What should I do if the skin is eroded due to urinary incontinence?

Written by Wang Shuai

Urology

Updated on June 05, 2025

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For patients suffering from urinary incontinence, it can greatly inconvenience normal work and daily life. Continuous leakage of urine can easily damage the skin around the genitals, causing the skin to ulcerate, itch, and even suppurate.

In such cases, one can consider using a catheter to drain the urine, and then treat the affected skin area for infections. Topical application of iodine for disinfection may be used, and if necessary, medications such as Lotion Calamine can be applied for treatment. Usually, once the skin is no longer exposed to urine, the ulcerated skin will gradually heal over one to two weeks. However, it is also crucial to actively determine the causes of urinary incontinence and treat the underlying condition based on those causes.

(Use of medications should be under the guidance of a physician.)

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