Pimple on penis, is it normal?

July 8, 2006 9:42 AM

I got a pimple on my penis. Is it normal?

I have a pic of it. (Not sexual.)

It comes once in a while, and it swells a little, then breaks, and then the dried up cover comes off exposing the redness just like in a pimple on the face.

posted by Devileyezz to Health & Fitness (30 answers total)

you're gonna die. no, seriously, if it's a recurring thing, i'd see a doc.
posted by rbs at 9:48 AM on July 8, 2006

excuse me if I don't look at the picture, no offense, but your description sounds like herpes. get tested and good luck, and no matter the results, always wear a condom
posted by PenguinBukkake at 9:55 AM on July 8, 2006

I looked at the picture -- that does indeed look like it might be a herpes sore, enough that you should get it checked out. It is certainly possible to have an outbreak that consists of just one sore.
posted by JanetLand at 10:00 AM on July 8, 2006

Couple o' guesses. At first glance it looks like it might be an infected hair follicle, or it might be related to a harmless condition called PPP which can appear on the head or shaft. Might also be related to your sebacious glands, but either way, see a dermatologist. [more info here, SFW].
posted by moonbird at 10:06 AM on July 8, 2006

Response by poster: You guys are scary.
I'm going with moonbird, because yes.. there was indeed a hair in the center.

Any more hopefully nice answers? :(
posted by Devileyezz at 10:14 AM on July 8, 2006

Trapped follicle. I used to get them and would ease them out with a sterilised needle. Briefs too tight? Causes the hairs to ingrow. I get them on my knees too
posted by A189Nut at 10:27 AM on July 8, 2006

I'd go to a urologist. Reoccuring is never good.
posted by 6:1 at 10:27 AM on July 8, 2006

How long does the erupt/heal cycle? If it's significantly less than two weeks, it's very unlikely to be a herpes lesion. Pimples on the penis are entirely normal, especially if you shave (although this isn't required to cause them).
posted by wolftrouble at 11:03 AM on July 8, 2006

Best answer: I sometimes get infected follicles or outright acne zits on my penis, scrotum, or close-in groin (like the ones I get on my face) -- when I pull or extract the hair and/or pop the zit it heals in a couple days. And the ones on my "bad touch zone" do tend to recur in the same general areas, places where sweat accumulates and/or that get a lot of friction from my undies or jeans, but they almost never recur in the same place (I have no idea why not). For that reason I'd go to a doctor if it was me.

I second the advice to wear condoms at least till these outbreaks are completely healed. Even if they're not contagious to others they're still potential avenues of infection into you.

And now that the jpeg finally loaded (are we all rushing to view this guy's johnson?) that looks to me like the herpes I get around my mouth since infancy, a.k.a. "cold sores" or "fever blisters", that by the way are contagious too (and you can also get genital herpes from a blowjob). Yes, see a doctor.
posted by davy at 11:05 AM on July 8, 2006

Looks like a syphilitic chancre to me. Of course, you can't tell anything just by looking at these things - that's why doctors have laboratories.
posted by ikkyu2 at 11:37 AM on July 8, 2006 [1 favorite]

It could possibly be an infected follicle... the first time I had one in my scrotacular region I freaked out and went to my doc, not knowing what it was. She took one look, said it was an ingrown hair, and suggested exfoliating in the future.

But yeah... see a doctor. This week. It might be nothing, it might be something you need to take care of ASAP. You won't know until you go.

and to everyone... you probably don't want to pop zits/fool around overmuch with ingrown hairs in that area. it's not a place where you want an infection. trust me on this.
posted by the_bone at 12:15 PM on July 8, 2006

I say this with no lack of sympathy, Devileyezz, but dude: you have a recurring sore on your penis.

If that doesn't scream 'go to a doctor' I fear for your sexual partners and your level of self-preservation. Just go already - knowing is better than worrying.

