Fordyce Spots. Its flesh colored and painless. They are caused by different viruses and may go unnoticed due to a lack of symptoms. Every month, I get at least several emails from guys who have mistaken fordyce spots for genital warts and its really messing with their mind. These work best in combination with laser treatment.. Can i get some advice please? Your doctor can likely diagnose Fordyce spots by their appearance alone. Other conditions that can cause lumps include: Fordyce spots - small, harmless yellow or white spots that grow on the shaft of the penis; Lichen planus - a non-infectious rash of itchy purple or red bumps that can affect the penis HPV Warts: flesh colored , skin colored , wet or dry areas of growths , may bleed if touched or . The warts may grow or . Comment back asap please and also I havent had sexual intercourse yet. Mine are barely noticeable anymore but theyre still there. Fordyce spots are not a sexually transmitted infection and are not contagious. Most people never have any symptoms, but sometimes you might get warts. They grow much is the way described, and look exactly like the pictures. I can tell this is a message board filled with people feeling relief. Many tiny bumps . i dont want girls to get the wrong idea and think i have an STD. Fordyce Spots require no medical action, but if you suspect that you have genital warts, then a doctor's visit may be in order. Any thoughts about that? Ive never tried to do anything to mine except maybe when I was very young I remember poking at one with a needle or something. Mine were gone in a week. How To Tell The Difference, the most common area they form is on the penis shaft (or rarely, the head or scrotum area) and usually kind of on the underside moreso than the top, they look like goose bumps (small and skin colored) and maybe a little whiteish if you stretch the skin, about 30% of all guys have them and you can get them later in life like what you may have just experienced (Ive had them since I was very young and theyve gotten less noticeable in recent years), theres not much you can do about fordyce spots I think there is a laser procedure for extremely bad ones but for the normal guy this is not a smart thing to do, usually only the guy who has them can even notice them most girls and other people who might look down there arent going to notice them, It is also possible for women to get little fordyce spot bumps around the vulva area (they look similar to male spots but I do not have any photos of them at this time), Fordyce spots can also appear around the mouth or even in the pocket of skin underneath the eye. They're a normal part of your skin and are commonly found on the inside of your cheeks, the edges of your lips, and on your foreskin. I started noticing it about 6-8 weeks ago. Thanks Will, I appreciate the feedback. Over time Ive build up enough courage and when to the doctor to see what they were. They can usually be readily distinguished from other lesions found on the penis, including viral warts, molluscum contagiosum and ectopic sebaceous glands (Fordyce spots). Thanks for your reply Greg. and ive actually never had sex. Theyre usually light yellow or flesh-colored. WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. They started to form more around the sides and up the underside of my penis. However, my dermatologist said that it could have been a wart and that I might have squeezed the virus out of it. They a are seen on the genitals and/or in the mouth as small, painless, raised, pale, red or white spots or bumps 1 to 3 mm in diameter that may appear on the scrotum, shaft of the penis or on the labia, and on the inner surfaceand vermilion border of the lips of the face. Some people are OK with that and some are not, so I do my best to make sure we can talk about this stuff without making anyone uncomfortable. Your doctor may use carbon dioxide laser treatments to zap your Fordyce spots. Other differential diagnoses are . Ive had it maybe 5 or 6 times since then and Im 22 now. Its never really been a big deal and no one has ever noticed it. Fordyce spots are not a disease, they are not contagious and therefore do not spread from person to person like that. Im 17 and never had any sexual contact before and a few days ago i realized i had a small white itchy thing on the bottom of my penis, it looks like a pimple zit except its not red around it and doesnt look pop able it kind of looks like a shape of a sesame on a big mac. Ive heard of fordyce bumps forming around the eyes and mouth, but the stomach and chest would be new to me. Has anyone had success getting rid of them? I saw a dermatologist last week, but he wanted me to wait until the redness (caused by my stressed out over-probing) goes away, which it has. Genital warts may be diagnosed by an examination by a healthcare provider. Thank you all soo very much! Bottom line is if you have a normal case of fordyce spots, just dont worry about it. Both may look the same and can be uncomfortable. He also said the test is 90% accurate, and that I may have gotten it from my long term girlfriend because HPV can be dormant in men and women and may go undetected. According to a 2015 case report published in Clinical Case Reports and Reviews journal, they occur in 70 to 80 percent of adults. As for your diagnosis, it sounds like youve already been through a lot and everyone is basically telling you that is OK. Id be inclined to believe that, especially since youve had multiple exams. It was the wrong choice ,I. Ive had a mild case of fordyce spots ever since I was very young. Or am i forever doomed to being oblivious on what orall sex would ever feel like? Some people find Fordyce spots to be unsightly and bothersome. As you've seen from the sections above, they are harmless and not a medical condition. I think it is quite easy to differentiate genital warts from fordyce spots. At first i was scared to go to the doctor and see what they really were. In cases like this its really hard to tell. The color