Pearly Penile Papules Treatment & Management

  • Author: Clarence William Brown Jr, MD; Chief Editor: William D James, MD   more...
 
Updated: Mar 28, 2012
 

Medical Care

Pearly penile papules typically are asymptomatic and require no therapy.

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Surgical Care

Some patients with pearly penile papules may request therapy to alleviate anxiety.

Ablation using carbon dioxide laser,[9, 10] electrodesiccation with curettage, and excisional surgery reportedly have successfully eliminated pearly penile papules. Recent technological advancements in lasers have resulted in promising outcomes using newer fractional ablative approaches.[11, 12]

Mixed results have been noted with cryotherapy.[13]

Topical application of podophyllin largely has been ineffective for pearly penile papules.

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Consultations

Consultation with a dermatologist may prove useful when the diagnosis is not obvious.

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Diet

Diet is not known to be a factor influencing the development or course of pearly penile papules.

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Activity

Pearly penile papules are not associated with personal hygiene or sexual activity.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Clarence William Brown Jr, MD  Assistant Professor of Dermatology, Dermatologic and Mohs Micrographic Surgery, Rush University Medical Center

Clarence William Brown Jr, MD, is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery and Cutaneous Oncology, American Medical Association, Chicago Dermatological Society, Chicago Medical Society, Illinois Dermatological Society, and Illinois State Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

James Fulton Jr, MD, PhD  Center for Cosmetic Dermatology; Consultant, Vivant Pharmaceuticals, LLC

James Fulton Jr, MD, PhD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery, American Academy of Dermatology, American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, Dermatology Foundation, International Society of Cosmetic and Laser Surgeons, and Skin Cancer Foundation

Disclosure: Vivant Pharmaceuticals Grant/research funds Consulting

Michael J Wells, MD  Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul L Foster School of Medicine

Michael J Wells, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Lester F Libow, MD  Dermatopathologist, South Texas Dermatopathology Laboratory

Lester F Libow, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Society of Dermatopathology, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE  Medical Director, Clinical Studies Unit, Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, Associate Scholar, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania

Joel M Gelfand, MD, MSCE is a member of the following medical societies: Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: AMGEN Consulting fee Consulting; AMGEN Grant/research funds Investigator; Genentech Grant/research funds investigator; Centocor Consulting fee Consulting; Abbott Grant/research funds investigator; Abbott Consulting fee Consulting; Novartis investigator; Pfizer Grant/research funds investigator; Celgene Consulting fee DMC Chair; NIAMS and NHLBI Grant/research funds investigator

Chief Editor

William D James, MD  Paul R Gross Professor of Dermatology, Vice-Chairman, Residency Program Director, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

William D James, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology and Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: Elsevier Royalty Other

References

  1. Agha K, Alderson S, Samraj S, Cottam A, Merry C, Lee V, et al. Pearly penile papules regress in older patients and with circumcision. Int J STD AIDS. Nov 2009;20(11):768-70. [Medline].

  2. Sonnex C, Dockerty WG. Pearly penile papules: a common cause of concern. Int J STD AIDS. Nov 1999;10(11):726-7. [Medline].

  3. Rehbein HM. Pearly penile papules: incidence. Cutis. Jan 1977;19(1):54-7. [Medline].

  4. Agha K, Alderson S, Samraj S, et al. Pearly penile papules regress in older patients and with circumcision. Int J STD AIDS. Nov 2009;20(11):768-70. [Medline].

  5. Monroe JR. Does this man have genital warts? Pearly penile papules. JAAPA. Feb 2009;22(2):16. [Medline].

  6. Watanabe T, Yoshida Y, Yamamoto O. Differential diagnosis of pearly penile papules and penile condyloma acuminatum by dermoscopy. Eur J Dermatol. Feb 22 2010;[Medline].

  7. Ozeki M, Saito R, Tanaka M. Dermoscopic features of pearly penile papules. Dermatology. 2008;217(1):21-2. [Medline].

  8. Ozeki M, Saito R, Tanaka M. Dermoscopic features of pearly penile papules. Dermatology. 2008;217(1):21-2. [Medline].

  9. Lane JE, Peterson CM, Ratz JL. Treatment of pearly penile papules with CO2 laser. Dermatol Surg. Jul 2002;28(7):617-8. [Medline].

  10. Magid M, Garden JM. Pearly penile papules: treatment with the carbon dioxide laser. J Dermatol Surg Oncol. May 1989;15(5):552-4. [Medline].

  11. Beylot C. [What's new in aesthetic dermatology: filler and laser treatments]. Ann Dermatol Venereol. May 2009;136 Suppl 4:S152-9. [Medline].

  12. Rokhsar CK, Ilyas H. Fractional resurfacing for the treatment of pearly penile papules. Dermatol Surg. Oct 2008;34(10):1420-2; discussion 1422. [Medline].

  13. Ocampo-Candiani J, Cueva-Rodriguez JA. Cryosurgical treatment of pearly penile papules. J Am Acad Dermatol. Sep 1996;35(3 Pt 1):486-7. [Medline].

  14. Ackerman AB, Kronberg R. Pearly penile papules. Acral angiofibromas. Arch Dermatol. Nov 1973;108(5):673-5. [Medline].

  15. Agrawal SK, Bhattacharya SN, Singh N. Pearly penile papules: a review. Int J Dermatol. Mar 2004;43(3):199-201. [Medline].

  16. Glicksman JM, Freeman RG. Pearly penile papules. A statistical study of incidence. Arch Dermatol. Jan 1966;93(1):56-9. [Medline].

  17. Hogewoning CJ, Bleeker MC, van den Brule AJ, et al. Pearly penile papules: still no reason for uneasiness. J Am Acad Dermatol. Jul 2003;49(1):50-4. [Medline].

  18. Korber A, Dissemond J. Pearly penile papules. CMAJ. Sep 15 2009;181(6-7):397. [Medline].

 
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Pearly penile papules are seen clinically as multiple, glistening, flesh-colored, dome-topped papules arranged circumferentially in 2 rows along the corona of the glans penis.
 
 
 
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