Strange bumps..

Last night, I was inspecting myself.. I discovered that I have small, hard white/yellow bumps covering my scrotum. I have one at the base of every single pubic hair.. And some where I have no hairs. I am, quite understandably, concerned. I'm 19 years old, and have had no sexual contact since I was 16.. As far as I know, the girl wasn't very active.. Anyway, these bumps dont itch, or hurt, theyre just there. Ive felt them before, but just assumed it was the texture it was supposed to be. It wasnt until I saw it yesterday that I grew concerned. Could someone perhaps tell me what this might be? I know I should go to a doctor, but Im hesitant for various reasons. Thanks for your time.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

If the bumps are clearly in the skin, and mostly at the base of  hairs, then it likely is folliculitis or just sebaceous cysts (basically blackheads)--i.e., normal anatomic variant.  But...  are your sure the white spots are in the skin, and not attached to the base of the hairs themselves?  In that case, you may have a crab louse infestation ("crabs").  The white(ish) spots could be either the nits (eggs) left by the lice, the lice themselves, or both.  You start out saying the problem is on the scrotum; if only there, lice are unlikely.  But then you say "every pubic hair", which reminds me of crabs.

If in doubt, see a health care provider.  I can't make a definite diagnosis.

Good luck--  HHH, MD