HomeAnswersDermatologygenital wartsIs wart-like growth on the penis contagious?

I have wart-like growth on my penis. Would it be contagious?

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I have wart-like growth on my penis. Would it be contagious?

The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.

Answered by

Dr. Chaitra. P

Medically reviewed by

Dr. Sneha Kannan

Published At December 12, 2015
Reviewed AtJune 25, 2023

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

I am 30 years old. My weight is 140 lbs and my height is 6'3". I am doing a computer-based job. My diet is poor for the past 2-1/2 years. As I often work at night my sleep too gets disturbed. I am single and never had sexual contact with anyone. There is no history of skin disease, smoking, or alcohol. My current issue is, I have a wart-like growth on the penis. It is located on the shaft, middle of the penis, slightly towards the right side. I have had this for over 20 years. It has never been carried over or affected any other area of my body. There are no such growths anywhere in my body. I first observed it when I was 8 or 9 years old. It was neither painful nor caused discomfort. It is a flat, long hard mass that appears as if inserted into pinched skin. Three years back, I had a very slight negligible discomfort after a long period of erection. When I was pinching, it came out of the sleeve of my skin. It was growing in and detached from the body. It actually did not grow down into the penis, but rather perpendicular. Six days ago, I had a long period of erection. Afterward, the sensation of very slight pinching and localized pain focused on a few millimeters deep where the growth is. It is still there, but not bothering me much. But, this time it is slightly higher on the sensation scale and it is not going away.

I have noticed some increase in the width. I am trying to keep it clean by frequent washing. There has never been any bleeding or redness on or around the affected area. It does not cause any problems in full erection. In fact, I feel less discomfort with a full erection. Is this a wart? Is this dangerous? Would it be contagious to my sex partner? I am scared of surgery and I really prefer something non-invasive. Please suggest any topical cream or oral medication. What would be the expected time frame of recovery? Is prevention possible? It is quite close to the dorsal vein. Would it have any effect on the neurovascular bundles? Please see all the attached images. I am paranoid and scared because I think this will make my life very hard.

Answered by Dr. Chaitra. P

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have gone through your history and relevant pictures (attachment removed to protect patient identity) and I appreciate the same. As I can see that you do not have any signs of wart or contagious disease, please relax. The lesion you are having is just a dilated hair follicle or pore which is not dangerous. It is similar to a black head seen on the face, but a bigger one. It is commonly seen as a single lesion and forms a canal in the skin which contains skin debris that is frequently shed. Occasional pain or irritation is because of the debris hardening and poking the stretched skin. There is no topical treatment for this as the creams cannot reach the root of the canal. The only effective way is to get it excised and sutured. It is a very simple and affording procedure with hardly any recurrences. Please go ahead with the surgery as it does cause irritation during erection and intercourse.

Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

Thank you so much for your in-depth analysis.

You are very knowledgeable indeed and have saved me from a lot of depression. I just have a few more questions. Please answer that too. Will the sutures leave any marks on the skin? Is laparoscopic surgery needed here? What kind anesthesia will they give? I am going to visit a surgeon. Should I ask him anything special? Are there any risks to the dorsal vein that passes close by? Thanks again. You are very helpful.

Answered by Dr. Chaitra. P

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

Thank you for your compliment.

It is a minor procedure that usually requires local anesthesia and of course painless after anesthesia. Any trained general surgeon would be able to help you with pore or cyst excision. It may hardly take a suture or two with no or minimal scar. No laparoscopy is required. It is done much above the level of the dorsal vein. It is a daycare procedure that will take just some minutes. So, it is totally safe.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Dr. Chaitra. P
Dr. Chaitra. P

Cosmetology

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