Odd-looking patch on the penis
It is quite common to notice an area of skin on the penis that looks different from the surrounding skin. It may be red, shiny or scaly, or pale and thin like a scar. If it does not disappear in a week or two, you should have it checked by your family doctor or local genitourinary medicine clinic.
- Most skin conditions that can affect other parts of the body, such as psoriasis, can occur on the penis, and sometimes the penis may be the only site.
- If the patch is lumpy, it could be warts.
- Very, very rarely, a funny-looking patch is a pre-cancerous condition.
- A pale, thin-looking patch could be a condition called ‘balanitis xerotica obliterans’, which is usually treated with a steroid cream.
Written by: Dr Margaret Stearn
Edited by: Dr Margaret Stearn
Last updated:
Friday, February 26th 2010
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Comments on this article
Posted by adam ward on 12/02/2010 at 02:44:00 pm
my penis is sore after sex for about a day it hurts and looks patchy its really sore to pull foreskin back. have been with partner for seven years and haven't slept with anyone else. she feels fine after. it also hurts if i masturbate.
Posted by Anonymous on 30/01/2010 at 12:06:00 pm
After having shingles my penis became clogged with white stuff and was very itchy. I tried to masturbate and then I got a burning sensation on the left side of my penis head on closer examination a red patch about the size of a one pence coin had formed. I think this may be a friction burn and is annoying as the doctor told me I had Balantise and I am treating this with the cream he prescribed. But I forgot to mention about the friction burn as it was masked by the Balantise problem. my question is" Is the cream prescribed (Clotrimiazole) interfering with the healing of the friction burn? or will the Clotrimiazole help cure both? The Balantise was a cause of being prescribed anti virals during the early stage of my shingles when the doctor was un sure it was shingles and it must have given my immune system a knock.
Posted by Anonymous on 05/01/2010 at 02:46:00 pm
Random patch of redness on my foreskin, no other symptoms (I had bad hygeine, but when discharge came I began washing under the foreskin every day and I do now), so the discharge went. just a patch of red now on the foreskin..the actual glans itself seems to be fine. I'm a very anxious 17-year old lad, please help?
Posted by dave on 08/12/2009 at 10:05:00 am
i have small red lumps on the back of my helmet. its itchy and now i have another lump which looks like a spot but is the same colour as the surrounding skin which is also on my helmet. i have been with my current girlfriend for 5 years and have been faithful. please help!
Posted by Semour on 23/11/2009 at 09:55:00 pm
i have a thing like a scar up the side of my penis and i dont no what it is and im to scared to go to the doctors or tell any1 so could you please answer me??
Posted by Anonymous on 22/11/2009 at 12:07:00 pm
My boyfriend who is 40, is getting really worries about what looks skin tags, he has two quite large and close together on his penis. He has no other symptoms, but he is constantly worried about this. What could it be and how can it be resolved?
Posted by mike on 15/11/2009 at 07:31:00 pm
im 32 yr old male, feel normal but i do not shave fully and feel my teste are too small,they look to be a simalar size of a cherry tomatoe, is this normal?
Posted by mike on 15/11/2009 at 07:23:00 pm
im not to sure if it is because of too much masterbating,the end of my penis seems sore and tender,what should i do?
Posted by Anonymous on 14/08/2009 at 12:19:00 am
hi i have what looks like a popped spot on the side of my penis just below the bellend (sorry cant think of what its called)and in side of it is like a white film over the area is it anything to be concerned about?
Posted by Dave on 26/07/2009 at 03:47:00 am
When my penis is erect you can notice these small white lumps around my penis does anyone no what i can do?
Posted by Anonymous on 17/06/2009 at 01:10:00 am
I began to get a Red-blood like rash on the head of my Penis. Of course, this was after Masturbation. The day after, I had some sort of White Skin on my Penis head, I had intercourse with my Partner and it began to get inflamed. I got some antifungal cream and it seems to be getting the colour back in my penis. There is still a Red blotch where the White skin was. I'm very Gullable and reading these facts about Thrush sends me a little worried about all these symptoms. Is there anything that will comfort me? When will this blotch dissapear?? Thanks.
Posted by Anonymous on 01/06/2009 at 12:37:00 pm
Hi, I am married (5yrs) and been faithful to my wife. I trust she is as well as I do. I noticed 2 days age that I have a burning sensation at the head of my pennis it looks a little like herpes but quite small and not painful and not itchy at all Can someone help?
Posted by josh on 23/03/2009 at 08:02:00 am
i have a small triangular patch of red that looks like a rash, its on the bottom of my penis and it has a red line that runs from the tip of the patch to the tip of my foreskin, i have no symptoms or anything please help
Posted by Joe on 13/03/2009 at 03:00:00 am
Hi I have been masterbating for like a half of a year and I noticed that there is like a red scar around half of my penis hole and it goes down the back what is it
Posted by anon on 07/03/2009 at 09:27:00 pm
i have what appears to be a skin tag on the shaft of my penis under my foreskin... how can this be treated?
Posted by Anonymous on 05/02/2009 at 03:04:00 pm
from the last week i have noticed that my penis has been swollen and it feels like i have a hard bone within my foreskin of my penis which is very painfull when moved around to much i dont know if this is an inner bruise or something else
Posted by Anonymous on 03/02/2009 at 12:48:00 pm
Ive noticed that i have many small lumps on the lower part of my penis and testicles. They are small and raised from the skin. they are lighter than the skin around them. On the testicles it seems they are part of the hair follicle but on the penis shaft where there is no hair they still are there. I have not noticed any side effects but they are very noticeable when my penis is erect. iam worried they will spread further up my penis. Thanks for any help!
Posted by Anonymous on 04/01/2009 at 04:17:00 pm
On the left side of my penis there are small little creamy-white coloured spots or lumps. You can hardly see them when it's limp, but when it's erect you can physically feel them and I'm embarressed to show my penis to anyone. Please help.
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