Dry penis skin on its own is something that most men want to avoid. Even guys who pay close attention to their penis health may at times experience flaky, irritating dry penis skin, but it’s more concerning to most men because of the effect it can have on partners or potential partners. Men are proud of their penises and how handsome and powerful they look – so when one is afflicted with dry penis skin, it can cause a partner to shy away from participating in mutually pleasurable activities. Usually, dry penis skin can be resolved fairly easily with proper care – but in some cases, it could be a sign or symptom of a more serious underlying condition (or conditions), in which case a man needs to concentrate on solving more than the surface skin issue.

So with that in mind, following are some conditions that often have dry skin (including dry penis skin) as possible symptoms.

- Hypothyroidism. When a person has hypothyroidism, it means that their thyroid gland is acting slowly or sluggishly, not working and producing at the level that it is designed to. But what does the thyroid do anyway? Well, plenty. The thyroid produces a variety of hormones that the body needs and that seriously influence its metabolic processes. When the thyroid is underactive, a person may feel tired and fatigued, get colder easier, become constipated, and may find themselves more forgetful or depressed. The thyroid’s hormones also help ensure that new skin cells are constantly replacing old, dead ones – so when it’s not acting up to par, the skin (including penis skin) may become dry and flaky, even scaly.

- Diabetes. Diabetes is one of the most common medical conditions, and one that must be carefully managed. Basically, when a person has diabetes, they have a difficult time managing the amount of blood sugar in their body. Both too much and too little blood sugar can cause complications. When blood sugar is too high for too long a period of time, the body experiences some dehydration, and this can lead to dry penis skin (as well as dry skin elsewhere on the body). In addition, diabetes sometimes inhibits sweating, which is a natural way of providing moisturization to the skin, creating more dryness possibilities.

- Kidney disease. Another common disorder, kidney disease, often doesn’t present with symptoms until late in the game. It has some symptoms in common with hypothyroidism, such as fatigue, and with diabetes, such as increased need to urinate. Often people with kidney disease experience sleep trouble. The dry skin issue with kidney disease comes because, as the kidneys weaken, they can’t maintain the proper balance of minerals and nutrients that the skin needs, leading to the dryness.

Please be aware that just having dry penis skin (or dry skin anywhere else on the body) is not by itself proof that a person has one of these conditions. But if a guy has dry skin AND other symptoms associated with one of these conditions, checking with his doctor is a good idea. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

When the cause of dry penis skin is NOT underlying conditions but is simple everyday dryness, regular use of a superior penis health oil (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin) is strongly urged. In order to keep penis skin properly moisturized, find an oil that contains both a high-end emollient (such as shea butter) and a natural hydrator (such as vitamin E), which together help create a “moisture lock” to keep penis skin hydrated. It’s also helpful if the selected oil contains a powerful antioxidant, such as alpha lipoic acid, to relieve damage caused by oxidative stress.