All penises look and feel different. Some are short, some are long, some are thick and some are bendy. All characteristics are normal and in most cases are not in any way dangerous, its just what makes them unique. There are some things however that shouldn’t be ignored, and one of those is the presence of a lump.

Penile lumps are often seen on the outside of the penis and can appear as a red, raw lump or simply as just a seemingly harmless growth. Other lumps can be found under the surface by massaging the tissue, the size ranging from that of a pea to that of a golf ball.

Many penile lumps are harmless and require little treatment, others, however, can be a sign of something more serious. Here’s five types of penis lumps that might sound like a lump on your man’s stump and worth a trip to the GP”¦

A Penis Cyst

A penis cyst occurs when the sebaceous glands (the ones that produce oil) on the scrotum or penis become blocked and enlarged resulting in a ball-like lump not unlike an ingrown hair.

Treatment of a penis cyst isn’t usually necessary and popping and squeezing these hard little puss-filled lumps isn’t a good idea as they will usually fill back up and become extremely red, sore and infected. Surgical removal of a cyst is sometimes required if they become excessively large, infected or painful.

Papules

Penile papules are little-raised lumps on the surface of the skin and are often harmless. A common type of penile papule, ‘Pearly’ Penile Papules are often mistaken for genital warts as they present themselves as one of more rows of smooth, small lumps behind the head of the penis. These are not infectious and do not require treatment.

Other causes of penile papules includes psoriasis as well as the sexually transmitted infection Genital Warts which is why a trip to the GP is always a good idea.

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Ulcers

An ulcer on the penis can be quite serious and painful and presents itself as a red, crater-like sore in the skin. They often have pus or clear liquid within the crater. If an ulcer is present, a visit to the doctor as soon as possible is advised as it could be a sign of various conditions including syphilis, penis cancer and the herpes simplex virus, some of which are contagious.

Treatment of penis ulcers is dependent on the cause of the ulcer and home treatment is not advisable.

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Plaques

Raised lumps on the skin, plaques are bigger than one centimetre in diameter and do not usually have a serious cause. Balanitis (inflammation of the head of the penis) as well as eczema can be cause for the presence of plaques.Some plaques, however, can be infectious and develop into more serious conditions such a penis cancer so they must always be checked out by a GP.

Genital Warts

These lumps are contagious and can be transmitted by simple skin-to-skin contact. Caused by the Human Papilloma Virus or HPV, Genital Warts often appear in clusters and can be rather small in appearance. They are typically painless and if picked off, often grow back, sometimes spreading further.

As Genital Warts are contagious, sexual partners need to be informed and a condom worn to prevent transmission. Treatment is available in the form of topical antiviral ointments or freezing with liquid nitrogen. These treatments may visibly remove the warts, however the virus remains in the system of the infected indefinitely.

Many lumps are benign and absolutely nothing to worry about however, like a lot of ailments, symptoms can mimic those of other conditions so should always be checked out by a GP so if your husband, partner, brother or even your dad mentions a penile lump, have them get it checked out as soon as possible.