Pearly Penile Papules – The pink-white papules around the head of the penis are called pearly papules. Pearly penile papules are not considered harmful, but they can occur to any male.
The purpose of this article is to discuss the cause and treatment of pearly penile papules, as well as whether they can be safely removed or prevented.
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What are Pearly Penile Papules?
There are tiny, pearly-colored lumps that develop on the corona and sulci of the penis, known as hirsutism or hirsutoid papillomas. An oil is secreted from these papules that helps lubricate the surrounding skin. These are considered harmless and a natural feature of the human body.
A study concluded that they occur in approximately one-third of circumcised males, but only about seven percent of men who have not been circumcised are affected.
Males are more likely to develop PPP during their lifetime, however, some choose not to have them treated simply because they do not care about them. Papules can often disappear without treatment. But using toothpaste to get rid of PPP is a bad idea.
Common Treatment for PPP
In general, pearly penile papules should not be picked or popped as this could result in damage or scarring.
In the case of penile papules, you should never use over-the-counter wart treatments since these can aggravate the condition and cause scarring.
It is possible that some people will seek treatment to have penile papules removed if they find their presence distressing. Possible treatments include:
Cryotherapy:
This process involves the use of liquid nitrogen to burn away tissue affected by burns. The process is often painful.
CO2 Laser:
This involves the use of laser energy to evaporate the affected tissues.
Electrodessication and curettage:
In this treatment, papules are removed using a special surgical device.
Some of these treatments are painful, and they may have to be repeated. Treatment risks include:
- Scarring
- Infection
- Skin pigmentation changes
- Papule recurrence
- Post-procedure bleeding
What is the Effectiveness of Home Remedies for Treating PPP?
It is much more likely that you will come across websites advertising home remedies for pearly penile papules than you are to come across medical specialists who remove them using proven medical techniques when you search online for pearly penile papules treatments.
When it comes to treating PPP, home remedies are mostly ineffective and can even cause scarring and organ deformities.
Here’s a list of some common ‘remedies’, and the health risks they may pose:
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Tea Tree Oil
A variety of ailments, including fungal infections, are often treated with tea tree oil as a complementary medicine. A tea tree oil treatment will not remove a pearly penile papule as they are not an infection. In addition, highly concentrated oils can create a burning sensation in sensitive parts of the body, including the penis.
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Triple Antibiotic Ointment
Antibiotic creams are not effective, despite claims to the contrary.
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Castor Oil
Although castor oil is not likely to burn your skin like tea tree oil, it will still have no effect on the removal of PPP.
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Calamine
Calamine can be used to treat minor skin conditions such as itchiness, insect bites, and other small irritations, but it has no properties that can be used to remove papules.
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Topical Acne Creams
Using potent acne creams will irritate and dry out the skin on the applied area, but will not remove papules.