Bumps

Red Bumps on Penis: Causes, other Symptoms & How to Get Rid

August 16, 2018

Red bumps on penis

Is it possible to have small, tiny or little red bumps on penis? There are various causes that can result in this condition. The bumps can appear on different parts of the penis such as the glans, shaft or even scrotum. Continue reading to explore more on how you can get rid of them.

Red Bumps on Penis

Red spots on penis

If spots on the penis are a very new finding, it’s understandable that a person would be anxious to determine the exact cause.

Spots on penis might either be the normal penile skin findings that are just being noticed for the first time, or just a symptom which indicates the presence of a given infection or even a disease. Below are some of the common and not-so-common causes of the penile spots.

Clear bumps on the penis

Clear bumps which surround the head of the penis, or even the pearly penile papules, are the normal skin finding in up to about 10% of men, and should not be a huge cause for concern.

Pearly penile papules don’t come and disappear, they are present for people who have them, but they are sometimes not noticed until a man is explicitly inspecting that skin area and discovers their presence for the first time.

A cluster of red spots

Genital herpes outbreaks always appear as a cluster of the red spots on the penis or in the genital area. The spots first appear to be fluid-filled and also blister-like, but burst and then become red and scaly. These outbreaks are very painful.

A red painless ulcer

Syphilis is an STD which manifests itself in the appearance of a red, painless ulcer in the early stages of infection. This ulcer usually heals in a few weeks, with or even without treatment. But, syphilis can also progress to the later stages of infection if it is not properly treated, and a widespread rash might happen on the skin.

Secondary syphilis can also produce a body-wide rash, having a characteristic appearance on the palms of hands and soles of feet.

Itchy, red, raised spots

Scabies is a disease that is brought about by a mite infestation which leads to intense itching and red, raised spots on the glans of the penis. The “rash” that is produced by scabies might as well be found in the groin, in spaces that are between fingers and also the toes, in armpits, on wrists, on the abdomen, the shins, and also the ankles.

Scabies might also be transmitted sexually but can be passed to others who come in contact with an infected person.

Raised, pearl-colored bumps

Molluscum contagiosum is a known viral condition which produces penile bumps. Molluscum spots are normally raised, pearly-colored bumps having a dip at the center, and might also be transmitted both sexually and by close contact with an infected individual. Typically it is self-limited, and no treatment is required.

Red Bumps on Penile Shaft

Fordyce spots
Seen in about 90% of the population, Fordyce spots are the small harmless as well as painless, white or yellowish bumps. They are seen on the shaft of the penis, glans penis as well as the scrotum. They don’t need any treatment.
Pearly penile papules
These are harmless bumps normally appear as small skin-colored papules in several rows encircling the base of the head of the penis. Commonly seen in the uncircumcised penis, they are asymptomatic and can persist throughout the person’s life. No treatment is required beside cosmetic appearance.
Molluscum contagiosum
Molluscum contagiosum is the small painless, smooth, red zits on the penis which are sexually transmitted but might also transmit through the auto-inoculation from several other parts of the skin. Molluscum is normally harmless and is self-limited which slowly resolves over many months.
Genital warts
Genital warts are sexually transmitted bumps that are seen on glans penis and some time on the scrotum as well as the perianal region.
Scabies
Scabies in common problem and is usually characterized by the intensely itchy lesion on finger webs, and genitals. The individual will have itchy pimples like bumps or even the nodules on the penis or even the scrotum.

Topical permethrin 5% lotion that is applied below the neck all over the body overnight will do away with the problem. The application can also be repeated after 6 days for the better result. In addition to the treatment, oral ivermectin can also be used in the adult.

Red bumps under the penis

Spots and marks on the skin or glans of the penis can be different things, most of them can be easily treated or even not especially serious. But without having them being examined by the doctor, it’s normally impossible to understand what the problem is and how it is supposed to be treated.

Not all red pimples on the penis are brought about by sexually transmitted infections, but some of them can be. HIV does not lead to red spots.

Syphilis chancres are the small painless lumps which can be dull red or brown. The color normally depends on the color of skin. Chancres soon break down into several raw areas on the skin. These are also painless. Antibiotic treatment is effective against syphilis.

Sometimes the red spots may as well also be brought about by herpes. At first, the spots appear like blisters and are usually filled with fluid, and burst, becoming scaly and also red. Outbreaks of herpes might be painful.

