Pearly Penile Papules

Have you ever noticed small, pink bumps on your penis? Don't be afraid. They're completely harmless. Read more about pearly penile papules.

 

Black men are more likely to develop pearly penile papules.

 

The small bumps appear in numerous men

 

The Latin term used for these bumps is Hirsuties papillaris genitali, but they are more commonly referred to as pearly penile papules, in short PPP. They are a harmless skin anomaly. Tiny and skin colored spots form around the coronal margin of the edge of the glans penis, particularly in men between the ages of 20 and 30. Usually, pearly penile papules aren't painful and disappear or become less noticeable with time. This phenomenon occurs in 8-48% of the male population and varies in terms of skin color, geographical location and circumcision. Circumcised men are 12% less likely to have pearly penile papules.

Hirsuties papillaris genitali: close-up where their structure is clearly visible.

 

Unnecessary worries

 

Many men think that PPP is a sexually transmitted disease and that the bumps are infectious, but that is not true. Others are afraid that pearly penile papules are a form of cancer and that the bumps will develop into a tumour. Such fears are unnecessary. The pearly papules are as natural as the skin. The biggest problem is that they can spread across the glans of the penis, which can cause an unpleasant sensation and slight pain. For this reason, some men decide to surgically remove the bumps. The most common method is laser removal treatment. If your pearly papules are really large and uncomfortable, or if you simply don't like them, see a dermatologist.

The pearly penile papules appear on the inner side of the coronal margin of the glans penis. Sometimes they spread over the surface of the glans.

 

Why do the bumps appear on the penis?

 

The reason for the appearance of the papules is still unknown. Some scientists (Sally Gibbs, Mark Collard, Bernard Wood) defend the thesis that the pearly papules are related to the penile spines which occur in certain primates. Such penile spines are also present in cats. Their function is to trigger ovulation of the female, thus enabling fertilisation. In men, the papules also appear on the inner side of the coronal margin of the glans penis and the woman can hardly feel them in penetration, as opposed to when the penis is pulled out. Ovulation is different with human anatomy, so the reason proposed above is not plausible and, in addition, the human papules are not so big and firm. It is possible that they act as a sort of a brush which in case of mating with several females scrapes the sperm of rivals out of the vagina. On the other hand, they serve as additional stimulation, and it has been proven that reaching an orgasm increases the chance of conception.

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