Updated on 5/30/2022
So, you’ve got a zit on your dick. Presumably, you’d prefer to not have a zit on your dick. Thus, let’s get straight to the point: What can you do to treat it?
Well, to be perfectly honest, the best thing you can do for that penis pimple is to leave it the fuck alone. That is, if it is just a penis pimple. For that reason, you will need to do some analysis of the blemish at hand. With sexually active people, there is a chance that what you think is a pimple is actually a symptom of syphilis, genital warts or herpes. These can typically be differentiated from a basic zit through a few distinct features: Both herpes and syphilis can cause outbreaks of blister or ulcer-like lesions on the shaft or elsewhere on the genitals, while warts will appear like “tiny heads of cauliflower,” according to Healthline.
A pimple on your penis, on the other hand, will likely be a tiny bump that may be white at its peak and sore to the touch. If the zit on your penis resembles the type that you get on your face, then it is probably the same thing. Like your face, the skin on your genitals has pores that can become clogged with oil or sweat. This can happen from wearing tight clothes, not showering regularly enough or for no reason at all. Shaving can similarly produce razor burn or other rash-like symptoms that might lead to the development of a zit, too.
With penis zits that you’re relatively confident are just zits — again, that means they aren’t open, blister-y, unusually shaped or otherwise alarming — the proper course of treatment is simply to let them go away on their own (or you could use something gentle like low-light LED therapy with a product like this). Since the skin down there isn’t as strong as the skin on your face, typical acne treatments like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid are too harsh for it. Keeping the area clean with warm water and soap is enough on its own, and forming a warm compress with water and a cloth can also help the pimple go down. It’s important, though, to be gentle. Intentionally popping the zit will likely leave your penis visibly irritated for longer, and could even cause a long-term scar.
It may take a couple of days, but I promise that the zit will go away on its own. If it doesn’t, it may not actually be a zit. In this case, or in the event of persistently recurring pimples on your penis, you might want to talk to a dermatologist. Some people are simply predisposed to genital acne, while others have bacterial imbalances that can cause it. Either way, doctors can prescribe treatments that will safely manage the issue.
Because of the risk of your “zit” being an STI, it’s essential that you’re honest with yourself. You might try to convince yourself it’s a pimple on your penis, but if there’s anything unusual about it, it’s wise to ask a doctor to be sure.
Magdalene Taylor
Magdalene Taylor is a staff writer at MEL. She covers internet culture, sex and the online adult industry. She lives in Brooklyn but is from God's Country, Western Massachusetts.
