Bumps On The Penis

What Are the Causes For Bumps On The Penis

Noticing bumps on or around your penis can indicate a lot of different things. Many of them are harmless. Some are not. This article will discuss different things to look for and what to be concerned about.

Skin around the penis is sometimes bumpy, so it is possible that bumps on or around the penis could just be a part of your natural skin.

The bumps can also be what are known as "pearly penile papules." These often appear as a ring or two of semi-spherical bumps that form around the head of the penis. These are not contagious and nothing to worry about.

Bumps on the penis can also be an allergic reaction or sebaceous cysts of hair follicles. Neither one of these things are anything to worry about and cannot be spread.

The bumps that you need to worry about are called genital warts. They can be flat or they can be raised. They usually do not itch and they generally do not cause pain. They can be white in color or flesh colored. These warts are in the same family of diseases as chicken pox, but they can indicate one or more STDs.

Genital warts can indicate the presence of the human papillomavirus, otherwise known as HPV. HPV can be responsible for cervical cancer in women, so exercising extreme caution and using as much protection as possible is advised when undergoing sexual activities with somebody who has genital warts present.

Another disease that these warts can be indicative of is called the molluscum contagiosum virus, or MCV. The warts associated with this disease will be clustered in small areas and be slightly indented in the center.

Both of these types of warts need to be treated with either a topical cream or surgical procedure.

Bumps on or around the penis may also be HSV-2, otherwise known as herpes type 2. There are two types of herpes, oral and genital. The most common manifestation of herpes is cold sores, but genital herpes can absolutely appear as bumps on or around the penis as well.

There is no cure for herpes and it is highly contagious while somebody is having an outbreak. Treatment to mitigate the symptoms is available, but it is a disease that you will have for life if you contract it.

If you are a woman and you notice some of the more alarming bumps on or around a man's penis, the smartest course of action is to avoid any kind of sexual contact with him. If you are a man and you become aware of genital warts that you have, it is imperative that you seek treatment as quickly as possible. It may be possible to stop yourself from being contagious and you can learn what steps you need to take to avoid infecting your sexual partners with diseases that you may be carrying. The advice for a male-male sexual encounter is the same that is listed above for a woman: if you are about to engage in sexual activity with a man that has genital warts, your best bet is to hold off until the problem has been treated.