What is Pearly Penile Papules (PPP)? Do you notice whitish, yellowish, or pinkish skin bumps in rows on your private organ? If you also feel pain during urination, have itchiness, or see lesion discharge, you probably have pearly penile papules (PPP).
Many men encounter pearly penile papules in their 20s and 30s. The cause of PPP is generally unknown. Most men experience benign skin lesions in the head of the penis. This reproductive health condition is seen in 8% to 43% of men and usually appears after puberty. Meanwhile, there’s a high prevalence of PPP among uncircumcised men.
But what’s the proper management for PPP? Read this ultimate guide to learn more.
Pearly Penile Papules Treatment Options
Here are the different PPP treatment options:
1. Home Treatment
When it comes to home treatment, technological advancements can also prove effective. An excellent option is the new PPP treatment, which is easy to perform at home. With a PPP kit, an electrical ionizer vaporizes the whitish bumps, like a laser treatment.
How to treat pearly penile papules? A PPP kit includes everything you need to safely remove pearly penile papules at home, including the PPP pen and numbing cream. Moreover, the PPP kit also contains a step-by-step instruction guide.
2. In-Clinic Treatment
How to get rid of ppp? Some men with PPP are extremely concerned or embarrassed about the lesions. Hence, health providers recommend in-clinic treatments to get rid of pearly penile papules. These include laser therapy, cryotherapy, or PPP excision.
Cryotherapy triggers tissue necrosis on the epidermis using liquid nitrogen while preserving the underlying warmer vascularized dermis. While cryotherapy is effective, there are risks of edema, erythema or redness, blister formation, and scarring at the application site. Furthermore, cryotherapy can be painful.
A licensed and trained dermatologist or medical doctor can perform laser removal surgery for PPP. Laser removal is the most popular treatment for PPP removal using fractionated carbon dioxide (CO2) laser treatment.
This PPP treatment vaporizes papules using concentrated heat. Before laser removal surgery, the health practitioner will apply a numbing cream for a pain-free treatment. The recovery period is up to a week.
3. Natural Treatments
Most men with pearly penile papules prefer to use natural home remedies. They usually apply tea tree oil, castor oil, toothpaste, and topical creams on the head of the penis or glans with whitish papules.
Natural treatments don’t cause serious side effects. However, applying oils and topical creams isn’t effective in eradicating the papules. No proven or conclusive evidence exists about natural treatments providing complete papule removal.
4. No Treatment Is Necessary
In general, pearly penile papules present no pain or other related symptoms and don’t require treatment. The individual doesn’t need to take pain relievers or apply salves, lotions, oils, or creams to the bumps. These bumps usually disappear on their own without treatment.
Tips When Managing PPP
Some men with PPP are concerned about the condition affecting sperm quality. But PPP doesn’t affect men’s internal reproductive organs. The papules only affect the external layer of the skin, possibly causing discomfort, pain, and uneasy feeling for patients.
Meanwhile, due to the social stigma associated with having reproductive health problems, some patients are reluctant to seek medical help. They worry that others will look down on them because of the lesions on their genitalia. Someone may suspect they have a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or acute immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) as a result.
For this reason, some patients prefer to self-medicate or treat their PPP without medical consultation. Check these expert tips when managing PPP:
1. Avoid Self-Medication
- Never use a tweezer, nail cutter, or similar cutting or dissecting tool to remove PPP. There’s a high risk of infection using unhygienic and unsterile tools for PPP.
- Don’t apply harsh chemicals, like salicylic acid, on the affected site because healthy tissues might sustain damage.
As you can see, self-medication or treatment of PPP can cause more health problems.
2. Obtain Proper PPP Education
A crucial aspect of PPP management is patient education. Because of PPP, patients may experience low self-confidence, especially during sexual intercourse. That’s why healthcare providers advise patients about the misconceptions associated with the condition.
PPP doesn’t affect the normal functioning of the reproductive organ during sex. Men with PPP can boost their sexual performance and confidence by applying the recommended treatments and management tips discussed above.
Holistic management is advisable, especially for married men. Married couples can undergo counseling if the PPP seems to affect the relationship. With a proper referral, men with PPP can live a more peaceful and normal life.
Conclusion:
Managing pearly penile papules involves conventional and surgical approaches. However, it depends on the severity of the condition and how it psychologically affects the individual. Before choosing the best treatment for your PPP, it’s best to consult a doctor for a proper assessment. Get expert medical advice about the appropriate treatment for your PPP.