Ask the Sexpert: Apr. 15, 2010

Dear Sexpert,

For a while now, I've noticed small white bumps on the underside of my penis. I would be worried about this being some sort of an STI, but I'm still a virgin. I actually just started dating a girl, but I'm too embarrassed to hook up with her because of the bumps. I'm also afraid I'll give her whatever I have. Help?

- Worried Willie

Dear Willie,

Seeing strange bumps on your body can be scary and can make you feel self-conscious. I can give you my take on what's happening, but the best (and the only) way to really know what's going on is to walk over to McCosh Health Center and make an appointment. Everyone has a different definition of what it means to be a "virgin," and even if you haven't yet had sexual intercourse, you could still have a sexually transmitted infection (such as genital warts), which is why it's best to check with a medical professional.

That said, it sounds like the bumps could be either pearly penis papules or sebaceous cysts, both of which are very common among guys and are known to cause white spots. The good news? Both of these are almost always harmless and are not sexually transmitted.

Pearly penis papules are usually located close to the head of the penis and are typically arranged around its circumference. We don't know what causes these small white bumps, but we do know that they occur much more frequently in uncircumcised than circumcised males: Uncircumcised males have an almost twotimes higher incidence rate of developing these papules. Their occurrence is very common in men in their 20s and tends to decrease with age. The bumps do not represent any sort of infection and you do not need to seek treatment for them.

The other possibility is that the bumps are sebaceous cysts, which means that they are caused by inflamed hair follicles. Sebaceous cysts commonly form on the underside of the penis and can even be present on the scrotum. The cysts are usually small and cannot be transmitted. There is not really a need to treat these, but larger ones can be removed as a minor outpatient procedure. Good hygiene helps keep sebaceous cysts from forming, as sweat can cause hair follicles to become inflamed.

Also, as far as embarrassment during intimacy, because the white spots are so small, it is highly unlikely that she will even notice. But, it's still important to remember that only a nurse or doctor can give you a definite answer and some peace of mind.

- The Sexpert

The Sexpert is written by a team of peer sexual health educators and fact-checked by University health professionals. You can submit questions to sexpert@dailyprincetonian.com. Don't be shy!