Are you worried about some small growths on your penis? These growths are most likely to be pearly penile papule most commonly referred as PPP. In this article, you will find what causes the papules to grow on the shaft of penis and the images of how the papules appear. We have also provided some treatment option including creams and toothpaste to relieve some of the symptoms.
PPP are small benign growth. PPP also known as Hirsuties coronae glandis, are small protuberance that may form on the ridge of the human penis. The growth are what can be referred to as anatomical variation. The growths do not cause any health threats, they can be said to be a normal part of the shaft anatomy. Even though the growths don’t pause any health threats, they can cause low self-esteem and embarrassment.
Pearly Penile Papules Symptoms
PPP will in general manifest as small tinny bumps on the ridges of the glans of the penis. They will appear in several rows of little flesh covered, pearly, smooth bumps. The bumps will vary in size ranging from 1 mm to 3 mm. the bumps will also vary in color, to some the lumps will be white, pink, yellow or translucent.
Apart from their physical characteristics, there are no significant sign and symptoms of PPP. The physical characteristic will include the following:
- Multiple papules around the penile shaft
- Small Well defined and raised bumps
- Skin colored papules on the penile head
Is pearly penile papules contagious?
Saying the papules are contagious is a myth. The condition is neither a disease nor an infection. Pearly penile papule are a normal skin growth condition where small pimple like bumps appear on the head of the penis.it is not contagious or sexually transmitted.
You need not to fear as the condition is not harmful or life threatening. Removing the bumps is a personal preference. That is way most of the time it is referred to a cosmetic set up. Several reports have suggested an increase in incidence of PPP in uncircumcised verses circumcised men. No geographical variation has been noted with respect to the condition.
Pearly Penile Papules Pictures, Images
Below we have provided some images for vivid illustrations of how the papules appear. Even though the condition is not in any way related to sexual activity, you need to have the doctor diagnose it to rule the possibility of genital warts infection. Some of the images provided are graphical but will be of help in diagnosis and treatment of the condition.
Pearly Penile Papules Causes
Many people mistake the condition to be caused by poor hygiene or sexual activity. The truth is, that is just a pure myth about the condition. PPP is not in any way related or caused by the said condition. Too prevent infection and scaring, men with PPP are advised not to pick on them.
Just to set the record straight, the papules are not infectious and are not related in anyway with sexual activity or poor hygiene. Medical science is yet to found out what the actual cause of the papule on the penile shaft are. The papules are known to cause a slight unease during sexual activity.
Even though they are no circumstantial evidence of the causes of the papules, there exist several assumptions and theories regarding the cause of the papules, they will include the following:
- That the bums are a remain of evolution
- That the presence of foreskin might cause the growth of the bumps, these theory cannot hold because even those circumcised still develop the bumps around penile shaft
- Some believe the bumps to be caused by blocked sebaceous gland. The truthiness of the theory is yet to be established ass no research has been carried out to clarify those findings.
These bumps should not worry you because, they are common, about 48 percent of male population around the globe are most likely to develop them. The bumps are harmless, most of those in the medical world believe the papule to be a “normal variation of the penis” and not a disease. The other reason those with the condition need not to worry about the condition is that, the papule are static, these means that the bumps will remain static without increasing in number or size as the years goes by.
To remove any doubt or possibility of misdiagnosis, you need to have a dermatologist or a professional health care provider look at the pimples on the penile shaft. For those who feel the bumps need to be removed, then your health care provider will be in the best position to help you do that,
Pearly Penile Papules Vs Genital Warts
Pearly penile papule are not the same to genital warts, while genital warts are contagious, PPP on the other hand are not. You cannot get the bumps from physical contact with an infected person, in the same sense, you cannot infect someone from having sex or any physical contact.
Genital warts on the other hand is caused by Human Papilloma Virus HPV. The warts are sexually transmitted infection. Genital warts are small, cauliflower shaped growths that can also develop on or around anus, thigh, groin, scrotum and at times, lips, tongue and mouth.
Unlike PPP, genital wart are contagious and can be infected from one person to the other through sex or physical contact. While the warts can go away after some time, the virus that causes the growth cannot be easily eliminated once in the bloodstream. That is also a distinct difference between the pearly papules and the genital warts.
Pearly Penile Papules Vs Herpes
Even though the penile papule may appear somewhat as similar to genital herpes, the growths are not in any way related to sexual infection or caused by herpes simplex virus ass herpes is. For the case of herpes:
- The bumps on skin or the penile shaft will contain some form of liquid content
- Those with herpes will also experience cases of itching and a burning sensation.
