Present From Primitive Ancestors

The mysterious appearance of tiny bumps around the edge of the head of his penis sent him to the doctor. Able to reassure him that they were not a disease, his doctor was unable to tell him where they had come from or how to make them go away. Is it possible to remove them? What are the risks? Read on, get the facts, and find out!

Case #: 1624

Concern：

I spoke to my doctor about pearly penile papules and he said that it was normal and not any type of disease. He also said that this was most common in men who were uncircumcised to have these bumps under and all around the head of the penis. My doctor however, could not determine what the cause of the papules was and if even cleaning my penis several times a day would do anything.

Discussion：

Humans come in a vast array of shapes, sizes and colors. Even something as simple as height can vary widely: the Guinness Book of World Records honors Robert Wadlow (1918-1940) as the tallest human in history at 8 ft. 11.1 in., and Chandra Bahadur Dangi (b. 1939) as the shortest at 21.5 inches. Should we really be surprised that there are other anatomical variations among the population?

Pearly Penile Papules fall under the same heading. According to most currently-available data, between 8-48% of males across the globe will manifest papules at some point in their lives. And for what it is worth, most records also indicate that they will fade away completely as you get older. But until then, let's take a closer look at what's happening.

Monkey Business?

Many other primate species demonstrate penis spines, along with a literal penis bone known as a baculum. Scientific research acknowledges their existence but is generally divided on what penis spines are for, either in other primates or in humans. However, all research to date does agree that they are not contagious; you did not get them from any of your sexual partners (proved by the appearance of papules among males who have not had sex at all), nor can you give them to any of your subsequent ones.

It's also worth mentioning that the ladies can demonstrate a similar phenomenon called hirsuties papillaris vulvae, identical to penis papules in the respect that they are not contagious and can be easily removed if desired.

Proper Peeling Procedure

Health-care professionals categorize papules as normal anatomical variation, and agree that they usually represent absolutely no danger to the male's health. Having said that, there are reliable medical processes that can permanently remove them with minimal risk of scarring; such procedures are almost invariably categorized as “elective”, which unfortunately means that they are also unlikely to be covered by most health insurance policies.

Several home-remedies for removing them offer greater risk of genital mutilation than “curing” papules. However, Herballove's editors have determined that a few are effective and viable options while presenting a low chance of causing damage. One recommended treatment is Castor Oil, notable for already earning approval from the Food and Drug Administration for over-the-counter use for many ailments. (SEE: Penile Papule Removal with Castor Oil Solution) It's a useful anti-bacterial agent as well as anti-fungal, but it's still an organic compound; I have to recommend dabbing a small amount of the stuff on your arm to check for an allergic reaction before you try it on your penis. But assuming it doesn't cause you any discomfort or irritation, you may see the desired results after three weeks or so. Good luck!