Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Balanitis classification
Introduction
Steven C. Campbell, M.D., Ph.D.
Classification
Classification
Zoon’s Balanitis
Zoon’s balanitis also known as Balanitis Circumscripta Plasmacellularis or plasma cell balanitis (PCB) is an idiopathic, rare, benign penile dermatosis (Keogh, 2005) for which circumcision is often the preferred treatment (Pellice, 1999; Buechner, 2002; Keogh, 2005). Zoon’s balanitis has been successfully treated with the carbon dioxide laser (Baldwin, 1989) and more recently Albertini and colleagues report the avoidance of circumcision and successful treatment of Zoon’s balanitis with an Er:YAG laser (Albertini, 2002). Another study, by Retamar and colleagues, found that 40 percent of those treated with CO2 laser relapsed (Retamar, 2003).
Circinate Balanitis
Circinate balantitis (also known as balanitis circinata) is a serpiginous annular dermatitis associated with Reiter’s syndrome.