Understanding Pearly Penile Papules (PPP)

Healthcare providers don’t know exactly what causes them. They are a type of overgrowth of tissue. They can appear in people with a penis from puberty onward. They are more common in people who have not been circumcised.

The head of the penis is called the glans. The bottom ridge of the glans is called the corona. Pearly penile papules grow on and under the corona. They don’t cause pain or itch.

They may:

• Be white, pink, or skin-colored
• Look like small bumps
• Stick out like little stalks

Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and give you a physical exam. They will look at the head of the penis. In some cases, a healthcare provider may take a small sample of tissue (biopsy). The tissue will be looked at in a lab. This is to make sure the growths are not another type of health condition.

The growths are not harmful and don’t need treatment. There are no medicines known to treat them. If you want to remove them, this can be done with surgery, electrical destruction, or laser treatment in a healthcare provider’s office. This may be done in 1 or more visits.

Make sure to:

• Not cut, pick, or scrape at them. This may lead to a skin infection.
• Not use wart or pimple medicine on them. This may cause irritation and scarring.

Pearly penile papules may start to get smaller as a person ages.

Call your healthcare provider if you have any of these:

• Symptoms that don’t get better, or get worse
• New symptoms