by Jason Stotts
It’s interesting how ignorance is usually the biggest source of shame, whether or not we realize it. Take, for example, the common condition hirsuties papillaris genitalis (HPG), sometimes also refered to as “pearly penile papules” or PPP. HPG is a condition in which there are small bumps on the coronal ridge of the penis (the outside edge of the head). [Picture] HPG is not a STD/STI and it is not transmittable. In fact, although we’re not sure how men get it right now, it may very well be genetic as the men who have HPG tend to get it sometime shortly after puberty, whether or not they are sexually active. HPG is not related to HPV (the human papillomavirus), genital warts, herpes, or any other STD/STI.
HPG is an asymptomatic condition and there are no known health risks associated with it. HPG tends to be a lifelong condition and there is not known cure for it. Although “cure” does presuppose it is a problem, and there is no negative effects on a man’s life from HPG. One study puts the incidence of HPG as high as 48%, although according to eMedicine (by WebMD):
The incidence of pearly penile papules reportedly ranges from 8-48%. Several reports suggest an increased incidence of pearly penile papules in uncircumcised versus circumcised men (22% vs 12%, respectively). One study found an increase in frequency in black versus white men, in those circumcised (21% vs 7%, respectively) and uncircumcised (44% vs 33%, respectively).
With as many as almost half of all men having this condition, it’s surprising that more information isn’t available about it. This, of course, is due to the men who do have it being so ashamed of it, that they are unwilling to talk about. Further, most of these men likely don’t even know that it has a name or that it is a common condition. Their shame prevents them from looking into the matter. This is ironic, because if they had looked into the matter, they would have discovered that they were not alone and what looked like it may have been a horrible disease is nothing more than a common condition, one with no negative effects.
I look forward to a day when information about sex and related matters is widely available and discussed without shame and guilt. For those men out there that have HPG, let go of your shame over your body and accept that this is the way your penis is. Just as there is a wide variance among labia, so too is there a wide variance in penises and instead of feeling shame over this, we should celebrate it as another sign of our individuality.