Pearly Penile Papules Are Not STDs

Pearly penile papules are not many of the worst things that they appear to be. Of the most frequently asked questions, a doctor will tell you that they are not an STD. They are not contagious and they are not cancerous. Finally, they are not permanent—or at least they do not have to be.

One of the first things men think when they see the small white bumps or skin tags appear is that they have contracted an sexually transmitted disease. While they do share some similarities to the look and feel of genital warts, they most definitely are not caused by sex. It is important to have the doctor look at the bumps just in case. As genital warts are common, you want to be sure that what you have is not warts from a sexually transmitted disease.

Often another frequently asked question that leads to a doctor explaining what a papule is and is not tends to be the question about contagiousness. The papule is not a contagious disorder or disease. Again, they are not a sexually transmitted disease so in that sense they cannot be passed on to a partner. Doctors aren’t completely sure what causes them but they know for sure that they cannot be passed on to a partner.

Because of the nature of the color, texture and look of the papule, imaginations sometimes wonder if it is a form of cancer. This is definitely a resounding “no”. Pearly penile papules are not cancerous and will not cause you to need an amputation. People wonder if they are similar to a mole in the sense that they can contain cancerous cells. The only similarities they share with moles or freckles is that they form on the skin and can be removed.

This leads to the next thing that the papule is not. It is not permanent. Once you have pearly penile papules on your penis you aren’t stuck with them. They can be removed. However, it should be noted that only a physician should be the one to remove the tags. Do not try to cut or pull them off yourself. This could lead to a harmful infection or painful scarring.

A physician using a treatment involving lasers can remove the papule or series of tags. The laser will carefully remove all the tags in the surrounding area with little or no residual pain. Topical cream is usually used on the penis to numb the area, but otherwise the procedure is a quick, outpatient treatment. 

If you experience or think you may suffer from pearly penile papules, it is important to know what they are and are not. They are very common among men aged twenty to thirties. They are not a sexually transmitted disease, contagious, cancerous, or permanent. Seek help from a doctor for this condition.