I am currently using an OTC antibiotic ointment to help overcome a rather embarrasing and uncomfortable condition, the description of which is rather TMI, and therefore spoilered:
I have come down with some bizarre form of crotch rot. “Medicated” corn silk powder only made it worse. I thought it was jock itch (tinea cruris). But the antifungal spray labeled “soothing” caused intense burning and stinging during application, and did little to help anyway. In desperation, and clued in by the odor, I turned to triple antibacterial ointment. I have had success using it in the past to rid myself of horrible BO contracted from borrowed clothing.
The ointment is helping considerably, both the symptoms and the condition of the skin. But the label says “do not apply to large areas of skin.”
My question is: how large is too large?
And does the overuse of antibiotic ointment carry the same risk as overuse of oral antibiotics?
I do not wish this condition to return, and I especially do not want an antibiotic-resistant strain of it!
Jock itch is commonly treated OTC by a clotrimazole cream. The same cream is also used for ringworm and athlete’s foot. If it is fungal program, I don’t think antibiotic cream is going to help, but of course I am not a doctor. Good luck!
When I’ve had, er, the itch, and I’ve used the stuff, it caused me to have a burning and stinging sensation too. I just thought it was the medicine working. IANAD (IAAL), but I would go back to the stuff.
Just WAGging, but I imagine that the “large areas” thing is likely to prevent its use on major injuries and the like; I doubt using it on your crotch for a few days is a terrible risk. But I wonder if it would irritate more sensitive bits of skin, and whether it will do much to actually cure the condition. I can’t imagine getting that stuff on mucus membranes is great for you.
I think the most likely concern, as Miabella said, is that you’re using an antibiotic to treat a fungal condition. You might want to try an OTC antifungal cream, though at this point it’d be wise to see a doctor to make sure it’s what you think it is.
The stinging sensation from the ‘soothing’ spray was probably just from the ingredient selected to cause the soothing. I looked up a soothing spray and it only lists the antifungal active ingredient; perhaps the ‘soothing’ effect is from rubbing alcohol or a similar astringent antiseptic.
All three antibiotics in common triple antibiotic creams are natural products derived from bacteria. Polymyxin B and bacitracin (as well as gramicidin, another common ingredient) are polypeptides. They’re proteins that are harmless to the bacterium that makes them, but that destroy parts of ‘enemy’ bacteria. Neomycin is a different sort of natural antibiotic, also used by bacteria to defend themselves. (You could say that these substances are part of a bacterium’s immune system.) All three are only effective against certain types of bacteria; some have counter-defence mechanisms against them, and some bacteria are simply immune for some structural or chemical reason. It’s possible, I suppose, that a species of bacterium that doesn’t have a defense against one of these antibiotics might evolve to acquire immunity. This wouldn’t be too much of a concern; it would just mean the patient would need to switch to a prescription antibiotic that is still effective. (But then, all this doesn’t apply if you have a fungal infection.)
Thanks to Excalibre, Colophon, and nyctea scandiaca for your concern. I only spoilered the description for the benefit of the casual reader not prepared for TMI. I could care less about the privacy. If this were MPSIMS, I’d not have spoilered it. (And I’d have written an elaborate description of the experience for your enjoyment.)
I did consider an office visit. My doctor is fascinated by stuff like this. The last time I had a perineal sebaceous cyst, he absolutely had to examine it. At length. But I decided to try one more OTC remedy before seeing the doc.
And, no, I’m not applying it to any mucous membranes.
I pointed out in the OP that I tried antifungal powders first, and the problem only grew worse. The spray version had too much alcohol, and by the time I started using it, my skin was already raw and cracked. Applying it was like holding a lit candle to my 'taint. :eek:
I suspect now that the corn silk in the powder was actually feeding whatever was growing down there.
The giveaway is that the odor is (was) a familiar one – a by-product of anerobic bacteria. I’ve gained a lot of weight in a short amount of time, creating warm moist areas that don’t get much air for long periods of time, and I’m sure my diabetes doesn’t help either.
I’m not saying that there’s no fungal infection, it’s just that right now the bacterial infection is causing the misery.
The AB ointment is working, and as soon as I can tolerate the Cruex, I’m going back to that. I just wanted to make sure that I wasn’t poisoning myself by smearing myself from anus to navel with polysporin.
And no one ever responded to the question about the possibility of resistance developing to antibiotic ointment.
You’re a diabetic and you have skin that won’t heal? See your doctor, man. Especially if it’s on your pink parts. I mean, I could cope with losing a pinkie toe, but a chunk of my labia? Nuh-uh. Better safe than sorry.
It’s healing. I’ve said so in two posts. It didn’t respond to antifungals and I had indications that an antibiotic would be appropriate. And that’s working.
I should just go ahead and post in MPSIMS since I seem to be getting unsolicited advice unrelated to my actual questions anyhow. At least there I expect it.