Why do you get spots on your penis?

Most spots on the penis are perfectly natural. You get them naturally and they cause no harm at all.

'Pearly Penile Papules' (1-3mm) are small white spots like bumps that appear around the neck of the glans and are harmless. They usually appear in men from 20 to 40. About 10% of men have them. Treatment is not needed.

'Fordyce Spots' (1-5mm) are small brightly colored red, brown or purple looking spots. They can appear on the glans, shaft or scrotum. Usually younger men get these. They can be solitary but often are in clumps of around 50-100. They are abnormally dilated blood vessels under a thickened skin. They are non-itchy but can bleed when masturbating or during sexual intercourse. If you have a problem with them bleeding they can be sealed with a small procedure. They are not transmitted sexually.

'Hair Follicles' 'Sweat Glands' are small white pimple looking spots that are in fact just hair follicles and perfectly normal from Puberty onwards. These can appear on the shaft of the penis and particularly the underside. They will appear all over the scrotum.

However, for various reasons you can acquire spots which are unhealthy.

'Psoriasis', thickened red and scaly spots that appear usually on the glans or under the foreskin. Unlike skin psoriasis, these rarely cause irritation but should be treated similarly with a steroid cream.

An STD picked up through unprotected sex can give spots which look like blisters or warts, which may weep too. Some spots are prominent, discolored and sore. They can be pink or brown. If you are unsure about your spots or you think you may have picked up one of the sexually transmitted diseases (STD) then consult your Doctor or visit a sexual health clinic for a diagnosis, and treatment if needed.

There are other spots you can acquire, but the above are the most common.

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