should help. Just one though. The authors suggest the presence of Fordyce spots might help doctors identify families who have a greater chance of developing this form of cancer. Fordyce spots appear on your skin where no hair is present. Cheers guys. The Head and Neck. Good luck to all you guys, Im sure its nothing to worry about. Fordyce spots affect everyone. I have fordyce spots on my penis as well. Other possible causes include: Folliculitis (inflammation of the hair follicles) Skin tags; Fordyce spots (normal, visible oil-producing glands) Yeah they can form around that area, and especially penile papules too. I have them about halfway up my shaft and around must of my scrotum Is that bad? Fordyce Spots. Hey Buddy. I have some fordyce spots on my scrotum.. there are also some similar spots on the fore skin.. when i stretch my fore skin back i can see them clearly as some clusters of spots usually around 10 to 15 in a cluster. Most cysts are on the lower lip, but can occur anywhere inside your, Your lips are vulnerable to sunburns, which increases your chances of developing lip cancer. There many types of HPV and some are spread in different ways. Yeah, Im hoping its just a really severe/extreme and rare case. You may squeeze out an oily lubricant called sebum, but youll likely cause irritation or inflammation. I know vinegar isnt a full proof test, and Ive been told that not just warts will show up white. Hi greg and hi adam who posted on September. For me your treatment turned the genital warts into whitish bumps and eventually into black. These spots were first described by John Fordyce in 1896.. I have alot of goosebump like skin colored bumps on the shaft and on the head of my penis. It hurt a little bit, but I never did it with enough force to do any damage. I actually have since had a biopsy of that spot and the test was negative for high and low risk HPV. Thank you. There are many reasons why white spots may develop on your teeth. two summers ago I went to the clinic n the doctor told me it was a yeast infection. 5 Genital warts can also be white, purple, or brown. Iv had them for a few months now and im 18 going on 19, they poped up out of nowhere and i was like wtf!!!! cuase its normal they can be popped ? However, one thing that i havent seen mentioned is how annoying it really isI myself have had to always tip toe around the oral sex situations my whole life. I would love to go and see a doctor about it, though unfortunately the country Im in at the moment wont allow it, I hope you understand. If they are warts, there should be a reaction within 10 days or so. They can grow in clusters that resemble cauliflower or appear alone. But rather than appear in one or two rows around the base of the glans penis, Fordyce spots may appear more scattered and could present as one or 100 bumps. Investigations. The Center for the Biology of Chronic Disease (CBCD)'s December 2015 survey found that 84% of participants could not tell the difference between genital warts and Fordyce Spots. What I have looks like this but not as severe, just one cluster and then smaller barely noticeable bumps on the bottom: http://sciencephoto.com/media/148451/enlarge. They can be raised or flat and can appear on, in, and around the genitals. Im still in doubt idk if I can ever have peace of mind I wish there was 100% test. Rarely, spots on your penis might bleed during intercourse. Penile papules are normal in a lot of guys, so dont worry too much about it. So I assume thats the right diagnosis I hope so. Didnt really want to come off. If you dont like the way they look, you may be able to minimize them and prevent other skin issues by sticking to a proper skin care routine, including washing your skin with warm water and mild cleansers or soaps and routinely using a moisturizer. One of the major differences among genital warts and Fordyce spots is the size issue. i recently bought this anti-sebum cleanser for about 10 from boots and have been using it, havent noticed a differance yet, but i havent really been applying it often enough. But if I were you I would wash with warm water and just pat dry. While some treatments have side effects, studies show that carbon dioxide laser, cauterization, or surgical removal are helpful. I was masturbating just a little while ago, and I have one that I have never noticed before that sticks out farther than the rest, and it makes me nervous, because me and my girlfriend are going to become sexually active soon. Im a girl and I do notice my boyfriends fordyce spots. They can appear in other places, too, including the: While oil glands are usually connected to your hair follicles, Fordyce spots dont have hair follicles. Any suggestions besides doctor? I was always too embarrassed to go to my parents about it so I had no idea what they were until about a week ago. According to a study published in the Clinical Case Reports and Reviews journal, twice as many men as women have Fordyce spots. Doesnt itch. I have a few on my vulva. They can also spread herpes through kissing or skin-to-skin contact if they have open sores. Isotretinoin pills are sometimes helpful, especially when combined with laser treatment. Penile papules can form on the underside of the head, usually in little groups of 2 or 3 on each side. Im so nervous guys, because Ive had sex with a new partner and I will feel awful if I passed it to her. If they really have a problem with it (which would be silly) then tell them to look it up for themselves and theyll see the truth. A guy can not have fordyce spots for many years and then all of a sudden wake up and have some. but yea I looked deep into pics and there are a couple pages describing fordyce spot similar to this over the internet but at first I couldnt find any nor did I ever found pics that look like this sayin it was warts. how long can you have them for cuz ive had them for maybe 2 years but not really noticible but im 17 now and they are a little more noticible. but its impossible to pop anyway. Every