- Herpes is an infectious and a very contagious condition caused by herpes simplex virus
- It is also important to note that herpes is a long-term condition that can be transmitted through sexual contact even when the person has no started developing the symptoms yet.
Unlike herpes, not everybody develops the papules, there exist no clear answer to why this happens that way. Some may thing that these then must have some genetic linking then, but that is not the truth. It is ascertained that there is no genetic predisposing to the condition.
Since there are no real symptoms associated with the condition, no medical treatment is required, however, if you develop large counts of these papules, a cosmetic surgery can be arranged to get rid of them.
Pearly Penile Papules Shaft
As started earlier, PPP are small protrusion that forms a ridge on the glans or head of the human penis. The papules will appear as one or several of small, row or flesh colored smooth dome shaped bumps around the corona of the glans. The papules will range in size and color from one person to the other.
On the penile shaft, PPP are most confused with genital warts caused by the human virus or herpes, a skin disorder caused by the herpes simplex virus. The truth is the pearly papules are normal and entirely harmless. The papules are believed to be normal anatomical variation that cannot be transmitted from between individuals.
Unlike genital warts or any other kind of skin infection around the groin, the papules are not caused by sexual activity or poor hygiene. The bumps on penile shaft are also not infectious or contagious like the genital warts or herpes.
Pearly Penile Foreskin
No sufficient evidence exist to show the relation between foreskin and the pearly papules. However, available statistics show that a bigger number of uncircumcised males (those with foreskin) are likely to develop or have developed the papules compared to those who are circumcised (lack foreskin).
The bumps will have a lot of bearing on a sexual relationship. Beside the bumps those with foreskin will experience mild or severe pain during:
- Removing of the foreskin, this will happen when you take your penis out of the foreskin especially during initial erection times.
- Also when the erection is just about to begin, those with foreskin will start to experience irritation and burning sensation, this can be very detrimental to your sexual performance.
- During intercourse, the papules will cause a lot of pain, it becomes impossible to maintain the continuous position of open foreskin for long time.
- The pearly papules have also been proved to an irritating reason for weaker erection and painful intercourse.
Though not scientific evident, circumcision will help reduced the pain and the chances of having pearly penile papules. Consult your health care provider for more information.
Pearly Penile Papules Females
Females or women do not have a penis, so we cannot refer to the papules as penile papules. It is however possible for females to develop the papules on the folds of the vulva or around the labia (folds of the vagina). The bumps can also cover the perineum as well.
The papules in women are not referred to pearly penile papules, the medical term used to refer to them is vestibular papillae. It is hard to differentiate genital warts, or Fordyce spot from these papules. Just as in males, these bumps or papules are harmless, before opting for treatment, diagnose the bumps with the help of a health care provider.
Most of the times, vaginal papules are assumed to be genital warts. Even though the two might appear visually identical there exist slight variation between them. It is these variations that will help identify them. The papules are also very rare in women, according to statistic, only 2 out of 10 females are likely to develop the papules.
Pearly Penile Papules on Head
Hirsuties coronae glandis, or what we commonly refer to as pearly penile papules, are small protruding bumps on the head and shaft of the penis. The bumps are harmless and pose no health risk. Though the bumps might appear similar to genital warts and bumps caused by herpes, they are neither sexually transmitted nor contagious.
Apart from the small, raised, flesh colored bumps on the head and glans of the penile shaft, the condition is asymptomatic, that is to mean no signs or symptoms will be observed. Since it does not pose any risk to your health, no treatment is required, however, if you feel the need to get rid of the bumps, then there are some available treatment options that can be employed.
Contrary to the myth that the papules are caused by enhanced sexual activity or poor hygiene, the pearly bumps appearing on the head of penis are merely variation of the normal anatomy of the penis. The bumps are also described as the remnant of the primal strictures called penile spines found in primates.
Pearly Penile Papules on Scrotum
While Fordyce spots, genital warts and herpes umps will spread and appear on around different part of the groin including scrotum, thighs, penis, buttocks and inner thighs, pearly papule will in most cases appear on the head and shaft of the penis. The bumps will remain static, they won’t spread, and increase in size.
The papule will rarely appear on the scrotum. The appearance of the bumps has no relation to damaged hair follicles or the sebaceous glands. As such, they are not caused by sexual contact or poor hygiene. Seek medical attention for diagnosis and treatment of the bumps.
