Generality
The red dots on the glans are a typical cutaneous sign of various conditions, pathological or not.
The red dots on the glans, in fact, can be both the result of wrong habits and behaviors (ex: too vigorous masturbation), and the consequence of infections (ex: genital herpes), infestations (ex: scabies) or allergic reactions.
The presence of red dots on the glans is very often associated with other symptoms, including: itching, pain, blisters, redness in other parts of the body, etc.
On the occasion of the diagnosis of the red dots on the glans (whose identification is, in itself, simple and immediate), it is essential to look in detail at the cause of this cutaneous sign, as it is on this that the planning of future therapy focuses.
Short anatomical review of the penis
The penis is the male reproductive organ.
Cylindrical in shape and covered with leather, it can be anatomically divided into 3 main parts, which are: the root, the rod (or body ) and the glans .
- Root: located between the pubis and the perineum, it represents the point of origin of the penis.
- Auction: it is the central part of the penis as well as the most considerable; to its formation the two cavernous bodies and the spongy body participate, three structures constituted by erectile tissue and wrapped by connective tissue.
Inside the cavernous bodies the cavernous arteries flow; inside the spongy body, however, the urethra passes.
- Glans: it is the most distal portion of the penis; including urinary meatus for the expulsion of urine and sperm, it is provided with a flap of sliding skin called foreskin.
What are Red Spots on the Glans?
The red dots on the glans are a cutaneous manifestation of various conditions that have as their object the penis or penis and other areas of the human body.
Depending on what causes them (ie the cause), the red dots on the glans can be a completely passing problem (therefore an anomaly that is not particularly worrying) or the signal of an important, serious health disorder that requires recourse to an appropriate treatment.
Characteristics of the Red Spots on the Glans
The red dots on the glans are small skin patches, red or pink, which, depending on the triggering cause, may appear flat or raised (in the second case they may be bubbles, papules or small nodules), piled or dispersed, shiny or opaque.
As can be deduced, therefore, the variability of the red dots on the glans quite wide.
Causes
The phenomenon of red dots on the glans recognizes various causes, including:
- Too vigorous masturbation acts;
- Excessive use of intimate cleansers;
- Poor personal hygiene;
- Allergic reactions or irritations following the use of certain intimate cleansers or contact with certain materials or substances;
- Episodes of balanitis or balanopostitis;
- Sexually transmitted diseases genital herpes and syphilis;
- The scabies;
- Candida in humans;
- The contagious mollusk;
- Inverse psoriasis.
Too Vigorous Masturbation
Too vigorous masturbation acts are among the least serious causes of red spots on the glans; when they are due to masturbation, in fact, these skin manifestations disappear spontaneously in a short time (a few hours / a day at the most), provided you do not further stress the penis.
What is the appearance of the red dots on the glans in such circumstances? They are simple undetected pink-red patches (therefore flat).
Excessive Use of Intimate Detergents
Like too vigorous masturbation, excessive use of intimate cleansers is a cause of red dots on the clinically not severe glans and with easy consequences to resolve in the absence of further stress to the penis.
What is the appearance of the red dots on the glans in these circumstances? Initially, they appear as red patches not detected; subsequently, they tend to lighten, due to the cell renewal that affects the skin of the glans.
Poor Intimate Hygiene
Poor intimate hygiene is the cause of red spots on the glans, especially among the young, as these individuals are more prone to neglect the cleanliness of their bodies, and among those who live in particularly poor areas of the world, as in these areas the hygienic habits - health problems are poor.
What is the appearance of the red dots on the glans in such circumstances? They are flat skin patches, more or less massed.
Allergic reactions or irritations due to detergents or other substances
When the cause of the red dots on the glans is an allergic reaction or an irritation due to the use of a certain intimate cleanser or contact with a certain material (eg: condom latex), the doctors describe the circumstance in question with the expression " contact dermatitis ".
In fact, contact dermatitis is an inflammation of the skin, induced by contact with substances that act as irritants or allergens for the patient.
