Our skin undergoes many changes depending on the environment. Although some of these “abnormalities” are benign and do not need to be removed, there are situations where an infection can cause a rash or growth in the area and have harmful effects on your health.
In this article, we will run through a spectrum of skin conditions found on the male genitalia. These conditions range from benign (not harmful) to pathological (harmful).
These are the 3 most common benign skin conditions in the area.
You do not always need to do anything for benign conditions and chances are you have had them for a while. Most of the time, patients do attend a clinic to have these conditions looked at by a doctor to confirm the diagnosis. Once the diagnosis is confirmed, you can also have them removed to improve the aesthetics of the area.
1. Prominent Sebaceous Glands
Sebaceous glands are oil producing glands. Also known as Tysons glands or Fordyce spots, sebaceous glands are a normal structure of the skin. These glands tend to appear as skin-colored bumps on the shaft of the penis and are not painful or itchy. While little is known what causes some glands to become more prominent and “stick out” compared to others, it is very well established that there is no need to treat prominent sebaceous glands as they are not harmful to your body. For patients who are keen to remove them purely for aesthetics reasons, they can be removed easily with a laser. This is usually done after applying a numbing cream.
2. Campbell de Morgan Spots (Cherry Hemangioma)
These are little red spots that can appear anywhere on the body but tends to cause the most distress to men because these spots tend to appear on the scrotal skin. These spots are caused by small blood vessels that have loosened over time. They appear as red or purplish dome-shaped dots on the skin. You can have the “burned” off under local anesthesia, however new spots will come back to the surrounding areas.
3. Pearly Penile Papules (PPPs)
These papules are flesh colored lumps that appear under the head of the penis. They are skin colored bumps that can be very numerous and run a complete ring around the bottom of the head (“neck”) of the penis. PPPs can look very abnormal and are frequently mistaken for Genital Warts. Colloquially known as “Dragon Eyes”, these lumps are much like moles on your skin and are not a result of any infection. They are always painless and never blister or have discharge. Some partners do not like the appearance of these lumps and you can also have them removed under local anesthesia.
Pathological Skin Conditions
These are situations where treatment IS required and waiting for it to “go away by itself” is not an option because the condition has a high likelihood of getting worse rather than better if left untreated. In addition, there is a chance the condition is infectious and you could pass it onto your partner during sexual intercourse.
1. Balanitis
This is a blanket term for any infection on the foreskin and glans of the penis, the most common cause of balanitis is a fungal infection. Having Diabetes greatly increases the risk of developing a fungal balanitis. This is even more so if you are taking a Diabetes medication that causes you to urinate out sugar (the so called SGLT-2 inhibitor medicines). Overzealous cleaning (cleaning too often or with strong soaps) can cause the natural protective barrier on the glans to be eroded allowing fungal spores to propagate onto the area. Signs of a fungal infection include bumps on the glans and whitish plaques.
Over time, fungal infections of the foreskin can cause the opening of the foreskin to narrow resulting in a condition called Phimosis in which the foreskin is no longer able to be pulled back. Such a situation can make even urination difficult. Fungal balanitis is usually treated with creams and tablets. If the infection keeps recurring or it has already caused very bad phimosis, a surgical circumcision may be required.
2. Warts
Genital warts are growths caused by the Human Papilloma Virus. Warts come in a variety of sizes, ranging from flat skin colored lesions that sometimes look like moles to pedunculated or raised lesions with a root and stem with a shape similar to a cauliflower.
Genital warts are contagious and are usually transmitted between partners during sexual intercourse. The wart acts as a “hive” for the HPV to replicate and expand, therefore, removing the wart by freezing or burning it off destroys the virus within the wart and prevents it from spreading. Sometimes, if the warts are much too numerous, a surgical circumcision is necessary to remove the foreskin and all the warts along with it. Additionally, both men and women can get a vaccination against HPV which will lower the likelihood of the warts coming back.
3. Vesicles
Vesicle is a common way of describing a group of fluid filled blisters (like bubbles or dew drops on the skin). The most common reason for vesicles around the male genitalia is a herpes infection. Caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus, these vesicles appear during a herpetic flare (when the virus is reactivated) and tend to cluster in groups of 5 or more. These vesicles contain fluid filled with HSV, coming into contact with the fluid is the main way people become infected with HSV. After these vesicles burst, a shallow painful wound remains. This wound can also become infected with bacteria if not properly cared for thus prolonging the healing process. It is therefore important to get early treatment when you are having a herpes flare.
In summary
There are many skin changes that can appear around the male genitals. However, not all these changes are harmful or need to be acted on.
Click here if you wish to make an appointment at our Men’s Health Medical Center.
Have a question? Feel free to put it in the comments section below.
Or visit us at our Men’s Health Clinic.
Have a question but need more privacy? Contact us on our Telegram channel. You can also follow us to get the latest news on STDs/HIV and Men’s Health.
Men’s Health – https://t.me/joinchat/uj8HDPzLtpk3NTA1
STD/ HIV Channel – https://t.me/joinchat/83vmPfDJa205ZTc1