Picture this: A guy is pumped because he thinks he will introduce his bedroom to a new playmate tonight. While getting into the shower before his date, he notices with dismay that his manhood has become afflicted with unsightly penis bumps. It’s not a situation any dude wants to encounter. Not only is he likely to worry about what this means for his penis health, but the appearance of these penis bumps is likely to discourage his new partner from wanting to get to know him. Clearly he wants to find out the cause of these unwelcome visitors to his manhood. The possibilities are many, and they include a condition known as keratosis pilaris.
What is keratosis pilaris?
Keratosis pilaris has one of those names that makes it sound far worse (and far more serious) than it actually is. The condition is more colloquially referred to as “chicken skin” or sometimes as having goosebumps. Both nicknames come from the physical appearance of the condition.
This common skin condition manifests as tiny bumps, usually quite a few spread out over an area of skin. The bumps are often mistaken for pimples, as they are very similar in appearance. The skin that surrounds the bumps is often dry and may sometimes be scaly. The bumps tend to get worse when weather is dry (and so are typically worse during the winter than in the summer).
But what are these bumps? They are clumps of a substance called keratin. This is a naturally-occurring protein which is useful in protecting the skin from outside substances and helps prevent it from getting infected. These keratin clumps typically form around hair follicles.
Penis bumps
Although keratosis pilaris most often occurs on the arms or legs, it can occur elsewhere on the body – including the penis. Though most often on the base of the shaft, it can spread upward and at times even reach the glans. It’s also commonly found on the balls. (And just for the record, the buttocks are a fairly common place for the bumps as well.)
The good news is that keratosis pilaris is generally found in people in their teens and early 20s and in most cases disappears by the time a person turns 30. Further good news is that this is a very benign condition; there’s no pain, itching or discomfort involved with it. Its only drawback is that some people consider it unattractive.
The bad news is that there’s not really anything a man can do to make it disappear. The clumps tend to stay around until they are ready to go away. However, a guy can help to make them less obvious by treating the dry skin around them. Making sure that skin is well moisturized can disguise the penis bumps, usually to the point where a person must get up close to even notice them.
They also are not contagious, so there is no need to worry about passing them on to any potential partners.
Treating the penis bumps caused by keratosis pilaris can be made substantially easier by daily application of a top drawer penis health crème (health professionals recommend Man1 Man Oil, which is clinically proven mild and safe for skin). Since the goal is to keep the penis skin well moisturized, the chosen crème needs to contain both a high-end emollient (such as Shea butter) and an effective, natural hydrating agent (such as vitamin E). This combination helps seal in moisturizing oils. The skin will also benefit if the crème contains alpha lipoic acid. A potent antioxidant, alpha lipoic acid strengthens penis skin by removing the threat of oxidative stress free radicals can pose.