What is the appearance of the red dots on the glans in such circumstances? Generally, they appear as a cluster of small red skin patches.
Balanitis and Balanopostitis
" Balanitis " and " balanopostitis " are the two medical terms that indicate, respectively, inflammation of the glans penis and the simultaneous inflammation of the glans and foreskin of the penis.
The list of causes of balanitis and balanopostitis is comparable and includes: some bacterial, viral and fungal infections, particular deficits of the immune system, the aforementioned contact dermatitis and the so-called sexually transmitted infections (NB: some of these infections will be the subject of treatment in the following points, as potential responsible for red spots on the glans even without causing balanitis or balanopostitis).
What is the appearance of the red dots on the glans in such circumstances? When balanitis and balanoposthitis cause red spots on the glans, they tend to look like small undetected skin patches.
Genital Herpes
Supported by herpes simplex virus 1 or 2 (respectively HSV1 and HSV2), genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection that causes dots, larger patches and / or widespread redness not only on the penis (and on the glans), but also in the scrotum, pubic area, legs, buttocks, hands and mouth.
As a rule, a healthy person contracts genital herpes when they have unprotected sexual intercourse with a person carrying the infection in question (that's why it is one of the sexually transmitted infections).
What is the appearance of the red dots on the glans in such circumstances? If due to genital herpes, the red dots on the glans have the appearance of small bubbles, which could sometimes evolve into real blisters.
Syphilis
Syphilis is the sexually transmitted infection due to the bacterium Treponema pallidum .
In those who develop syphilis, the red dots on the glans constitute one of the onset symptoms of infection and possess a characteristic name: syphilomas.
What is the appearance of the red dots on the glans in such circumstances? At the beginning of the infections, they appear as small nodules of hard consistency; in later stages, they evolve and become ulcers.
Scabies
Example of infectious disease, scabies is the infestation of the skin due to the mite Sarcoptes scabiei hominis .
Scabies is a highly contagious infection, whose symptoms and signs are found mainly on the flexor surfaces and folds of the skin, ie on areas of the skin such as: the elbows, wrists, hands, genitals or abdomen .
What is the appearance of the red dots on the glans in such circumstances? In the case of scabies, the red dots on the glans appear as detected skin patches, very similar to small papules.
Candida
Candida is the infection supported by the fungus Candida albicans .
Candida in man is responsible for cutaneous manifestations at the level of the penis (gland in particular) and, sometimes, also at the level of the mouth (where it can also affect the mucous membranes).
For a man to develop candida, the defenses used by the body, to control the proliferation of Candida albicans, must cease.
What is the appearance of the red dots on the glans in such circumstances? If due to candida, the red dots on the glans appear as thick flat patches.
Mollusk Contagious
The contagious mollusc is an infection of the skin and mucous membranes, which recognizes in a virus of the poxvirus family (DNA virus) its triggering cause.
The contagious mollusc is extremely contagious, but, fortunately, has a benign evolution.
The contagious mollusk causes symptoms not only on the glans but also on the penis more generally and in other parts of the body.
What is the appearance of the red dots on the glans in such circumstances? In the presence of a contagious mollusk, the red dots on the glans appear as small raised patches, very similar to bumps.
Reverse Psoriasis
Inverse psoriasis is a particular form of psoriasis, which mainly affects skin folds (eg, axillae, inguinal region, navel, perianal area, area below the breast in women, genital area, glans region and foreskin in men, etc.).
What is the appearance of the red dots on the glans in such circumstances? The red dots on the glans associated with reverse psoriasis are smooth, shiny-looking skin patches.
Symptoms and Complications
Depending on the cause, the red dots on the glans may be isolated manifestations or present in association with other symptoms.
