Are small bumps around the head of the penis normal?
Yes, in many men they are. Small, evenly spaced bumps, skin-coloured or slightly pearly, arranged in one or more rows around the rim of the glans are a normal anatomical variant called pearly penile papules. They're part of the skin, not an infection, they aren't sexually transmitted, and they need no treatment.
Small white or pale yellow spots on the shaft, which can look slightly raised, are usually Fordyce spots. These are visible sebaceous (oil) glands, present in most people and harmless. Both are common reasons for worry that turn out to need nothing once a doctor has looked.
What causes red spots or a rash after shaving?
Red spots clustered around hair follicles are usually folliculitis. It's an irritation or mild infection of the follicle, common after shaving, waxing or friction from tight clothing. It can look like small red or white-topped pimples and is often mildly tender rather than painful. It typically settles on its own with good hygiene and by giving the area a rest from irritation. If it keeps coming back, it's worth having looked at to rule out other causes.
What does thrush or balanitis look like on the penis?
Thrush and balanitis usually cause redness and soreness of the head of the penis. There may be a thick white residue under the foreskin, with itching or burning, particularly after sex or when passing urine. It's more common in men who are uncircumcised. It isn't classed as a sexually transmitted infection, though sexual contact can occasionally trigger it. Thrush responds well to antifungal treatment, and other causes of balanitis are treated once the cause is confirmed.
Which spots and bumps could be an STI, and how do they differ?
Several conditions look similar in their early stages, so a clinical look is the reliable way to tell them apart.
A quick guide to what's commonly seen and what it usually means.
Genital warts are caused by HPV. They're usually flesh-coloured, can be flat or raised, often have a rough or cauliflower-like surface, and are typically painless. Molluscum contagiosum causes small, firm, dome-shaped bumps, often with a dimple in the centre. It's generally harmless, though it can take many months to clear without treatment. Herpes tends to start as tingling, then a cluster of small blisters that break down into shallow, often painful ulcers. Early syphilis classically causes a single, firm, painless sore, which is easy to miss precisely because it doesn't hurt.
When is it worth seeing a doctor soon?
Come and see us if a sore or ulcer hasn't healed after a couple of weeks, or a patch of skin is changing in size, colour, texture or shape. The same goes for a spot that's growing quickly, bleeding, or becoming more painful. None of these automatically means something serious. They're simply the signs that an examination in person will tell you more than watching it at home.
Get it looked at before you treat it
Squeezing, picking or putting creams on a new spot before it's been assessed can spread an infection and irritate the skin. It can also make it harder for a doctor to see what it is when you come in. If a spot or bump is worrying you, have it looked at first, then treat what it actually is.
How testing works at our Harley Street clinic
A genital warts check is a direct visual examination by a doctor, so you leave with a diagnosis rather than waiting for results. If herpes is suspected, a swab of an active sore or blister gives the most reliable result. If you'd like to know more about the virus behind warts, our HPV test is a separate test at £225. That includes taking the swab, the examination and HPV typing.
For a broader check alongside the spot itself, the Silver package for men at £325 adds herpes I and II, Mycoplasma genitalium, Ureaplasma and Gardnerella testing to chlamydia, gonorrhoea, HIV and syphilis.
You can walk in seven days a week at 117a Harley Street, and the clinic is confidential throughout. You can read how private STI testing in London works before you come. If warts are confirmed and you'd like them removed, Medical Express Clinic offers genital warts removal.
Book a genital warts check at 117a Harley Street: £150, with a diagnosis on the day.
References
- Genital warts, NHS
- Molluscum contagiosum, NHS
- Balanitis, NHS
- Genital herpes, NHS
- Syphilis, NHS