There is no given cure, but medications are able to reduce symptoms as well as decrease the risk of passing the infection on to other people.

Scabies is brought about by an infestation of mites and can lead to intense itching as well as the red, raised spots on the head of the penis. Topical medications, used to the skin, can get rid of the mites.

You are required to see a physician to work out what is leading to any red spots that you are experiencing.

Itchy Red Bumps on Penile Shaft

Sometimes what you think is an indication of a sexually transmitted infection or cancer, is just your normal anatomy. For example, you might have noticed several tiny bumps under the skin of the scrotum and below the shaft of penis—these are likely normal hair follicles.

In addition, small dome-shaped bumps that are around the crown of the head of the penis are just the pearly penile papules. They are very much common in uncircumcised men. Pearly penile papules are not infectious and need no treatment.

Likewise, small red dots on penis might just be angiokeratomas. They are very rare and can also appear only on glans, or they can also appear on the scrotum, groin, and abdomen.

They are not infectious in any way and need no treatment unless they lead to bleeding or itching.

If you notice angiokeratomas that are around the bathing suit area of the child, they might thus indicate Anderson-Fabry disease, which emanates from an enzyme deficiency and needs medical evaluation.

Psoriasis is a non-infectious skin condition which can happen on the penis, leading to a red or salmon-colored patch having a silvery scale on top.

The good news is usually psoriasis of the penis responds to treatment with the steroid cream, although it can also come back once the steroid has completely stopped.

Lichen sclerosis happens in about one in every 300 men. It leads to a hypopigmented (loss of color) lesion having a crinkled skin texture. This skin condition affects the glans penis and frenulum. It can cause painful erections and red spots on the penis.

Sometimes men have a lot of trouble while urinating. Lichen sclerosis is usually linked to skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma), so normally a tissue sample is required to be taken so as to confirm the diagnosis. This condition can be treated using on-the-skin corticosteroids.

Lichen planus is a skin condition that may lead to raised, violet-colored, polygonal bumps on the glans of the penis. Sometimes the bumps have very fine white streaks and are smooth. They normally appear in a line, and they might or might not be itchy or sore.

Similar lesions can also appear in other areas of the skin, like the wrists and shins. Lichen planus is not in any way infectious, but treatment response might be so much variable—it entails the daily topical corticosteroid therapy.

Red Bumps on Penis after Sex

Std bumps on penis

If you have an itchy penis after sex, there might be reasons that are behind this development, like:

Fungal infections from a sexual partner

If you encounter itching and also redness immediately after having sex, and symptoms go away after two days, it might simply mean that your partner has a fungal infection.

The itchiness on penis could have been brought about by an allergic reaction to fungal infection which is present in partner’s vagina. The solution will be ensuring that you and your partner seek proper medical treatment

Condoms and Spermicides

Use of the condoms and spermicides when engaging in sexual relations might also cause contact dermatitis. Contact dermatitis is associated with itchy and red bumps.

Trichomoniasis

It is usually regarded as one of the commonly transmitted STD. Even though it is said that the condition is curable, a man having the condition will have irritation and also itch inside their penis.

Additionally, the person might as well experience a burning sensation immediately after ejaculating or even when urinating. A discharge can be present at the tip of the penis. In most of the cases, about 70% of the people who have the condition do not show any symptoms.

Molluscum contagiosum

It is a term that is used to refer to skin colored bumps which usually appear on the penis shaft, and which can also be transmitted sexually.

On transmission, they cause an itchy penis that is accompanied by irritation.

Little Red Bumps on Penile head

There are several reasons which a man might also develop a redness or even the white bumps on the penis. Red patches or even the bumps might be due to the skin condition, like balanitis, eczema, or condom-induced allergies, etc. to serious STD.

For this particular reason, it is a good idea that you visit your doctor so as to rule out an STD when you notice something that appears to be unusual on penis such as red spots on penis.

Major sexually transmitted diseases which might lead to skin abnormality on the penis are chlamydia and syphilis.

The most common type of STD which usually presents as painless white bumps are the HPV that leads to genital warts. If these have been ruled out, you probably don’t need to get worried about penile redness and also bumps.

It is normal for some other men to have the small red spots on penises if they have been around for some years, and you just saw notice of them.

