Pearly penile papules
| Pearly penile papules | |
|---|---|
| Other names | (papules):
|
| Glans penis with pearly penile papules | |
| Specialty | Dermatology |
| Symptoms | Normal, painless, small bumps on ridge of glans of the human penis |
| Usual onset | Age 20-30 years |
| Diagnostic method | Visualisation |
| Differential diagnosis | Genital warts, molluscum contagiosum, sebaceous hyperplasia, lichen nitidus |
| Treatment | Reassurance and generally no treatment necessary cryotherapy, laser therapy, shave excision |
| Prognosis | Not harmful |
| Frequency | Common |
Pearly penile papules (PPP; also known as hirsutoid papillomas or as papillae coronae glandis, Latin for 'papillae of the corona of the glans') are benign, small bumps or spots on the human penis. They vary in size from 0.5-1 mm, are pearly or flesh-colored, smooth and dome-topped or filiform, and appear in one or, several rows around the corona, the ridge of the head of the penis and sometimes on the penile shaft. They are painless, non-cancerous and not harmful. The medical condition of having such papules is called hirsutoid papillomatosis or hirsuties papillaris coronae glandis (Latin for 'papillary hirsutism of the corona of the glans').