Is it a wart or am I just paranoid?

About a year ago I got genital warts.  It wasn't a very severe case, just a single, small wart on the left side edge of my urethra.  After getting the first one taken care of, I had two more recurrences in the next six months.  It's been about six months since then and I've been to my urologist twice who told me both times I was wart free.

However, it was about six months ago when I got my last wart taken care of that I noticed what looks like small bump on the right side edge of my urethra.  Its maybe about a millimeter across and two millimeters long and is just a slightly darker pink tinge to it than my normal penis color.  It sort gives my urethra a slight half moon look to it.  I was convinced it was a wart and told my doctor this when I went to see him but he insisted I was wart free.  I saw him again a few months later and he said the same thing.

I'm still not convinced.  The weird thing is, the prominence of this growth varies from day to day, sometimes even hourly.  Sometimes it's quite noticeable (like if my penis is dry) other times you'd never know it was there.  I'm afraid to go back to the doctor because he'll think I'm an idiot.

Any thoughts or opinions would greatly be appreciated.  

This is my first medhelp forum attempt and I'm not sure if we're allowed to upload pictures of something like this but if it would be more helpful I can do that.

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi

I do understand your concern. This has been previously diagnosed as a wart and the diagnosis may be very likely given that this has been persistent and recurrent. If the diagnosis remains elusive, a biopsy of the lesion may be done to ascertain the diagnosis. A cystoscopy may also be done to visualize the urethral lining.

I know you are worried about this. However, for cases like this a definitive diagnosis may be needed through biopsy.

What tests have been done so far?

[Nivekj]

There haven't really been any tests done besides being examined by my urologist.  I've been to him twice and both times he examined me with a magnifying glass before announcing that there was nothing there.

The bump doesn't look like the small cauliflower wart I'd previously had.  Note too, that this is on the right side of my urethra whereas the warts I'd previously had and its recurrences were in the same spot on the left side.

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi

So the "wart" is not located in the urethral opening itself?

One thing that you have mentioned is that the bumps at times do vary in size.The bumps also appear to be intermittent. That is they may appear and resolve spontaneously. Is this correct? Then we may have to consider normal structures like swollen glands or blocked follicles here. A vascular origin may also have to be considered especially if the bumps are noticeable during erection.

[Nivekj]

No, it's not exactly in the urethral opening.  It's right on the edge so it's not like it's blocking the urethra or anything.  And yes, sometimes the bump is noticeable and sometimes it's not.  During erection the bump is still noticeable.

[Vanessa Lacuesta]

Hi

This does not sound like a wart or molluscum. These skin conditions are quite distinct in their appearances and do have characteristic presentations. Warts may enlarge and they are quite permanent, until you have them removed or they slough off. As for molluscum, the bumps are skin colored, shiny and they present with an umbilicated or depressed center. In your case, the bumps that you have mentioned are more intermittent and do vary in their appearance. I would not be very worried about this. At this point, this does not even sound like a wart. Just continue to observe the affected skin and have this assessed by your doctor if the bumps increase in number or changes in character.

[Nivekj]

Thank you for your help.  I'll sleep a little better tonight. :)