Pearly penile papules and Fordyce spots: normal spots on the penis

Noticed a ring of tiny bumps around the head of your penis and wondered if it's an STI? Pearly penile papules (PPP, also called penile papules or penile pearly papules) are small skin-coloured to pink bumps, mostly around the rim of the head of the penis. Fordyce spots are small, smooth, yellow-white spots. UK guidance for GPs from the Primary Care Dermatology Society (PCDS) calls both a normal finding. The NHS says lumps or spots on your penis are not usually serious, but always get them checked.

What are pearly penile papules?

Pearly penile papules are small dome-shaped to thread-like bumps, skin-coloured to pink, mostly around the rim (corona) of the head of the penis, often in one or several rows. They cause no symptoms, and the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) says plainly: "These are normal."

They're usually tiny, from under 1 mm to a few millimetres. They most often appear in late puberty or early adulthood. A 2018 review notes they have also been reported on the shaft.

What is PPP in medical terms?

DermNet, a dermatology reference, calls them a normal anatomical variant. Older names include hirsutoid papillomas and papillomatosis corona penis, and a note in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) says they are related in structure to acral angiofibromas. Their purpose is poorly understood: the 2018 review says they are thought to be vestigial (a leftover).

What are Fordyce spots?

Fordyce spots are visible oil (sebaceous) glands that sit on their own, without a hair follicle, also called Fordyce granules or ectopic sebaceous glands. PCDS describes small, slightly raised, smooth, yellow-white spots, 1 to 5 mm across. They often come in clusters and are easier to see when the skin is stretched. A review for GPs notes that many men may describe them as a lump that appears during an erection. DermNet says they are probably present at birth.

Sources differ on symptoms: PCDS, the UK guidance, says none; one surgical case series says they can cause itching or discomfort during sex.

Fordyce spots on the penis, foreskin, shaft and balls

In the genital area, DermNet says Fordyce spots can be on the head or shaft of the penis. They can also be on the inner foreskin, where a Polish clinic study describes small yellowish bumps with no symptoms. PCDS also lists the scrotum, where they sit on the skin of the balls, not inside the testicles.

Are pearly penile papules and Fordyce spots normal?

Yes, in UK guidance. PCDS calls both a normal finding.

Estimates for pearly penile papules vary: up to 50% of men (PCDS), 8% to 43% (DermNet) and 14% to 48% (the 2018 review). PCDS and DermNet say they are more common in men who have not been circumcised. Fordyce spots are found in 80% of adults (DermNet) or about 85% of people (PCDS), though neither says how many have them on the genitals.

Worry is common: in a study of 200 men at one UK sexual health clinic, in Cambridge, over a third of the men with papules had been worried by them.

Pearly penile papules and Fordyce spots compared

	Pearly penile papules.	Fordyce spots.
What they are	A normal anatomical variant	Oil glands without a hair follicle
Where they appear	Mostly round the rim of the head of the penis, often in one or more rows	The head or shaft of the penis and the scrotum, and they can be on the inner foreskin; also the lips and inside the cheeks
What they usually look like	Small dome-shaped or thread-like bumps, skin-coloured, pink or white	Small, slightly raised, smooth, yellow-white spots, often in clusters
Size	Usually tiny, from under 1 mm to a few millimetres	1 to 5 mm across
When they show	Most often late puberty or early adulthood; less noticeable with age	Usually during or after puberty; easier to see when the skin is stretched
Infectious?	No	No
Need treatment?	No	No

Both are usually diagnosed by how they look, but some STIs may start off looking like Fordyce spots on the genitals, and the NHS says not to try to diagnose lumps or spots on your penis yourself: get them checked at a GP surgery or sexual health clinic. Sources: PCDS, DermNet, NHS and the papers listed below.

What causes pearly penile papules and Fordyce spots?

The cause of pearly penile papules is unknown, PCDS says, and DermNet says they are not due to sex or poor hygiene. Fordyce spots are oil glands in an unusual place, and a 2012 Korean case series says how they form has not been worked out.

Are Fordyce spots or pearly penile papules an STI or HPV?

No. DermNet says pearly penile papules are not infectious or contagious, unlike genital warts, and are not cancer or pre-cancer. It says Fordyce spots are not a sexually transmitted disease and are not infectious. In a study of 226 male partners of women with cervical cell changes, the papules were not linked with a positive HPV test. Its authors say their data do not support HPV (the wart virus) as a cause.

DermNet says some STIs may start off looking like Fordyce spots on the genitals, so a proper diagnosis from a doctor is essential.

Are Fordyce spots contagious?

No. A review for GPs says normal variants like these cannot be passed to others. But DermNet says some STIs may start off looking like Fordyce spots on the genitals, and the NHS says not to try to diagnose lumps or spots on your penis yourself.

Do Fordyce spots go away, and how long do pearly penile papules last?

Pearly penile papules become less noticeable with age, PCDS and DermNet say. None of the sources behind this page says how long one man's papules last.

For Fordyce spots on the genitals, none of these sources says whether they fade on their own; DermNet says they become bigger and more visible from about puberty.

