White fungal on penis

Fungal infections around the body are quite rare but what is even more of a medical nuance would be a fungal infection on the surface of the penis. Although the underlying cause of what caused the infection in the first place can vary, most of the time, there is an underlying disorder of your skin that allows the infection to develop in the first place. Consider the skin to be our armor against most bacteria, viruses, and fungi that want to enter our bodies to grow. Most of the time, the skin is all that we need to prevent these infections from ever becoming problematic. The skin has a complex system of immune defense strategies to prevent the growth of any of these foreign agents. When there is an underlying problem with the integrity of the skin, however, the immune defenses are not functioning to their full capacity.

Oral thrush produces slightly raised, creamy white, sore patches in your mouth or on your tongue. Oral thrush — also called oral candidiasis kan-dih-DIE-uh-sis — is a condition in which the fungus Candida albicans accumulates on the lining of your mouth. Candida is a normal organism in your mouth, but sometimes it can overgrow and cause symptoms. Oral thrush causes creamy white lesions, usually on your tongue or inner cheeks. Sometimes oral thrush may spread to the roof of your mouth, your gums or tonsils, or the back of your throat.

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Last Updated: January 15, References Approved. This article was co-authored by Chris M. Matsko, MD. Chris M. Matsko is a retired physician based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.