I’ve noticed some bumps on my glans. What are they?

Last updated on August 28, 2020

Question:

Hi,

I’m a 17-year-old male. I have a girlfriend and we are sexually active. We have intercourse a lot, but during the past week or so I’ve noticed I have been getting these bumps on my head of my penis. I know they’re not any STDs because I give blood and they would have told me. But what can I do to stop these bumps?

Answer:

The image you sent (not the one shown) was not real clear, but it shows you have pearly penile papules. Those are the bumps around the outer edge of your glans, what you called the head of your penis. The part that flares out is called the corona and this is were pearly penile papules show up. These are harmless bumps that show up on about 40% of all males. The cause is not known, but they don’t require treatment either as they are not contagious as far as anyone knows. Actually, there isn’t any good treatment since the cause isn’t known. They will fade as you get older, but you’ll have them for the rest of your life.

The real problem is that having sex without being married isn’t good for either of you. I know it is fun and exciting, especially doing something which your parents likely don’t approve of. However, it is sinful because it is harmful in the long run. “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (I Corinthians 6:9-10). When you are having intercourse with someone you are not married to, it is called fornication.

The reason it is wrong is that every time you do it, you take a chance of getting her pregnant. You are probably trying to avoid this, but no method of avoiding conception is 100% effective. You will be responsible for any child that is produced, whether you want the child or not, and whether you marry this girl or not, until the child graduates from college.

While you might be only having sex with each other at the moment, the temptation to experiment with others is strong because you have already justified having sex without a commitment to yourselves. As soon as someone else is introduced, the odds of getting an STD becomes very high. Related to this is the problem is that in your teenage years, the odds of you staying with this girl is very small. The average high school romance only lasts about three months.

Then there is the problem that people who engage in sex without marriage, tend to focus on the sex and never really build a relationship. The other person becomes someone you fool around with, but there is no depth to the relationship.

People who engage in pre-marital sex are less likely to get married and they are less likely to stay married. That is because there really isn’t anything holding the two of you together. People who engage in pre-marital sex tend to bounce from lover to lover. When a problem arises, it is easier to jump into some else’s bed than to solve the problems. The result is that you never really learn how to get along with another person. The saddest part is the children who are left behind growing up barely knowing who really is their parents and always feeling like they are visiting other people’s homes.

I hope you will consider that God’s way is always right. I would rather you be happy in the long run than having some short pleasure now.