since I had sex with someone I shouldnt have that idk if they have stds or not,cause lets just say they sleep around so idk if they do or not.so ever since Ive been so wooried and the day after I checked down there and saw these tine bumps when I pulled my foreskin down and I would have sworn I never saw those before I even think I checked myself the same day of encounter and saw nothin.u see this I why Im so stressed so doubtfull and negative. Before performing it, they apply a local anesthetic to reduce your pain. The lesions are usually diagnosed by their clinical appearance so no specific tests are required. man thanks alot i noticed them about 2 months ago 1m 17 and didnt rele think muck of them at first untell i started thinking about them i started trippin out ..thanks so much now i dont have to worry so much lol thanks ! If its what Im thinking about, I have those too but they appear as very tiny, lightly colored spots. It will then turn red and inflame, it gets sore, but I do not believe it is an std because they are supposed to come in outbreaks and I have consistently had the white-ish goose-bump looking spots since the beginning of summer, approximately 6 months. Does anyone know of a natural remedy or clinical remedy that can make them go away. Your hormones can make them larger. Like I said I only have one small cluster (and it is Fordyce, I have been diagnosed) that hasnt changed in over a year and was just stressed looking at these photos thinking I might end up like that in due time. Its just raised skin. American dermatologist Dr. John Addison Fordyce first described Fordyce spots in 1896. They appear on the genitals and/or on the face and in the mouth. Is this normal? Fordyce spots are small and usually red, yellowish or flesh colored, and they are completely harmless. It doesnt hurt. There is no treatment for them. I have these its not a big deal, very rarely I get a single large spot I pop them and it goes down in size next day. With reading all this comments im really praying it would be fordyce spots and not something real serious. and then directly behind all of these or most of them is a fordyce spot. Mine have gotten a bit worse this past year. So I hope I finally have right diagnosis. I can only see the bumps when I pull my foreskin back and are really small, my questions are 1, can you be born or develop warts without any intimate contact? The ones on the bottom are not quite uniform, but they have not changed since I remember having them. I DONT HAVE WARTS! Learn how we can help. and my bumps come and gois that normal too? See a healthcare provider if you develop Fordyce spots in your genital area to confirm that they arent an STD or STI. The glands are usually small and smooth in comparison to warts which have a rough surface. Theyre small typically 1 to 3 millimeters (mm) in diameter, which is about the size of the tip of a sharp pencil (1 mm) or a sesame seed (3 mm). They were a little big but there were not many. They seem to be rather symmetrical with each other, which is why it never really bothered me when I was younger. Fordyce spots are visible sebaceous glands and occur along the shaft of the penis (Figure 2). Our sexual encounter occurred 8 months ago and I used protection with her. Those tend to be generally OK Id just keep an eye on it and only get concerned if it changes or multiplies into a tight cluster. Though Fordyce spots are common, benign and dont necessarily need treatment because they usually go away over time, you may not like how they look on your body. Appointments 216.444.5725. Fordyce spots typically form in a pattern similar to the photo above along the underside and side of the penis. Micro-punch technique for treatment of Fordyce spots: A surgical approach for an unpleasant condition of the male genital. We avoid using tertiary references. The study reports that more research is still needed. Its about the size of a pen tip. $316 to $347 *. one way to know the difference is, fordyce spots usually appear around puberty and it is also on your lips. You might confuse Fordyce spots for another less benign condition. I mean if girls were more educated that this happens to 30% 50% of guys, and its not a disease, i think us guys would be alot more confident and not embaressed about them. Following is the difference between Fordyce spots and HPV: Fordyce spots: shiny, whitish, pinkish bumps more commonly seen on the mucosal surface ( corona of the glans penis) , less commonly seen on the shaft of the penis, do not bleed on touch. Glad to know that it wasnt after being tested and reading these posts and viewing these pictures. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. Photodynamic therapy. Thanks for your reply. And fordyce bumps are like these photos skin colored bumps that kinda look like goose pimples. They become more noticeable during puberty and adulthood as some of your hormones increase. Some other dermatological conditions can appear similar to Fordyce spots, including: In your genital area, you might mistake Fordyce spots for genital warts or another sexually transmitted disease. Was told by a lady at a clinic(was being treated for yeast) that I had what looked suspicious of GW around the anus. Fordyce spots arent STDs or STIs, and they arent contagious. I was wondering if they are normal to be on my testicles as well. H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D. Genital warts are small fleshy growths or bumps that can appear on the shaft, and sometimes head, of the penis or under . It's important to distinguish between the two since one is completely normal, and the other is a sign of a . If you dont like how your Fordyce spots look, talk to a healthcare provider to discuss how you can reduce or remove them. Biology of the Oral Mucosa. They only itch when theyre first forming and then after that you dont feel anything at all. 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Im thinking about, I have those too but they appear on your skin where no hair is.!