Bumps on penis and scrotum can be quite frustrating and worrisome for men. Most of the males get alarmed that they might have sexually transmitted disease or some sort of cancer. In fact, most of the common asymptomatic bumps are totally harmless. Being said that, there are few serious diseases that must always be considered and ruled out before coming into conclusion that they are harmless. In this article we’ll try to lists all the possible common, uncommon or rare disease that can present as both skin colored or pigmented/red bumps on penis and scrotum. Please remember that self-diagnosis of such bumps on penis might be misleading sometimes and can get you in trouble later, so always seek medical advice.

Most common causes of skin colored bumps on penis and scrotum
  • Pearly penile papules
  • Fordyce’s spots
  • Molluscum contagiosum
  • Skin tags
  • Scrotal calcinosis
  • Lichen nitidus
  • Viral warts
  • Secondary syphilis
  • Seborrheic keratosis
  • Epidermoid cyst
Other possible causes of skin colored bumps on penis and scrotum
  • Syringoma
  • Neurofibroma
  • Mucoid cyst
  • Leiomyoma
  • Demodicidosis
  • Median raphe cyst
  • Tick bite/tick in situ
  • Sclerosing lymphangitis
  • Lichen nitidus and lichen planus
  • Mucinous syringometaplasia
  • Genital smooth muscle hamartoma
  • Lymphangioma circumscriptum
  • Lipoid proteinosis

Below are few diseases that should always be ruled out in case of any suspicion

  • Amelanotic malignant melanoma
  • Amyloidosis
  • Squamous hyperplasia
  • Malignant schwannoma
Most common causes of pigmented or red bumps on penis and scrotum
  • Angiokeratoma or angioma
  • Lichen planus and lichen nitidus
  • Inflamed viral wart
  • Secondary syphilis
  • Inflamed Molluscum contagiosum
  • Melanocytic nevus
  • Seborrheic keratosis
  • Scabies
  • Venous varicosities
  • Bowenoid papulosis
Other possible causes of pigmented or red bumps on penis and scrotum
  • Early chancre of primary syphilis
  • Primary granuloma inguinale (donovanosis)
  • Primary lymphogranuloma venereum
  • Dermatofibroma
  • Syringoma
  • Insect bite and tick bite
  • Granuloma annulare
  • Tuberculide (lichen scrofulosorum)
  • Sarcoid
  • Leprosy
  • Superficial phaeohyphomycosis
  • Schistosomiasis
  • Inflamed epidermoid cyst
  • Acanthosis nigricans
  • Nevus comedonicus
  • (Juvenile) xanthogranuloma
  • Pseudo-Kaposi sarcoma

Other possible disease that should always be ruled out if there is any suspicion

  • Amyloidosis
  • Angiokeratoma corporis diffusum
  • Carcinoma erysipeloids
  • Kaposi sarcoma
  • Malignant melanoma
  • Langerhans cell histiocytosis
  • Xanthoma disseminatum
  • Genital metastases

 

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