The common tiny bumps that are circling the neck or even the middle area of the penis which might either be white or sometimes red which is not painful or itchy are called the pearly penile papules. They might also be a harmless condition called the Fordyce’s spots.

These spots usually appear as numerous small white bumps under the skin. These bumps don’t warrant any treatment. Self-diagnosis of spots is not a very good idea and sometimes a good diagnosis can only be made using the clinical tests.

How to Get Rid of Red Bumps on the Penis

Coconut Oil

One of the best forms which can treat red spots on the penis is the use of the coconut oil which is said to be a natural moisturizer. The spotting which also happens because of dehydration gets reduced after application of the coconut that is mixed with the essential oil such as lavender oil for the decreasing Fordyce spots on the skin.

Boost Vitamin Intake

Fordyce spots can also be removed naturally by the use of certain diet which ensures proper intake of the vitamin-rich foods. Your daily intake of vitamins can reduce the spots and one of the best fruits that can be consumed is Oranges. Broccoli might as well be inculcated in the diet for reducing the spots, especially on lips.

Drink Water

A delightfully easy solution which should be taken is water – universally pure to intake. Water prevents dehydration and also boosts the immunity system so as to fight off germs which may easily lead to the spotting of sebaceous glands.

If the mouth is dry then make sure that you drink gallons of water at least 8-10 glasses per day so as to address the condition.

Tea Tree Oil

Pearly penile papules might also be reduced easily by use of the tea tree oil which is indicated as a home remedy. Tea tree oil is also a natural antiseptic which prevents bacterial growth and also relieves the inflamed skin. It is one of the best remedies that should be tried as it doesn’t have any kind of side effects to skin.

Turmeric

This herbal tonic is said to be the best amongst best – Turmeric powder that is mixed with apple cider vinegar is very effective when it is applied to inflamed skin. Turmeric contains antiseptic, antibacterial as well as antipyretic properties which reduce bacterial growth on the skin.

Oatmeal Bath

This particular home remedy has been used in treating Eczema at home and is useful for reduction of the red rash on penis.

Oatmeal bath also reduces itching, redness as well as inflammation of the skin. This bath should be taken by use of the cold water after the use of the herbal remedy such as turmeric or even the tea tree oil that acts as antiseptics.

Garlic

Garlic has antioxidants which basically gets rid of the free radicals from the body having the anti-inflammatory properties that shrink the red spots on the penis. You can consume boiled water with the garlic drips for immediate effect or even mix the spice in the food.

Jojoba Oil

Another essential oil which is useful for treatment red spots on the penis is the jojoba oil which maintains antibacterial properties. The healing effect of oil takes place through prevention of the bacterial growth and invasion. It has wax esters which make it a natural moisturizer thus enhancing its effect on the skin.

Asparagus

It is the richest source of the folic acid, packed with a lot of essential vitamins and also nutrients. Asparagus which has folic acid is crucial for metabolic consistency which usually ensures Fordyce spotting doesn’t happen. Proper hormonal balance might also be maintained by consuming about 260mcg of folic acid a day.

Red Bumps on Penis Treatment

Remedy for red rash on penis

The treatment that is required for red spots on penis depends largely on the underlying cause. Regardless of the cause, the itchiness of the rash can also be treated using the over-the-counter creams like hydrocortisone.

Your doctor can also prescribe you a cream so as to reduce the symptom while treating the underlying condition.

Some red bumps can also heal without any treatment as long as the affected skin area is kept very clean and dry. Vaginal yeast infections might also be treated using the over-the-counter or the prescription medications such as oral antifungals.

Syphilis is treated using antibiotics.

Red spots on the penis are treated using prescription medications or even through having visible warts removed by freezing them using liquid nitrogen or getting rid of them surgically. Genital herpes cannot be cured, but it is able to be controlled using medications.

For allergic reactions, getting rid of the allergen allows the rash to clear up and thus prevent future outbreaks.

There is no given cure for autoimmune disorders, but there are several medications that can assist in treating the bumps, like those that suppress the immune system, that might assist control symptoms or even the skin disorders that are brought about by the condition.

Lichen planus, which happens in people with autoimmune disorders, might also be treated using over-the-counter antihistamines or even the prescription medication skin creams or the corticosteroid pills.

Further sources and references;