How do you get rid of Fordyce spots and pearly penile papules?

They don't need treatment. PCDS says men should be reassured that pearly penile papules are normal, and that Fordyce spots are harmless and need none.

For men distressed by how pearly penile papules look, doctors have used laser or electrical treatment (electrodessication, with or without scraping) and freezing. PCDS warns of a risk of scarring; the 2018 review says CO2 laser needs an anaesthetic and increases the risk of scarring and infection. For Fordyce spots, DermNet lists electrosurgery and CO2 laser.

The evidence on removal is thin. A 2025 systematic review found only 17 case reports and case series on the papules (142 men) and says it is limited by publication bias. A series of 23 patients with Fordyce spots on the male genitals notes that procedures reported so far have had varying success and recurrence rates. Academy of Medical Royal Colleges guidance says removing harmless skin lumps carries risks, so it is not usually offered on the NHS just to improve appearance, though its list does not include these spots.

Can you treat pearly penile papules at home?

They need no treatment, and DermNet advises against picking or squeezing Fordyce spots. A Polish clinic study warns that markedly enlarged oil glands may be mistaken for warts or molluscum contagiosum (a viral skin infection) and treated when they need not be. NHS inform says warts must be diagnosed by a doctor or nurse.

What are Tyson glands?

Tyson glands is a name used in different ways: for Fordyce spots on the penis (DermNet), for pearly penile papules (the CMAJ note), and for oil glands beside the frenulum, the band of skin under the head, separate from the papules (the 2018 review). A review for GPs uses it for a pair of oil-gland openings, one each side of the frenulum, which it says are normal and need no treatment.

Spots on the scrotum: Fordyce spots or angiokeratomas?

Besides Fordyce spots, spots on the balls can be angiokeratomas: harmless spots of widened tiny blood vessels, deep red to blue-black (PCDS) and seldom more than 5 mm across (DermNet). The scrotal type, angiokeratoma of Fordyce, is common, mostly affects men and becomes more common with age; it shares the name but is made of blood vessels, not oil glands. PCDS says angiokeratomas on the scrotum often multiply and can bleed after an injury, and do not go away on their own but usually need no treatment. DermNet says they are less obvious on dark skin.

Here too, some STIs may start off looking like Fordyce spots on the genitals, DermNet says, so a proper diagnosis from a doctor is essential. For a dark or changing spot, see the GP lists below.

White spots on the penis: what else could they be?

Pearly penile papules can be pink or white on the head, Fordyce spots are yellow-white, molluscum spots have a shiny white dimple, and NHS inform says genital warts may be white. So small white spots on the penis head, or white bumps, have more than one possible cause. The NHS says not to try to diagnose the cause yourself.

White patches are a different thing. The NHS says lichen sclerosus causes patches that are usually itchy, white and easily damaged, and the foreskin and end of the penis are among the places they most often appear. It is not an infection, cannot be spread to others, even through sex, and is not caused by poor hygiene. It increases the risk of penile cancer, though the NHS says the risk is low and advises seeing a GP if you're worried. In men, it may make the foreskin tighten (see tight foreskin).

Vitiligo causes pale white patches where the skin lacks its pigment, and NHS 111 Wales lists the genitals among the areas most commonly affected. NHS 111 Wales says the patches may occasionally be itchy, so itch alone can't tell it from lichen sclerosus. It isn't caused by an infection and can't be caught.

Why do I have spots on my penis?

Can you get spots on your penis that are not pearly penile papules or Fordyce spots? Yes. The NHS says lumps and spots on the penis can have lots of different causes: some are normal, others might be a sign of an STI such as genital warts or herpes, or of a skin condition such as molluscum contagiosum or lichen planus, and rarely they can be a sign of penile cancer.

Genital warts, a common STI caused by HPV, are usually small, rough lumps, on their own or in a group that can look like a cauliflower, NHS inform says. Pearly penile papules are more uniform, sit in rows around the head and have no cauliflower-like surface, and NICE lists them among things that can be mistaken for warts. Genital herpes causes painful blisters and sores, NHS inform says, and a first infection can bring spots or red bumps around the genital area, yet most people with the virus don't notice any symptoms.

Molluscum contagiosum causes raised spots about 2 to 5 mm wide with a shiny white dimple; the NHS says it is contagious, can be spread through sexual contact in adults, and the spots should clear up within 18 months.

At first, the NHS says, syphilis can cause small sores that are usually painless, and later symptoms may include white or grey warty growths. A review for GPs adds that an early syphilis sore may show as a button-shaped lump that is not open; the NHS says to go to a sexual health clinic or see a GP if you or a sexual partner have symptoms of syphilis, and that a test is the only way to confirm it.

Scabies can cause intensely itchy, pink lumps on the genitals, a review for GPs says; the NHS says it spreads through close skin contact, including sexual contact, has nothing to do with poor hygiene and needs to be treated. Folliculitis, an inflamed hair follicle, may look like a small pimple at first and may be more common if you shave the area, NHS inform says (see also ingrown pubic hair). With a candida (fungal) infection, NICE says there may be small, raw, itchy or sore bumps on the head and shaft of the penis and on the scrotum (more in thrush in men).

