Men often experience acne on the penis. Regardless of whether this phenomenon is harmless or is a sign of dangerous pathological processes in the body, in any case, pimples on the penis cause discomfort both due to their unaesthetic appearance and due to physiological inconvenience.
A urologist, andrologist or venereologist can identify the exact cause of formations on the skin after conducting an examination and receiving all the necessary tests and studies.
The following are possible causes of acne:
● Inflammation of the sebaceous glands or folliculitis, dermatitis and other non-infectious diseases;
● Allergies;
● Failure to comply with intimate hygiene rules;
● Ingrown hair. A fairly common cause, especially in people who remove hair from the genitals. At the junction of the skin of the penis and the skin of the pubis, a certain angle is formed, the hair bends, grows into the skin, redness and itching appear.
● Sexually transmitted infections;
● Changes in a man's hormonal levels;
● Fungus (mycosis) on the penis;
● Ticks and pubic lice. Infection with these parasites is not always associated with sexual contact; they can also be acquired in public places such as a sauna, swimming pool, locker room.
Types of rashes
Depending on the cause that caused the appearance of this pathology, the rashes have different sizes, shapes, colors and are accompanied by various symptoms.
White pimples
Most often, men encounter white rashes. In most cases they are safe. White pimples on the penis can appear due to neglect of intimate hygiene, under stress, or due to excessive sweating in hot weather.
Puberty boys often notice white pimples on the shaft and under the head of the penis. These formations are called Fordyce granules, are the absolute norm and go away on their own over time.
When using certain hygiene products, lubricants or contraceptives, an allergic reaction is possible, which is also accompanied by a frequent white rash and itching.
Red pimples
The appearance of a sick red pimple on the penis may be associated with banal irritation. You should not try to remove it yourself, as squeezing it out will create an open wound, where infection can easily get in and cause even greater complications.
However, if, in addition to red pimples, there is burning, itching and swelling, it can be assumed that this manifestation is caused by the presence of a sexually transmitted infection or fungal infection.
● Human papillomavirus (HPV). With this disease, the formation may outwardly look like a pimple, but in fact it is a small red or flesh-colored wart, which is a consequence of infection with the human papillomavirus.
● Gonorrhea. This disease is accompanied not only by changes in the skin of the penis, but also by the presence of discharge with an unpleasant odor and painful urination.
● Syphilis. The appearance of small and very painful ulcers on the genitals, low-grade fever and general malaise may indicate infection with syphilis.
● Thrush (candidiasis). A small scattering of red pimples on the head of the penis occurs with candidiasis. Men also note the presence of white, cheesy discharge.
Purulent acne
Acne can occur not only on the face or back, but also on the genitals. This is due to blockage of the pores, due to which the natural sebum produced by the sebaceous glands cannot be released onto the surface of the epidermis, the pores become inflamed and suppurate, and a purulent pimple forms on the penis.
A purulent red rash can be caused by balanitis. This disease is provoked by sexually transmitted infections, aggressive effects of components of hygiene products, dermatological diseases, including skin cancer.
Watery rashes
A large number of small pimples with colorless or yellowish contents indicate the presence of the herpes virus. These formations do not cause pain, but after some time they burst, the fluid comes out and small open sores remain in their place. These wounds cause severe discomfort, pain and itching.
Also, in this way, an allergic reaction to contraceptives and lubricants appears on the skin of the penis. This condition does not require special treatment; it is enough to remove the allergen and the symptom will go away on its own.
A white blister can also appear when wearing uncomfortable, chafing underwear or when the skin is injured by a trouser zipper.
Single pimple
One pimple may appear due to inflammation of the hair follicle at the site of an ingrown hair or as a result of trauma to the skin during depilation. Also, in adolescence, single pimples often appear. With sufficient hygiene, after 1-2 weeks this formation goes away on its own, without special treatment.
Reasons for the appearance of a lump
A tumor can appear for various reasons. If the pain is not severe, temporary, and goes away on its own within a day, there is nothing to worry about. And when the appearance of a growth causes significant discomfort and lasts for several days, you should be alarmed. A growth under the tongue near the frenulum can be caused by the following factors:
- Condylomatosis, that is, papilloma virus. In this situation, the cell growth mechanism is disrupted. The early phases of the disease have no obvious symptoms. The virus is actively transmitted through household and sexual contact, especially with weak immunity. The nature of warts is such that they act selectively. HPV is distinguished by genotypes. There are benign and life-threatening strains. Warts may rise above the muscular organ. Keratin, which is produced in such cells, gives the balls rigidity.
- Inflammation often appears when the frenulum is short from birth. It is better to correct the problem in childhood.
- The process of inflammation appears with vitamin deficiency, gastrointestinal diseases, allergies, abscesses in the oral cavity, and injuries.
- A pimple on the frenulum under the tongue is formed during tonsillitis, when streptococci and staphylococci are activated and the lymph nodes are affected.
- The problem occurs when the salivary duct is blocked. Mineral or mucus plugs can become an obstacle. This interferes with patency. In this situation, a ranula is formed, which contains liquid exudate. The bubble may be clear or cloudy. It can burst, then build up again. Provoking factors include stomatitis, herpes, candidiasis, and lichen planus.
Since the mucous tissues of the oral cavity are sensitive, they can be damaged by hot food or drink. In the burn area, bacterial microflora feels comfortable, which contributes to the formation of salivary plugs in the ducts.
Pimples on the penis in a child
This alarming symptom in a child may indicate simple heat rash. During the hot season, due to increased sweating, children's delicate skin becomes irritated, causing small pimples to appear.
A more dangerous cause is intestinal mycosis. This manifestation is also characteristic of a very contagious disease - frequency. Only a doctor can identify the specific cause, so first of all the child must be shown to a specialist.
