Red spot on foreskin

[Jimmy25]

Dr. Rockoff,

Just to let you know the test came back negative and they said it was folliculitis which needless to say makes me happy.

Last Wed. I noticed a red spot on the foreskin of my penis. It looks kind of like when someone puts too much friction on their penis and it opens friction sores. However, the problem with this one is that it's not going away like the others have before. It itches and feels very irritated. When I inspect the area by pulling the skin apart there seems to be a very small head (pin ***** size, maybe white) in the middle but after letting the skin return to a normal state you cannot see the dot, just the reddish spot. The redness spot looks to be about .25 of an inch around shaped like a circle. Now I don't even have to be thinking about it and it will bother me. I saw my dermatologist just yesterday and he said that it didn't look like anything to be worried about but I know my body and this is not normal. I have had friction burns before and this is not one. He told me to come back if it blisters and he will do a scrape test. He recommended that I leave it alone and most likely it will go away. I also have to say that on Sat. I thought a cold sore was coming on my lip so I took Valtrex pills that he gave me for future cold sores. Do you think that taking those pills last Sat. morning stopped it from blistering and that he misdiagnosed it because of that? Can you think of anything?

[1fish1]

whats that? is it go away yet? i have the same prablem that you had describe. plz, answer me, i getting very worrying

[Jimmy25]

Dr. Rockoff,

It has now been around 2 weeks since I have had this red spot/bump on the foreskin of my penis. I try not to touch or look at it but it gets itchy at times. I know the doctor said he didn't think it was anything but why would it still be here? No blistering...looks and feels like a small raised bump about .25 of an inch and looks like there's a very small dot (maybe white) in the middle. When I stretch out the skin to inspect it, the area looks shinny red. When released you just see the spot red and slightly raised. Please offer some sort of opinion.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

They sound like cysts, normal anatomical variants.  Show your doc next time you go.

[Jimmy25]

Also Dr. Rockoff...

I just noticed today right below the hole to my penis where the forskin start there are very small shiny redish+white bumps very close to each other on either side of my penis forskin. I'm not sure how long they have been there but they are noticeable if you streatch the skin alittle. I have not shown them to my dermatologist since I just found them today but I am again very concerned. What do you think they could be?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I think you should listen to your dermatologist.  You may well be correct to say that this is not normal, but that doesn't mean it's herpes or an STD.  No, Valtrex would not block blistering if it were going to happen.  I think your dermatologist's evaluation and recommendation sound perfectly sensible.  I think you should follow his advice and ignore it.  Lots of funny color changes appear on the skin that don't amount to anything.

If it doesn't go away, or changes character (and you haven't rubbed or manipulated it!), then please show it to your dermatologist again.

Take care.  And accept reassurance when relevant.

Dr. Rockoff