Q&As Tagged Questions

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Hello and thanks for getting in touch with MSH. The one thing that it could be are the white lumps on your glans. It can be entirely normal to have painless, small white bumps on your penis, especially on your glans, most typically around the corona, the rounded base of the glans. It is clear you have tried to figure out what these lumps are and not found a single, specific condition that fits your case exactly. There can be small variations in symptoms, thus giving the appearance of something different. They are also known as Pearly Penile Papules, often abbreviated to PPP, are found around the head of the penis. Sometimes the foreskin needs to be pulled back in order to see them. The papules are small, smooth spots that are white or skin-coloured and 1mm-3mm across. They will often appear in small rows a bit like a string of pearls, hence the name. The good news is that penile papules are absolutely nothing to worry about as they pose no health risks and will not cause any pain or irritation. In fact, they are very common, with an estimated 20% of the male population developing them. There is no known cause of PPP.



Although they are not infectious and aren’t related in any way to sexual activity and personal hygiene, the papules can still be worrying for those who don’t know what they are and who may mistake them as an STI. Men with PPP should not pick them or attempt to squeeze them, as this could lead to scarring and infection. It is possible to have the papules removed for cosmetic reasons, which dermatologists may do by using a CO2 laser to vaporise the spots. This does not involve any injections in the penis as an anaesthetic cream can be used and men will be fully healed within one to two weeks. It is important to remember that despite this being a safe and effective procedure, removal is not obligatory. It is often opted for by people who are finding that the papules are affecting their self-confidence.



To be 100% sure, we would suggest booking an appointment with your GP, Sexual health clinic to rule out anything else, then you will know 100% what they are. We hope this has helped ease your concerns, and if possible please let us know the result of your doctors visit so we know if we were correct in our assessment

Answered by team member Matt
1st October 2013

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

You're not the first person to raise this concern with us. What you are experiencing sounds like a normal condition that effects many men, and, as you've not had any kind of sexual relations, it is highly unlikely to be genital warts. Please click (or cut and paste) on the following link, or scroll down the page to read further about how we answered a similar question: http://www.wsmsh.org.uk/qa/showpost.php?id=212



If you have any more questions, about this or anything else, please feel free to contact us, either here or by phone: 01380 801951

We hope this helps!

Answered by team member Mara
10th January 2011

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Thanks for getting in touch Thomas. At the sexual health clinic they probably discussed with you some of the following, as you have aquired the virus that causes the warts, you can not be cured from it, but do not panic as genital warts do not pose a serious threat to your health. Because this is something that can not currently be cured, it means that the warts can keep occuring at any time in your life, so if you have got rid of them once, it does not mean they wont come back again, which is what has occured in your situation.

There is generally two types of treatment, creams and freezing. Some people respond better to the creams, so better to the freezing and some times, a combination of both are used. And noramlly it will be a long duration of applying cream and freezing, a one time application is not enough, persistance is the key to reducing the wart.

Because they have returned, i'm sorry but you will have to return to the sexual health clinic, either to try and different cream or to get more of the wartol, or to try freezing this time.

Warts are the second most common aquired STI, so do not feel embarrased, the nurses and doctors there are aware that warts return and are difficult to get rid off and would expect you to come back.

Please also be aware, during times when the warts are on your body this is when you are most infectious to others, condoms are the best form of protection from warts, however they do not provide 100% saftey as warts can be on parts of the body that the condom does not cover, so during periods where you are infectious it would be best to avoid sexaul contact to reduce infection of another person, that is why they are passed on so easily and why they are the second highest STI.

If you need help booking an appointment with your clinic please get in touch, or if you have any further questions.

Answered by team member Matt
26th September 2011

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Hello and thanks for getting in contact. Genital warts are one of the most common STI (sexualy transmitted infections) due to it be easily spread via skin to skin contact, so please try not to feel too embarassed. Many people use the internet now to self diagnoise, we hear this often at Men's Sexual Health, and it can be a very dangerous thing to do, because if you miss diagnoise, you could either think you have something that isnt serious and decide not to seek treatment, or believe you have something so serious and incurable you drive yourself crazy with panic and stress. So we advice not to self diagnoise, but to go to your local GUM clinic (if you prefer to not see your own gp) you will recieve completly confidiential advice and treatment, Genital warts is not something you can treat at home or go to boots to get a cream, you must go to a clinic. And don't feel embarrased as the nurse and doctors their have seen such STI's millions of times and are professionals who will treat you with respect and understanding on how difficult it can be to seek help.

Gential warts can sometimes reduce or go after time, but do not think this is a good thing, the virus that causes warts HPV can be serious if passed on, especially to a female partner, HPV in a woman can lead to civical cancer, so if you have any concerns about who you have caught these warts from or if you may have already passed them on before you realised you had them, you must as tough as it may be, inform and encourage any partners to also seek medical advice and treatment. Informing partners is the biggest reason why STI's continue to spread, along with not seeking treatment. You have done the right thing in getting in contact with us, but yes we would advice you to go to your local clinic and get treatment next. If you need help finding your local clinic or if you would like to make the appoinment for you or attend with you if you need the support please do get back in touch.

Answered by team member Matt
11th May 2012

Response from Men's Sexual Health:

Thank you for getting in contact. Genital warts are caused by the HPV virus, once acquired you will have the virus for life, and genital warts once treated could appear again, so it is best to treat them as soon as possible, however they do not pose a serious threat to health and are usually painless. They can appear on the male and female genitals and anal area and are small fleshy growths and they are the second most common STI after chlamydia. However some strains of the HPV virus can cause cervical cancer in woman so to prevent passing it on, ensure you wear a condom during sexual activity and get them treated before you plan on having sex again to reduce passing on the infection. You need to book in at your nearest sexual health clinic or GUM clinic, where there is usually two options, a cream or freezing them off. You can not use over the counter wart cream to remove them, these are a different strain than the types that appear on hands. Please be aware it can take many months till they can be completely removed, but this will all be explained by the clinician you visit. If you live in Swindon and would like help making a appointment please get in touch, or would like further advice

Answered by team member Matt
15th December 2012