Stomatitis and acne
Another common cause of pimples under the tongue is a disease such as stomatitis. Moreover, in this case, both red and white pimples can form under the tongue.
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The main reason for the development of stomatitis is the banal lack of adequate oral hygiene, which is aggravated by eating unwashed foods, vegetables and fruits, as well as the penetration of pathogenic bacteria into the oral cavity.
With stomatitis, small red, white and pink pimples most often appear on and under the tongue, which can be very sore and painful. As a result, it becomes difficult for the patient to eat, talk and even swallow saliva, the pain syndrome is so acute. You can even compare this point with how pharyngitis goes away; treatment with antibiotics is much more difficult than treatment for stomatitis.
Moreover, the patient feels the most serious discomfort if such pimples are located not just under the tongue, but closer to its root.
Preventing rashes
In order to protect yourself from the occurrence of rashes on the penis, you should adhere to a number of rules:
● it is very important to observe the rules of personal hygiene, take a shower periodically, use exclusively personal hygiene items, and change your underwear frequently;
● avoid diaper rash and sweat accumulation in the groin;
● select suitable underwear;
● use special moisturizing creams, avoid dryness of the groin area;
● when visiting public saunas, baths, swimming pools, gyms, try to minimize contact with common objects and go only to places where a sufficient level of sanitation is maintained;
● exclude promiscuity and use barrier contraception;
● lead a healthy lifestyle, eliminate bad habits, eat a balanced diet;
● regularly undergo preventive examinations for diseases and infections.
Serious signs of illness
At times, the rash may be accompanied by inflammatory processes. Here, for sure, we are not talking about a harmless allergic reaction, but about a more complicated version. On the other hand, inflammation may be associated - again - with reasons such as:
- failure to maintain normal intimate hygiene;
- any injuries or damage to the frenulum;
- the appearance of papillomas and other viral infections.
If there is mechanical damage to the frenulum - for example, its rupture - a serious operation such as circumcision will be required. In other cases, treatment can be conservative.
With all these problems, you need to consult a doctor and the urologist will be able to accurately determine the cause of the disease, after which he will prescribe a therapeutic course. One way or another, you can be sure of the high qualifications of our professionals and that the treatment will be carried out at the proper level. Your recovery is just around the corner if you contact us.
Useful information on problems associated with the frenulum of the penis:
- Calling a urologist to your home
- Balanitis
- Balanoposthitis
- Frenum plastic surgery
- Urethral swab
- Prostate massage
- Circumcision
- Tests for STIs
- Treatment of sexually transmitted diseases
- Ultrasound at home
- Frenum of the penis
- Pyelonephritis
- Ultrasound of the bladder
- Diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections
- How to prepare for an appointment with a urologist?
- How to get tested for urological diseases?
- What tests can be done by a urologist?
- What diseases does a urologist treat?
- What symptoms should you consult a urologist for?
- How to make an appointment with a urologist at the clinic?
This article is posted for educational purposes only and does not constitute scientific material or professional medical advice.
Author:
Kasabov Vadim Vladimirovich Dermatovenerologist
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Treatment methods
You should not try to treat rashes on the penis on your own. If this is caused by an infection or disease, there is a risk that incorrectly selected medications will give a blurred clinical picture and, subsequently, lead to chronicity of the disease. Therefore, when this pathology is detected, the only correct decision is to contact a specialist.
Before drawing up a treatment plan, the doctor will prescribe the patient to undergo the necessary laboratory tests - blood test, smear, scraping. Based on the results obtained, the doctor will be able to choose an effective treatment method - medication or surgery.
Drug therapy includes:
● taking antibiotics for infectious diseases;
● local use of antifungal ointments and taking appropriate tablets for fungal infections;
● if there is a virus, use antiviral drugs and ointments;
● in case of an allergic reaction, avoid contact with the allergen and take antihistamines;
● disruption of the sebaceous glands can be corrected with special ointments.
It is often recommended to abstain from sexual intercourse during the treatment period. If itching and burning are present, taking a warm bath twice a day will help relieve symptoms. When swimming, you should use antibacterial hygiene products.
If it is not possible to solve the problem conservatively, surgical methods are used. Most often this concerns genital warts. In this case, surgical resection is supplemented by taking immunomodulatory drugs.
SERIOUS DISEASES
Quite serious diseases can be transmitted through sexual contact without proper protection. Only a certified specialist in venereology can make the correct selection of medications, so you should not self-medicate, but rather go straight to the hospital. There are several diseases, the external manifestations of which are: erosion and rash on the foreskin :
- Syphilis. Its manifestations in the form of erosions, spots or dots are one of the main diagnostic signs. The disease can affect not only the genitals, but also other organs.
- Chlamydia. The rash appears as raised bumps that may grow and form red spots.
- Herpes. Symptoms: the appearance of bubbles with liquid on the head. The affected area is itchy and itchy, causing discomfort to the owner.
- Pubic lice. The disease is manifested by the appearance of small red dots and swelling of the head of the penis.
Almost all diseases at the initial stage are localized on the foreskin and head of the genital organ, because this is the most vulnerable place. The damage then spreads to neighboring areas. Since the skin of the foreskin is thin and delicate, any manifestations of disease cause pain to the owner.
Herpes
Herpes can affect any mucous membrane, so the appearance of specific acne under the tongue is not uncommon. Pimples with herpes are similar to watery formations that can be located on the entire surface of the oral mucosa. You can read more about this disease in the article on what herpes is, how it is transmitted and how to treat this disease.
READ ALSO: Types of acne
When such acne appears, it is necessary to urgently begin treatment, since the lesion can affect not only the skin and mucous membranes. But it also spreads further, affecting the brain.