Medical providers stress that unusual bumps on the penis usually fall into one of three categories. They are caused by injury, they are normal, or they are growths. And the frequency of these conditions occurs in that same order according to Columbia University’s Go Ask Alice column.
The most common cause of change in genital skin is injury. It’s not unusual for bruises, nicks, bites, abrasions or bumps to appear after close or vigorous contacts of all kinds.
Normal (and harmless) bumps on the penis include sebaceous glands. Avert.org, an international HIV & AIDS charity, wrote sebaceous glands are usually attached to hair follicles.
KidsHealth.org added that little white bumps on the penile shaft may be pimples or ingrown hairs. These are also common and no cause for concern.
Another condition that's normal and no cause for concern is pearly penile papules. About.com said pearly penile papules are small round bumps that can be the color of the skin, translucent, white, yellow, or pink. The bumps can sometimes wrap all around the rim of the head of the penis, and also can form multiple rows.
Peyronie's disease is another condition in which a plaque, or hard lump, forms on the penis, wrote Cleveland Clinic. These growths may develop on the upper or lower side of the penis.
Merck Manuals reported growths on the penis are sometimes caused by sexually transmitted disease (STD) or infection. One example is syphilis which may cause flat, pink or gray growths.
Another STD that stems from a strain of human papillomavirus (HPV) is genital warts. Genital warts can be painless, clustered, and cauliflower-like growths that show up on the penis.
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) warned that benign genital warts on the penis may become cancerous if not treated. Penile cancer is rare however. Most forms of it develop from skin cells called squamous cells.
Squamous cells can develop anywhere on the penis, but most commonly occur on the foreskin in uncircumcised men or on the glans (the tip of the penis).
The first sign of penile cancer is usually a painless ulcer or growth on the penis, especially on the glans or foreskin, said UPMC. The cancer may appear as a reddish rash, scaly bumps or flat growths. Some of these may not be visible unless the foreskin is pulled back.
KidsHealth.org advised that it's often hard to distinguish normal bumps or growths from those caused by an STD or cancer. So the only way to truly identify the cause behind any growths on the penis is to be examined by a doctor.
Sources:
"Cleveland Clinic." Cleveland Clinic. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2012. http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/penile_disorders/hic_disorders_of_the_penis.aspx.
"Penile Cancer - Diagnosis and Treatment – UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, USA." UPMC – UPMC, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2012. http://www.upmc.com/Services/Urology/Conditions/Urology/Pages/Penile-Cancer.aspx.
"Growths on the Penis: Penile and Testicular Disorders: Merck Manual Home Edition." THE MERCK MANUALS - Trusted Medical and Scientific Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2012. http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/mens_health_issues/penile_and_testicular_disorders/growths_on_the_penis.html.
"Bumps/lumps on penis | Go Ask Alice!" Go Ask Alice! N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2012.
http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/bumpslumps-penis.
Fayed, Lisa. "HPV - Genital Warts Pictures." About Cancer. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2012.
http://cancer.about.com/od/hpv/a/HPVpictures.htm.
"I Have Bumps On My Penis. Is This Normal?" KidsHealth - the Web's most visited site about children's health. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2012. http://kidshealth.org/teen/expert/guy_stuff/expert_penis.html.
Poncelet, Barbara. "Small Bumps On Penis Head – What Are These Small Bumps On Penis Head." Teen Health - Depression, Body Image, Puberty and Other Popular Teen Health Issues. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2012. http://teenhealth.about.com/od/physicalhealth/a/ppp.htm.
"STD Pictures." HIV & AIDS Information from AVERT.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Apr. 2012.
http://www.avert.org/std-pictures.htm.
Reviewed April 20, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith