Penis health is an essential part of a man’s overall health. A healthy penis enables you to urinate without issues, obtain and maintain an erection, and reproduce. Also, penis health signifies other problems in your body. Sometimes, your doctor may receive valuable ideas about your health from your concerns with your penis. These may indicate issues in other parts of your body, like heart disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes.
Additionally, problems like erectile dysfunction (ED) can indicate poor blood flow to your penis. Therefore, knowing the common penis health concerns and how to address them is vital. Read on for details.
- Pearly Penile Papules (PPP)
Pearly penile papules are small, painless bumps that ring around the penis’ head. They mostly emerge in rows and look like pinkish, yellowish, or whitish spots. People believe PPP is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or results from poor hygiene. However, this is just a myth since scientists haven’t discovered the cause of this condition. It doesn’t result from an infection or other underlying concerns.
Another thing to know about PPPs is that they don’t show any symptoms; once they grow, they don’t spread out or increase in size. Also, they aren’t contagious and are harmless. When they start developing, you may identify small smooth bumps or threads forming one or two rows around the glans or head of your penis.
Since PPPs don’t show painless symptoms, you may not require pain relievers or lotions. However, your doctor may use laser therapy, cryotherapy, or excision to eliminate the papules. Also, you can remove them at home using a PPP kit. This device utilizes an electrical ionizer to evaporate the papules. It has everything you require to remove PPPs at home safely without fear.
- Itchy Penis
An itchy penis can be very uncomfortable, particularly in public places. It may interfere with your daily activities and interactions with friends and colleagues. One may experience itchiness throughout the penis. Also, the itchiness can be in specific parts of the penis, like the tip or shaft. With that in mind, here are some causes of an itchy penis:
- Irritation: Some toiletries, lotion, and scented soap may irritate the genital tissues, causing itching.
- Ingrown hair: Ingrown hairs at the bottom of the penis may itch, resulting in painful blisters or bumps.
- Candidiasis: Also known as male thrush or male yeast infection, candidiasis may appear on the tip of the penis and cause itching, rash, redness, and burning.
- Genital warts: These are small flesh-colored bumps caused by a sexually transmitted disease called human papillomavirus (HPV). Sometimes, they can itch and bleed during intercourse.
These are just some causes that may result in mild or severe itching. You may obtain treatment depending on the cause and severity of your condition. For example, you may get antifungal drugs if the reason is a fungal infection. On the other hand, for bacteria, you can take antibiotics. However, visit your doctor for a better prescription before taking any medication.
- Hypospadias
This is a birth deformity where the opening of the urethra is located on the scrotum or along the penis instead of at the tip of the penis. Since the urethra is misplaced, people with hypospadias may have challenges urinating when standing up. Also, they may experience difficulties with their sexual life.
There are three types of hypospadias, each occurring in different parts of the penis. They include:
- Distal or midshaft: In this form, the urethral opening emerges along the shaft of the penis.
- Granular or sub-coronal: Here, the urethral opening occurs close to the head of the penis.
- Proximal or penoscrotal: In this condition, the urethral opening appears between the scrotum and the bottom of the penile shaft.
Distal and granular conditions are mild, while proximal is more severe and complicated. One may have hypospadias due to genetics, hormonal problems, fertility treatments, overweight and overage mothers, etc.
To address this issue, one may go for surgery to move the urethra and opening. But, if the opening is close to the tip, the penis usually works, so you leave it that way. Surgery aims to correct the normal functioning of the penis and move the urethral opening close to the peak of the penis. This results in an appropriately directed urinary stream and a straight penis during erection.
Conclusion
A properly functioning penis gives men a sense of wholeness, belonging, attractiveness, and connection. However, sometimes, one may develop issues that can impact their penis health. This may influence other areas of your life, leading to stress, low self-esteem, and relationship problems. Thankfully, there’s always a way out when one develops any issues. Therefore, whenever you experience any symptoms, visit your doctor immediately for early diagnosis and proper treatment.