A Scientific Explanation for Discoloration?

Having read through hundreds of posts on the topic of discoloration, I’m still struggling to find a decent description of what long-term discoloration actually is. There seem to be two main conflicting explanations: 1) that it is rupturing of pigment cells, and 2) that it is blood trapped between the layers of the skin.

I would appreciate any of you guys with good anatomical knowledge to post your thoughts. My discoloration is confined to my foreskin and is unfaded after a month off PE. I feel that if I had a better understanding of the mechanics of the problem, then I could plan a strategy for getting rid of it. I’ve got Hobby’s ‘Peeling For Discoloration’ thread on long-term stand-by, but I’d like to try some mild experimentation first. For example, if it is blood trapped between the skin, is it theoretically possible to free it again?

Can’t we all get together and hatch a plan as cunning as Andy Dufresne in the Shawshank Redemption, to free our innocent penises from the clutches of dirty brown peeny-sludge?

This would interest me too. I’ve had a bad few months with dis-coloration. I had to temporarily largely stop my PE and consequently down-grade from a more intense habit to a casual routine. Dis-coloration is really scary. In my experience the cause is inadequate or negligent warm-up. I realised this pretty quickly, thanks to this forum, and it all vanished after a couple of months once I started really making sure to over-do my warm-ups. Due to this experience and my humble ‘gut feeling’ I’d say it’s 2. trapped blood between the skin layers.

This is what the black/brown/rust color is http://en.wikip … iki/Hemosiderin

Apparently, when blood escapes the veins, floods the tissue, and then is re-absorbed, it can leave behind an iron residue that has oxidized "rust" — hemosiderin. From my web "research" outside of this forum, there is no cure for this when it is in the skin, as opposed to organs, other than stopping/reducing whatever is causing the blood to go there. Some sites say the body may remove the rust over time, or it may be permanent. Apparently, laser treatment does not work on this.

I did notice some threads on this topic in this forum that indicate various degrees of success in removing/reducing the discoloration by the use of topical solutions.

I am very interested in this for me. I have this from about three months of pumping. I stopped pumping completely six weeks ago. I think it is fading some, but not fast enough for me. The discolored area is darker and covers a much larger area on the bottom side of the penis, going from the circumcision scar to 1/2" from the scrotum. On the top it goes half way down the shaft, and the color is less pronounced.

Any advice on whether this will tend to go away completely if left alone, if the topical cremes really work, and if so, which ones?

Excellent first post Alffie.

I’ve tried everything to get rid of my discoloration. The only thing that worked was stopping all PE. Some discoloration remains, but it has reduced by about 50%.

IMO, you’ve been pumping with too much pressure and/or not taking enough rest days.

Thank you alffie. :) That was a very interesting and informative post.

I wouldn’t agonize yourself over discoloration man. Though it was at one point a very worrying and embarrassing situation, mine has all disappeared. Always with me it was not much at the bottom of the shaft, close or on the head. As soon noticed I would discontinue jelqing and only lightly stretch but kept and intensified the warm-up. It would come and go very quickly (two weeks max), other times more slowly (months) but it always eventually went.

Try running hot water on it and ‘massaging’ the penis while hot water is running along the shaft as an alternative to PE for a week, and see if it has lessened. I’m pretty certain it will, else I’ve got a super-dick. Of course the best means is to prevent it before occurrence, as opposed to correcting when it does occur. In my experience, if you warm up real well you won’t get it, that or my penis is now extremely conditioned against discolouration.

JAPP,

I have stopped — no more pumping. You are right in your assumption — I did WAY overdo it. I used too much vacuum pressure — just assumed the blood/bruising would go away.

How long ago did you stop? One poster in this forum said his discoloration went away completely in 5-6 months.

Thanks for the advice, Beasty One. Your remedy is similar to what I started recently — placing the penis on a heating pad and gently wrapping it around the shaft and holding it for a few minutes — then sort of “squishing” and massaging the skin in an effortr to get the “rust” moving out and about. When you say other times more slowly — months — how many months?

I had to stop all PE because of an injury (about 2 years ago). The foreskin discoloration slowly faded over a 1 year period. Most of the discoloration on my circ scar seems to be permanent.

One, one and a half (months) at the max. Bare in mind this is only because I continued with PE and my then negligent warm-up manner. My apologies at the estimated dates, I don’t routinely measure or keep a record or diary, I think I will be starting one today. Now where is that ruler at?

Yeh, I agree that trying and ‘move around’ the rust is the answer. Perhaps it could be layers of rust one on top of another, and the body can only absorb/destroy the rust one layer at a time? It would explain why at times the discoloration is of darker shade and lasts much longer - more layers. Could be that these lotions that apparently work at reducing discoloration, are destroying the upper layers?

Thanks Alfie, that’s just what I needed. My rusting can seem appear natural or unnatural, day to day. The bottom line is that if I can hit my goal (8x6) then I can live with discoloration. It’s only a case of what I can do to lessen the effects over time. It’s my honest belief that a few years down the line, the collected minds of Thundersplace will have found a viable solution to this problem.

>My rusting can seem appear natural or unnatural, day to day.

Mine varied too. It looked worse on bad flaccid days and/or when the surrounding skin was paler (unflushed). Notice that the more bunched the skin is, the darker it appears.

Lasers were effective in removing stains from iron injections. Here is a pdf:

Chemical peeling seems a better solution for PEers because it is effective, much cheaper and private.

BTW, I agree with alffie about the cause, at least in my case. Other mechanisms may be at play for others. One possibility is post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Interesting on the laser treatment. This is contrary to what I read on three other medical-type sites — I think they all were referring to the ruby laser (whatever that is), and how it did not work on this type of rust discoloration. Regardless, I was with someone who had a tattoo removed with laser — nasty — several visits, blistering, burning, scarring — not for me.

Hobby, I see that you went down the chemical/solution treatment path and it worked for you. I think the last post I saw for you in this regard has you supporting the salicylic (sp?) acid, as found in wart removers, right? Did your skin return to normal? How long did it take? How many treatments? I think mine is getting better, but maybe it is just wishful thinking. It is very noticeable when my penis is completely flaccid. I am fair-skinned Anglo, and when it is most compressed and bunched up (flaccid), the affected part looks like that of a full-blooded African American (or, I guess African, for that matter). It has lightened some in the last six weeks since I stopped the abusive pumping (now, no pumping at all), and it is not as noticeable when the skin begins to stretch out. I think I am “plateauing,” though.

This sort of bums me out. Unlike many on this forum who are dedicated PE’ers, I just sort of did this on a whim. And now I feel like I am sort of scarred for life.

I’ve wondered if using a tube to big while pumping is the problem. I’ve noticed that I did get some seeping of blood one day while pumping and as I remember I was at the high end of safe pressures also. Seems that if the tube is too big then there is more chance for dermal separations especially at high pressures. That was with a 2” tube I wish I could find a 1 7/8” tube. 1 3/4 is tight but works better. I only use a tube for measuring now anyway because I’ve seen one to many testimonies about no gains from pumping.

My question is are we seeing discoloration from Clamping only or a combination of both clamping and pumping?

I do not even know what “clamping” means in the context you folks use the term. Mine was just from pumping. I used the 1 3/4” with taper to increase the length (the penis fills the cylinder and is pulled forward). I formed a clear-fluid sac on the front next to the glans. Eventually, I noticed a dark discoloration forming, predominately on the underside of my penis, but also on the top side next to the glans. I was using way too much pressure — average of 12 and up to 15. The places where I saw the redness settling then became my darkened/bronzed discoloration.