WHEN YOU SPOT a new lump or mole on your skin, you might worry about cancer. But what if it’s on your penis? Penile cancer is a thing, but the good news is it’s extremely rare.
In the US, penile cancer is diagnosed in less than 1 per 100,000 men each year and makes up fewer than 1 percent of overall cancers. (Though the risk does go up, especially in men over 60). The rarity doesn’t stop men from worrying, however.
“I probably see several patients every week who come in convinced they have cancer, and the vast majority end up having something completely benign,” says urologist David Shusterman, MD. Some marks and bumps are normal. Others may be related to conditions that are treatable and nowhere near as life-threatening as cancer.
Spare yourself the visual trauma of Googling images of “bump on penis.” Urologists list six noncancerous reasons that are more likely to explain the lump on your junk.
6 Noncancerous Reasons for a Bump on the Penis
Penile warts (HPV)
Okay, okay, we said noncancerous reasons but penile warts are caused by HPV types that are generally different from the ones most strongly linked with cancer.
Sevann Helo, MD, assistant professor of urology at Mayo Clinic, says genital warts are one of the most common causes of flesh-colored or whitish bumps on the penis. These small bumps may appear smooth, raised, or clustered together. “Because other penile lesions can resemble warts, it is worthwhile to have a new growth examined rather than trying to diagnose it from a picture online,” she says.
Peyronie’s Disease
Seeing a bend in your penis can be pretty horrifying. Some guys have reported seeing a 30-degree curvature of the penis due to Peyronie’s disease. Sometimes Peyronie’s disease may present as an indentation or hourglass shape. The condition occurs when scar tissue develops within the deeper tissues of the penis.
“I tell patients not to ignore anything that feels like a hard lump inside the shaft, especially if they’re starting to notice the penis bending during erections, because that could be early Peyronie’s disease,” says Dr. Shusterman. Men between 50 and 59 are most commonly affected by Peyronie’s disease, with 55 being the usual age of presentation.
Peyronie’s disease is not a sign of cancer and can sometimes cause pain with erections or discomfort during sex. Depending on the severity and stage of the condition, there are several treatment options to alleviate pain and potentially straighten out your penis.
Lichen sclerosus
If you’re experiencing itchy, white spots or discolored, scarred skin on the head of your penis, you may be dealing with lichen sclerosus. This is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that may cause irritation or tightening of the foreskin. Some guys may see changes around the urinary opening.
“Unlike many harmless variations in penile skin, this is something that should be evaluated because untreated inflammation and scarring can create problems over time,” says Dr. Helo. The condition is often treatable with a topical steroid cream.
Pearly penile papules
You may see small rows of smooth, uniform bumps around the head of your penis. That’s a perfectly “normal anatomical variation,” says Dr. Shusterman. They are commonly mistaken for an STI, but urologists say you don’t need to treat the papules.
Prominent penile veins
It is completely normal for some guys to see visible veins along the shaft or near the base of the penis. Veins can become more enlarged and noticeable during an erection. “Sometimes it’s nothing more than an inflamed hair follicle or a vein that’s become enlarged after sexual activity,” says Dr. Shusterman.
However, if a vein suddenly becomes hard, painful, red, or swollen, then you should see a doctor. Dr. Helo says that occasionally a superficial vein can become inflamed or develop a clot.
Fordyce spots
Fordyce spots are enlarged, sometimes raised, oil glands. They can present as a single 1-to-3-millimeter spot or a cluster of more than 50 spots. While most common on the edges of your lip, they have also been found on the shaft, foreskin, and head of the penis. While they’re usually painless, if the spots are on the penis, they may itch or cause bleeding during sex.
When to Get a Lump Checked
IF A SPOT or bump grows, changes color or shape, bleeds, ulcerates, becomes painful, and causes discharge, go to a doctor. If you see crusty bumps or open sores, that’s when you should also see a urologist. And overall, if you’re not confident about what the bump is either, Dr. Helo says to get an in-person examination just in case.
Dr. Shusterman says it best: “I’d much rather tell someone, ‘This is nothing to worry about,’ than have them wait six months because they were embarrassed to come in.”
Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, MS is the associate health & fitness for Men’s Health and has previously written for CNN, Scientific American, Popular Science, and National Geographic before joining the brand. When she’s not working, she’s doing circus arts or working towards the perfect pull-up.
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