Dear GhanaWeb: I used bleach on my genitals and now I’m in serious pain

Dear GhanaWeb,

I’m a 29-year-old man and I’ve been talking to a lady I met on Instagram for about four months now.

She is 24, very attractive, and we’ve built a strong connection.

I took her out on a date two months ago to see if she looked like her pictures, and she exceeded my expectations.

I’m naturally a shy person, especially around women I’m strongly attracted to. Last week, she told me she was coming to visit me for the first time.

While she was on her way, we exchanged some intimate messages. She hinted at wanting to be intimate and asked me to keep myself neat and fresh.

In an attempt to go above and beyond with hygiene, I made a terrible mistake.

Though I usually keep myself clean, I decided to apply a small amount of household bleach (Power Zone) to my private area, thinking it would make me extra fresh.

I only left it on briefly while brushing my teeth, then felt a burning sensation, so I washed it off immediately and took a bath.

Unfortunately, the damage had already been done. The area became swollen, tender, and painful. When she arrived, I was in so much pain but too embarrassed to explain.

I made up an excuse, saying I didn’t want us to do anything intimate yet. She said she didn’t mind because she already had feelings for me.

Eventually, things happened, but I was in so much pain that I couldn’t enjoy anything. After she left, I checked and saw that the situation had worsened, my genitals and lower abdomen were all sore and inflamed.

I’ve tried using over-the-counter drugs and creams, but it’s been over a week and nothing seems to be working. I’m still in pain, wearing only loose clothing because I can’t bear anything tight on my skin.

I’ve now come to realise how dangerous bleach is to human skin, especially such sensitive areas.

The lady is starting to worry because I’ve been avoiding her out of embarrassment. I’m scared to tell her the truth, and I feel completely stuck.

Please, I need help. What can I do to heal this properly? Should I go to the hospital or continue using home remedies? Any guidance would mean a lot to me.

FG/EB

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