soreness, inflammation, pain while urinating, and sometimes discharge.
So if you’re Googling “friction burn penis,” know it could be something else.
Other potential problems that can make your penis sore include poor hygiene, some types of cancers, skin disorders (like psoriasis or eczema), and other allergies.
If you’re experiencing discomfort and aren’t sure if it’s a friction burn, put your penis health first and talk to a healthcare provider ASAP.
Friction burns anywhere suck, but penile friction burns may be the actual, absolute worst. Luckily, there are steps you can take to avoid friction burn, but when it strikes, the best thing you can do is wait it out.
Friction burn on penis? Remember this:
Penile friction burns can be avoided. Prevention is about moderating the “use” of your penis, using lubrication, and knowing when to give yourself time to heal.
Healing time will vary. A minor burn may recover in just a few days, but if you’ve been really doing some damage, a week or more of rest could be required.
Not everything that looks like a friction burn is a friction burn. Allergic reactions, skin infections, STIs, and other things may cause similar symptoms to friction burn. So if you’re not sure what’s making the skin of your penis red or raw, it’s a good idea to seek medical advice.
If the above suggestions don’t get you anywhere in the healing process, contact a urologist or another healthcare provider specializing in men’s health to find out what’s going on down there.
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This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment. Learn more about our editorial standards here.
Dr. Kelly Brown is a board certified Urologist and fellowship trained in Andrology. She is an accomplished men’s health expert with a robust background in healthcare innovation, clinical medicine, and academic research. Dr. Brown was previously Medical Director of a male fertility startup where she lead strategy and design of their digital health platform, an innovative education and telehealth model for delivering expert male fertility care.
She completed her undergraduate studies at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (go Heels!) with a Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Science and a Minor in Chemistry. She took a position at University of California Los Angeles as a radiologic technologist in the department of Interventional Cardiology, further solidifying her passion for medicine. She also pursued the unique opportunity to lead departmental design and operational development at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, sparking her passion for the business of healthcare.
Dr. Brown then went on to obtain her doctorate in medicine from the prestigious Northwestern University - Feinberg School of Medicine and Masters in Business Administration from Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management, with a concentration in Healthcare Management. During her surgical residency in Urology at University of California San Francisco, she utilized her research year to focus on innovations in telemedicine and then served as chief resident with significant contributions to clinical quality improvement. Dr. Brown then completed her Andrology Fellowship at Medical College of Wisconsin, furthering her expertise in male fertility, microsurgery, and sexual function.
Her dedication to caring for patients with compassion, understanding, as well as a unique ability to make guys instantly comfortable discussing anything from sex to sperm makes her a renowned clinician. In addition, her passion for innovation in healthcare combined with her business acumen makes her a formidable leader in the field of men’s health.
Dr. Brown is an avid adventurer; summiting Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (twice!) and hiking the incredible Torres del Paine Trek in Patagonia, Chile. She deeply appreciates new challenges and diverse cultures on her travels. She lives in Denver with her husband, two children, and beloved Bernese Mountain Dog. You can find Dr. Brown on LinkedIn for more information.
Education & Training
Andrology Fellowship, Medical College of Wisconsin
Urology Residency, University of California San Francisco
M.D. Northwestern University Feinberg School of MedicineB.S. in Radiologic Science, Chemistry Minor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Published as Kelly Walker
Cowan, B, Walker, K., Rodgers, K., Agyemang, J. (2023). Hormonal Management Improves Semen Analysis Parameters in Men with Abnormal Concentration, Motility, and/or Morphology. Fertility and Sterility, Volume 118, Issue 5, e4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/fertility-and-sterility/vol/120/issue/1/suppl/S
Walker, K., Gogoj, A., Honig, S., Sandlow, J. (2021). What’s New in Male Contraception? AUA Update Series, Volume 40. https://auau.auanet.org/content/update-series-2021-lesson-27-what%E2%80%99s-new-male-contraception
Walker, K., Shindel, A. (2019). AUA Erectile Dysfunction Guideline. AUA Update Series, Volume 38. https://auau.auanet.org/content/course-307
Walker, K., Ramstein, J., & Smith, J. (2019). Regret Regarding Fertility Preservation Decisions Among Male Cancer Patients. The Journal of Urology, 201(Supplement 4), e680-e681. https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/01.JU.0000556300.18991.8e
Walker, K., & Smith, J. (2019). Feasibility Study of Video Telehealth Clinic Visits in Urology. The Journal of Urology, 201(Supplement 4), e545-e545. https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/01.JU.0000556071.60611.37