what now

I had two bumps at the base of my penis.  They were slightly raised, they looked something like an inflamed hair follicle - except they weren't red or painful at all.  They were just slightly larger and more raised than other hair follicles.  They weren't discolored or irregular.  They were hard, when I touched them it felt like something was inside.  I squeezed one, nothing came out.  It didn't hurt at all.  They were small, if I hadn't been trimming I would never have noticed them. They didn't look like any picture of HPV I've ever seen.  They both had hairs coming out of them.  I pulled both hairs, which didn't cause any change.  After a few days I decided it was better to have them looked at.  I saw a nurse practioner who dripped acid on them.  The one that I had squeezed turned white, the other didn't.  I was diagnosed with HPV.  I hadn't realized it at the time, but the acid she put on these bumps burnt them completely off.  There is just a hole where the one was, the other looks like a normal hair fillicle, albeit it is now black.  What do I do now?  I'm not convinced this was HPV.  In particular, would you have hairs growing out of warts like this?  I don't have anything left for a second opinion.  Any advice?

thank you

[Edward W Hook, MD]

To be honest, what you describe does not sound too much like warts (HPV) to me.  What could they have been- clearly, since they are now non-existent it is hard to say but the could have been a common mole or skin tag (both benign), a prominent normal hair follicle, or a very mild folliculitis.

What to do now.  Nothing - they are gone. If they recur, then it is time for our second opinion.  I would not worry abou this.  EWH

[hrbattery]

Another physician on this group has suggested warts don't have hairs.  Is this diagnostic?  That is, is this opinion on the mainland of concesus or is this opinion an island adrift the ocean of scientific knowledge?

Thank you

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Diagnostic, no but he is correct, it is very unusual for hairs to be presnet in warts.  EWH