Pearly Penile Papules Treatment, Cure
Pearly papules on penis are harmless and do not pose a threat to your health. However, those with large count of these papules, or those affected psychologically by their presences may undergo some different procedures to get rid of them.
Pearly Penile Papules Removal
By now we are sure you understand that pearly penile papules are common, normal, harmless and are not contagious. As such no medical treatment is required to treat the papules. However, if you feel the need to get rid of the papules, then the treatment methods should be employed only as last resort.
Below, we have listed some of the available treatment option that you can employ to get rid of the papules. Some of the methods are expensive but the cost will vary from one health care provider to the other.
- Using an instrument known as hyfrector your doctor will destroy the papules tissue directl. To do so, the doctor will apply an anesthetic cream to numb the area then vaporize the bumps using an AC electricity current. It is advised to avoid sex or masturbation for ten day after the procedure. The procedure is expensive and might cause permanent scars.
- An excision surgery can also be used to reduce the bumps. With this procedure, the doctor will use a scalpel to cu the papules and remove them one after the other.
- The other alternative option is carbon-Di-oxide laser surgery. A laser beam of CO2 is focused on the papules. The procedure is said to remove cleanly the papules concentration. It is a much painless method for getting rid of the papules.
- A radio surgery can also be used for the removal. High concentrated beam of radiation is used to remove the papules deposition. The risk associated with this method are far much worse than those of CO2 laser surgery.
- To counter the effects of radio surgery, cryo-surgery can be used instead. This method uses liquid nitrogen at very low temperature. The temperature is so low to an extent that the papules layer start falling off.
- Electro-Desiccation is another possible way to get rid of the papules. An electro current is used to remove the papules from the penile shaft, this is a very painful and risky procedure, unless the surgeon has plenty experience and patience, the surgery may end up in disaster.
Pearly Penile Papules Removal Cost
Without a need to say, no amount of money can be equated to a healthy body. On the other hand expensive is relative, what one might consider expensive the other will consider cheap. PPP is without doubt embarrassing and most people will opt to get rid of them.
The cost for treatment will first of all depend on the method used to remove the papules. Secondly, the cost will vary depending on the health care provider offering the service. For a public facility, the cost will be moderate lower compared to the same procedure form a private health care provider.
The cost for the removal will be on the average around $2000 per surgery. For those who cannot afford this amount, nature is endowed with remedies that can help get rid of the papules at home. You can also employ a “free wait and see approach” this way, the papules will heal and disappear on they own as time goes by.
Pearly Penile Papules Cream
A clinically approved cream to remove the papules is now available for the public. The cream refines the papules surface and scraps them slowly. The cream will also weaken the fibrotic core of the penile papules and make them fall off the penis naturally.
Visit any pharmacy near you and the pharmacist will be able to give the prescription on use and application of the cream.
Home Remedies for Pearly Penile Papule – How to Remove at Home
For those who cannot afforded the removal methods discussed above, nature has a solution for you. Simple remedies can be applied to get rid of the papules safely, with ease and at little cost. The method include the following.
a) Toothpaste for removal of pearly penile papules
A lot of people have used toothpaste to treat acne and other skin condition. Toothpaste contains compounds that are capable of extreme drying the skin. Just like the other skin condition, it is possible to use toothpaste to get rid of pearly penile papules.
Apply a thin layer of toothpaste on the affected area overnight and rinse in the morning. Do this daily for two or three weeks for optimal results. It is important to note that different toothpastes will have different effect in terms of reliability and effectiveness. We would recommend a basic white toothpaste for the removal of PPP.
The fluoride in the white toothpaste is the main ingredient for the removal of the bumps. In case of any damage please contact your health care provider immediately
b) Tea Tree Oil
Though slow, tree oil can be an effective remedy for the papules. It may take around 10 week to get rid of the papules. Using a cotton to spread the oil on the affected area. Avoid mixing the oil with others. To speed up the remedy, mix tea tree oil with Castro oil and apply on the affected parts of the penile shaft.
c) Castro oil
Castrol oil, which is easily available is another possible effective remedy for the papules. Though slow, it can be used to treat the papules with time.
You can mix the oil with tea tree oil to make the remedy work faster.
d) Pepper mint oil
To keep the skin soft and get rid of the papules, organic pepper mint oil can be applied on the penile shift using a cotton swab. Avoid skin irritation, avoid wearing underwear. Rinse the penis after the oil has completely dried off
