My 9-year-old son has a painless bump on his penis for two months. How to get rid of it?

Question

Hi doctor,

My son, aged 9 years, has a bump on his penis. This crusted bump developed about two months ago. It is painless, and there is no discharge of any type. It is dry, rarely itchy, and looks like a hard wax. No mass is present under the skin, and the skin is raised. He has no previous history of the same issue. Currently, he is using Advantan fatty ointment twice daily for the last ten days. Previously he used Enzomac ointment for a week. How to get rid of it? Please help.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Crusted lesion (of short duration) over the penis in childhood can be due to frictional dermatitis, allergy and Scabies. In some conditions where there is heaping up of dead skin, it causes this scaly lesion. I suggest the following methods to take care of it. For short-duration lesions you should maintain local hygiene, clean the area with lukewarm water and hypoallergenic soap, followed by applying a gentle moisturizer twice daily to soften the crust. You should avoid tight-fitting clothes or any type of rubbing or friction. In some cases like allergic contact dermatitis, a mild steroid cream (Hydrocortisone 1 percent) can be applied locally for a short time (one week). Other conditions can cause this type of skin lesion like penile infection, psoriasis, etc. So you need to get a proper clinical evaluation done by your physician to know what is causing this crusted lesion. Some tests can also be done, like microscopic examination or dermoscopy, to diagnose the condition.