Pearly penile papules are often mistaken for symptoms of a sexually transmitted infection, such as genital warts. Here are some helpful hints to differentiate between pearly penile papules & STD.

PPP: Occurs around the head of the penis. They are uniform in size & distribution. As the name suggest, they appear ‘pearly’ & dome shaped.

Genital warts are bigger, more like cauliflowers, & can occur in areas other than the penis, such as the scrotum or anus.

Molluscum contagiosum is another STD that can resemble PPP. This viral infection can occur on the penis & skin of the genital area. The central dell or ‘umbilication’ is characteristic.

Fordyce spots can look like PPP, however with Fordyce the distribution is on the shaft of the penis. These are smaller & more yellowish in colour, as compared to pearly penile papules.

If you would like a definitive diagnosis prior to treatment, arrange a virtual consultation with our dermatologists at Cutis Dermatology.

Cutis Dermatology has over 40 laser devices for a specific reason – to match a skin condition to the best possible laser device.

For the treatment of PPPs, we employ specific lasers. These lasers minimise collateral damage to the surrounding skin.

• Sciton Joule erbium with a focused spot size of 1 to 1.5 mm. This allows accurate ablation of PPP with minimal collateral damage. Erbium has a faster recovery time in comparison to carbon dioxide lasers.
• CO2 with small spot sizes & super short PD.

It takes 5-6 days to recover from laser surgery. You will be required to apply antibiotic ointment to the treated areas 3-5 times daily.

It is recommended you take a short break from sexual intercourse until 9 days after laser surgery. Your PPP free skin is fragile & requires a short break from trauma.

In most cases yes, the results are permanent. In a minority of patients, a smaller laser procedure can be performed years (or months) after the first, should there be recurrence.

No, laser surgery is painless as we use a special numbing gel. The procedure takes between 10 to 25 minutes to perform. After laser surgery, there is no pain. We also provide after care kits to aid in faster healing.

Lasers offer the best & safest solution for PPP; however other treatments include-

Diathermy: using electrocautery. This method was used prior the development of lasers. The chance of scarring is much higher in comparison to ablative lasers. This technique is practiced in third world countries including Africa & Asia.

Medium to deep peels: can be used as focal spot application. This method is used in third world countries. The most common peeling agent is TCA.

Are you freakin’ serious? You are about to use an electric heating device mass produced in China for about $4 bucks (add 4000% mark-up) to treat the only manhood you got?

It is not about ‘can a treatment be effective’ (think battery acid), it is about safety, efficacy & follow ups. Think carefully about DIY treatments on your penis.

Nope. You cannot catch PPPs, nor can you transmit PPPs. These lesions are called angiofibromas & occur in one third of males. For circumcised males the incidence drops to one in twenty men.

Our treating dermatologist (Dr Sarath) offers virtual consultations prior to laser removal. Send a confidential email & my staff will arrange a virtual consultation with Dr Sarath. Virtual consultations will expedite treatment as our specialists can diagnose & implement a treatment plan.

Note: I do not treat PPP or genital conditions, my colleague sub-specialises in this condition.

$1590- $1990 per treatment. For extensive PPPs (less than 10% of cases) we may recommend two sessions (as this reduces side effects such as scarring). If a second session is required, discounts apply.

Note: if you suffer from extensive PPP that circumferentially affects the head of the penis, you are far better off splitting your treatments into two sessions. With one session, extensive ulceration may occur, hence it is safer to laser 8 weeks apart. Our dermatologists will guide you. 

Fordyce spots are common lesions that occur on the shaft of the penis. In contrast PPP occur around the head of the penis. Fordyce spots are due to ectopic sebaceous glands. Both PPP & Fordyce spots may occur together. The treatment of Fordyce spots is similar to PPP, however with the former, they do recur- unlike PPP.

No, however penile papules are much more common in uncircumcised males (up to 30%), in comparison to circumcised males (about 5%). Circumcision in later adult life will not cure PPP, however may, in some cases, prevent PPP from occurring.

There are some GPs (primarily on the Gold Coast of Queensland), who claim to be

‘experts’ in the treatment of PPP. We encourage patients to ask your GP as to recommendations as to whom they would refer to- a cosmetic doctor or a specialist dermatologist?

No. Medicare rebates apply for the consultation (either in person or virtual), however there is no rebate for genital PPPs, in comparison to facial angiofibromas.

Our dermatologist charges a private fee. If you would prefer to be seen in a public hospital, most dermatology, urology & plastic surgery outpatient departments will have access to a CO2 or erbium laser.