Even after a thorough examination it can be difficult for a doctor to tell a normal variant from something that needs treatment, a review for GPs notes, and the NHS says not to try to diagnose penis lumps or spots yourself.

When to see a GP or go to a sexual health clinic

The NHS says to always get lumps or spots on your penis checked. The BAD suggests checking your whole penis regularly for any changes, with the foreskin pulled back if you have one.

See a GP or go to a sexual health clinic if:

• you have a lump, sore or ulcer on your penis
• you have a rash or spots on your penis
• the tip of your penis is swollen, itchy, sore and red (redness may be less obvious on brown or black skin; see balanitis)
• you notice any changes to how your penis looks
• you have symptoms that are not going away

A new pale or white patch counts as a change to how your penis looks.

For signs that could be an STI, NHS inform and the NHS say to go to a sexual health clinic or your GP practice if:

• you have 1 or more painless lumps or growths around your penis or anus
• you have itching or bleeding from your genitals or anus
• you have a change to your normal flow of pee (for example, it's begun to flow sideways) that does not go away
• a sexual partner has genital warts
• you have symptoms of genital herpes or think you might have it: get tested as soon as possible, even if you have not had sex for a long time (NHS inform says some people don't get symptoms until months or sometimes years later)
• you or a sexual partner have symptoms of syphilis
• a sexual partner has told you they have syphilis or another STI
• you've recently had sex with a new partner and did not use a condom
• you've injected drugs using a needle that's been used by someone who might have syphilis

If you have syphilis, the NHS says your current and any recent sexual partners will also need to be tested and treated, and the GP or sexual health clinic can advise you about contacting them, which can be done without naming you.

See a GP if you have:

• an itchy white patch on your genitals or skin
• been diagnosed with lichen sclerosus and treatment is not helping
• been diagnosed with lichen sclerosus and have pain when going to the toilet or having sex

For molluscum contagiosum, see a GP if:

• you're not sure your spots are caused by molluscum contagiosum
• the spots are very itchy, painful, swollen or covered with crusts
• you have spots near your eyes or genitals
• you have a weakened immune system and think you may have molluscum contagiosum

Some rarer types of melanoma can affect the genitals, the NHS says. See a GP if:

• you have a mole that's changed size, shape or colour
• you have a mole that's painful or itchy
• you have a mole that's inflamed, bleeding or crusty
• you have a new or unusual mark on your skin that has not gone away after a few weeks

Penile cancer is rare and most common in men over 50, the NHS says. Its most common symptoms are:

• a growth, lump or sore that does not heal within 4 weeks
• a rash
• bleeding from your penis or under your foreskin
• a smelly discharge
• difficulty pulling back your foreskin
• a change in the colour of the skin of your penis or foreskin

Other symptoms may include a lump in your groin, feeling tired, tummy pain and losing weight without trying. Some of these symptoms are very common and can be caused by other conditions.

See a GP if you have:

• any changes to how your penis looks
• discharge or bleeding from your penis
• any of the other symptoms of penile cancer
• symptoms that are not going away

Having the symptoms does not definitely mean you have penile cancer, but it's important to get them checked by a GP.

Lumps or pain in the testicles

For the testicles themselves, not the skin of the scrotum, the NHS says lumps and swellings are not usually caused by anything serious, but you should always get them checked by a GP. See a GP if you have:

• a lump in your testicles
• swollen testicles
• a change in the shape of your testicles
• a change in the way your testicles feel
• 1 testicle that has become bigger than the other
• aching or discomfort in your testicles that does not go away

Go to A&E immediately or call 999 if you have:

• sudden, severe pain in a testicle
• testicle pain along with feeling sick, being sick or pain in your tummy
• testicle pain that has lasted more than an hour or continues when you're resting

Getting help urgently

The NHS page on skin cysts says to ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if you have a sore or red lump on your skin. NHS inform, Scotland's health information service, says to phone 111 if you become very ill and have severe pain, a high temperature, or are feeling or being sick. The table below shows how to get urgent advice in each UK nation.

Where can you get help in the UK?

Anywhere in the UK, call 999 in a life-threatening emergency. The NHS in England says A&E is for serious injuries and life-threatening emergencies, and not to drive yourself there: ask someone to drive you, or call 999 for an ambulance.

For a problem with your penis, Northern Ireland's nidirect says to go to your GP or a sexual health clinic.

• England: clinics are free and confidential unless staff think someone is at risk of harm, and even then they'll talk to you first; you don't usually need a GP referral or appointment, but contact the clinic first.
• Scotland: services are free and your GP won't be told without your permission; phone a service for an appointment, or book online where offered.
• Wales: clinics are free and confidential on the same terms as England; many offer a walk-in service, where you don't need an appointment.
• Northern Ireland: clinics are free and confidential unless you share something that indicates someone is at risk; you don't need a doctor's referral, but in most cases you need an appointment.