Good luck!
posted by Space Kitty at 12:15 PM on July 8, 2006

Antibiotics, antibiotics, antibiotics. What is this 1904? Who doesn't get syphillis treated?
posted by geoff. at 12:22 PM on July 8, 2006

If it were me, if it's something contagious I'd hope it's syphilis, because for the past 50 years that's been easily cured.
posted by davy at 12:25 PM on July 8, 2006

I've had those a couple of times -- and the first time it happened I was still a virgin, and I've been tested since, and I'm clean. So don't assume it's herpes or syphilis, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to have it checked out.
posted by Acetylene at 1:05 PM on July 8, 2006

So don't assume it's herpes or syphilis, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to have it checked out.

Actually, yes, please do assume it's herpes or syphilis. It's better to expect the worst and get it checked out than to just shrug it off and hope it's a just a pimple and have your fucking dick fall off.

As a hairy wookie of a missing link of a human being, that doesn't look a pimple or ingrown hair to me. It's too inflamed and liquidy, and ingrown hairs don't recur like that.

Gah. WTF am I doing in this thread. The internet: ruiner of minds and innocence.
posted by loquacious at 1:21 PM on July 8, 2006

I know exactly what it is. The technical term is SIWSMDWAOGITIWT. In layman's terms, "something I would show my doctor, whose advice on getting it tested I would take."
posted by mistersix at 2:35 PM on July 8, 2006

Response by poster: Scary.
I will get this checked up ASAP.

Thanks a lot for the input guys.
posted by Devileyezz at 2:42 PM on July 8, 2006

I didn't get to see the pic, but if it's anything like what I had, it's just the sebaceous glands on shaft. Nothing to worry about, but check with a doc.
posted by furtive at 5:16 PM on July 8, 2006

I don't know about your doctor, but the one I go to (and his nurse practitioners) always tell me that if there is any doubt, come on in and let him/them check it out. It's worth it for your peace of mind. Call your doctor's office.
posted by Robert Angelo at 6:28 PM on July 8, 2006

Do you, um, trim down there?? If so prob an ingrown hair.
posted by freeflytim at 6:51 PM on July 8, 2006

Nothing like that has ever happened to my penis so from my perspective it dosn't seem normal, no.

I realize that getting your penis examined by a doctor can seem like a really uncomfortable and scary thing to do but really it's for the best here. It could very well be an infected/ingrown hair or it could be a symptom of an STD. You really should go to a doctor.
posted by delmoi at 8:14 PM on July 8, 2006

You just posted a picture of your penis on the internet. No need to be concerned or modest about showing it to your doctor. Go to a doctor before the only remaining good memory of your Johnson is this picture. There is nothing to lose by going but time and money.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:54 PM on July 8, 2006

how come you have white hands and black penis? or is it someone elses hands in which case.. weird dude
posted by petsounds at 9:14 PM on July 8, 2006

how come you have white hands and black penis?

It's not abnormal.
posted by madman at 10:23 PM on July 8, 2006

Its highly unusual if you're a woman.
posted by DickStock at 10:34 PM on July 8, 2006

Relax. Don't sweat it too much. Everything's gonna be fine.
posted by wsg at 12:49 AM on July 9, 2006

Response by poster: petsounds: I'm mixed. I'm brown on top, jamaican below. ;-) Kidding. No, I'm brown. And when I'm erect it looks brown too. But when it's small, it looks black. Weird, but true.

wsg, thank you.
And to everyone else with the kinds words, thank you.
I never said I'll not go to the doc, I just wanted to see how bad this is before I do go.

I'm going in tomorrow.
Will keep us posted.

Thanks again.
posted by Devileyezz at 8:09 PM on July 9, 2006

Response by poster: Ok, I went to the clinic.
The doc said it looks like a Molluscum.

Got my blood drawn. (Last time I was there for STD tests was in April.)

There was another little molluscum thing, he put that nitro spray on that and DAMN it stung!
posted by Devileyezz at 7:14 PM on July 10, 2006

Thanks for the followup and getting thyself to El Sawbones.
posted by loquacious at 12:15 PM on July 12, 2006