Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Choosing Whether Or Not To Seek Treatment For Pearly Penile Papules

By Shelly Maxim


Pearly penile papules are common in 20% of all men. The papules are flesh colored or white and measure one to three millimeters in diameter. They are not painful or contagious but they may be confused with the presence of a venereal disease. This can be distressing in men and their sexual partners.

They are also called hirsuties coronae glandis. They may be found on the underside of the penile glans. They are more frequent in young men and in uncircumcised men. As a man gets older, or if he becomes circumcised, they regress.

Some anatomists describe them as vestiges of penile spines. In those species for which they remain, penile spines may enhance sexual pleasure and facilitate orgasm in males. Penile spines may also enhance the sexual experience in female partners. In animals other than humans, papules or spines contain more nerve endings. The DNA that encodes penile spines in other animals is absent from humans.

Similar structures sometimes appear in females, in whom they may be mistaken for viral infection, such as HPV, human papillomavirus, or genital warts. In both sexes, it is a normal anatomical variation. For men who are concerned about their appearance or their partner's mistaking them for something sinister, they may be medically removed as an outpatient procedure under local anesthetic.

A dermatologist may use a carbon dioxide laser to remove them. This takes a few minutes and no hospital stay is required. They may also be removed through electrosurgery using a low powered instrument called a hyfrecator, which causes direct destruction of tissue to which it is applied. Whichever technique is employed, recover is achieved in a few days.

Any elective surgical procedure is associated with risk and removal of these nodules is no exception. There are also a number of 'cures' advertised on the internet and these should be scrupulously avoided. Some of them require the use of potentially corrosive creams or ointments that may lead to permanent disfigurement or loss of sexual function.

Pearly penile papules are not associated with a disease state and they are not contagious. Due to their possible contribution to sexual pleasure in female partners, men in whom they are diagnosed may choose to retain them. Before agreeing to any surgical procedure and certainly before attempting an alternative treatment, it is essential to consult a medical professional who is expert in this area of medicine. They should only be removed by a trained and certified physician.




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