What Are Penile Papules?

Pearly papules are light red papules that appear around the glans of the penis and around the glans. It often occurs in adults, and is more common in 20 to 40 years old. More common in young people with long foreskins and masturbation habits. It belongs to the category of physiological abnormality and not attribute disease. Generally without symptoms, it is easy to be misdiagnosed as genital warts.

Basic Information

Visiting department

dermatology

Multiple groups

20 to 40 year old men

Common locations

Coronal sulcus

Common causes

The etiology is unknown, which may be related to the long foreskin, long-term stimulation of coronary sulcus secretions and dirt, and local inflammatory reactions caused by infection.

Common symptoms

The pimples are not fused with each other, the color is pearly white, some are slightly red and swollen, and there are no obvious symptoms

Causes of Pearly Penile Pimples

The cause of pearly papules of the penis is not fully understood. Patients with long foreskins, poor local hygiene, long-term stimulation of coronary sulcus secretions and dirt, or other factors, such as infections that cause local redness and swelling, may be the direct cause of the disease.

Clinical manifestations of pearly penile pimples

Pearly papules of the penis are more common in men aged 20 to 40 years. The lesions mainly occur at the border of the glans and the coronary sulcus and / or the lacing. It appears as a papule with a size of 1 to 3 mm, and the damage is greater on both sides of the band. The top of the pimples is round and smooth, and some pimples are hairy or filamentous. The pimples are not fused with each other, and are densely arranged in one or more rows, which are obvious on the dorsal side of the glans, and can partially or completely surround the glans. The color is mostly pearly white, a few are light red and skin tone, and some may be slightly red and swollen. No pain, no ulceration, and no obvious symptoms.

Diagnosis and differential diagnosis of pearly penile pimples

It can be distinguished from condyloma acuminatum from clinical, histopathological and human papillomavirus examinations, and the diagnosis is not difficult.

The main points for the differential diagnosis of penile pearl papule and condyloma acuminatum are that the former damage is limited to the edge of the glans, and the number of damage is large. It is pearl-like milky white papules, the surface is smooth. The edges of the glans are mostly scattered, the damage is large, the surface is not smooth, and it is mostly cauliflower-like. It gradually increases with the course of the disease, and the acetic acid test is positive. Histopathological examination shows concave hollow cells.

Pearly penile pimples treatment

Pearly papules of the penis are a benign lesion that can subside after a certain period of time, and some people can remain unchanged for decades. Because the disease is not contagious and does not affect health, special treatment is often not required. To prevent the condition from aggravating, care should be taken to keep the area clean and dry. If the patient requires treatment, laser therapy, cryotherapy or external application of drugs can be used, but remember to avoid excessive injury and scars that will cause pain to the patient. Some patients may relapse after these treatments. If the foreskin is too long, circumcision can be performed to avoid irritation of the foreskin.

Pearly penile pimples prevention

Try to avoid contact with the suspected allergen, do not scratch it hard when itchy pimples, so as not to cause increased skin damage; keep the living environment clean and dry. If suspected symptoms appear, go to a professional dermatology hospital in time. Avoid tobacco, cold food, fried food and spicy food.