Symptoms that may accompany red dots on the glans include:
- Itching of the glans . The red dots on the glans are associated with itching, when they are due to scabies, contagious molluscum, genital herpes, candida or inverse psoriasis;
- Pain in the glans or more generally in the penis . The red dots on the glans appear in association with a painful sensation localized or extended to the entire male genital organ, when they are due to syphilis, balanitis or balanoposthitis;
- Vesicles on the glans . The red dots on the glans are associated with vesicles in the same site, when genital herpes infection is in progress.
These vesicles do not remain these, but evolve to "burst", releasing liquid; sometimes it is the same red dots on the glans that become vesicles;
- Redness similar to that present on the glans in other areas of the body, neighboring and not. The red dots on the glans tend to associate with skin rashes of similar color in other parts of the body, in the presence of conditions such as: syphilis, reverse psoriasis, genital herpes and scabies;
- Fever At the base of the association between fever and red spots on the glans there is always a viral, bacterial or fungal infection;
- Dry skin on the glans . The red dots on the glans are associated with dry skin in the same area, in the presence of scabies or atopic dermatitis, or when there has been an excessive use of intimate cleansers.
When should I go to the doctor?
The phenomenon of red dots on the glans deserves the attention of a doctor, when it would seem due to an infection or to a non-infectious condition that requires appropriate care.
To realize when the red dots on the glans fall into one of the two circumstances just mentioned, the patient must evaluate the associated symptoms (eg: the co-presence of fever indicates an infectious state; the presence of similar dots in other parts of the body could be the signal of an infection or illness such as reverse psoriasis, etc.).
Complications
The red dots on the glans can be associated with complications, if at their origin there is a serious medical condition (eg: syphilis) and the patient concerned has not received (or has not put into practice) all the necessary care.
Diagnosis
The red dots on the glans are a manifestation of easy detection; for their identification, in fact, it is sufficient to observe the penis which takes place on the occasion of a common objective examination of the genital area.
What is the next step in the diagnosis of Red Dot on the Glans?
Upon finding the presence of red dots on the glans, they must follow all those diagnostic investigations useful to establish the triggering cause, since it is on the basis of the latter that the attending physician decides and plans the treatment to be followed.
Without the diagnosis of the causes of the red dots on the glans, it is impossible to draw up an effective therapeutic plan suitable for the situation.
To identify the causal factors of the red dots on the glans, they are fundamental: the anamnesis, blood tests and allergy tests .
history
The anamnesis is a collection of information on the patient's symptoms and habits, which makes it possible to determine whether the red dots on the glans depend on particular behaviors (eg: too violent masturbation, poor intimate hygiene or excessive use of detergents), infections or others still causes, for which more specific tests are needed (eg allergy tests).
Blood analysis
In a context of red dots on the glans, blood tests are used to clarify whether an infection is in progress and, if it is, what is an infection.
Allergic tests
With the execution of allergy tests, the doctor discovers if the red dots on the glans are due or not to some allergy or intolerance towards intimate cleansers or other materials (ex: condom latex).
Therapy
In the presence of red dots on the glans, the therapeutic approach indicated by the doctors varies in relation to the triggering cause, detected after the various diagnostic investigations mentioned above.
In medicine, such a therapeutic approach is called causal therapy .
Causal therapy is the set of treatments aimed at intervening on the triggers and risk factors of a certain symptom or a certain condition, in order to achieve healing.
Examples of Causal Therapy against the Red Spots on the Glans
- If the red dots on the glans are attributable to too vigorous masturbation, the causal therapy will simply consist in leaving the penis to rest for a few days and avoid repeating itself in certain oversized behaviors;
- If the red dots on the glans are due to the exaggerated use of intimate cleansers, the causal treatment will consist in limiting the use of the aforementioned products for personal hygiene and await the spontaneous "healing" of the affected skin area;
- If the red dots on the glans are supported by genital herpes, the patient will have to follow a causal therapy specifically designed for the management of the ongoing viral infection; including antiviral drugs, the therapy in question does not allow the definitive recovery from genital herpes, but it is nevertheless very effective in limiting its consequences;
- If the red dots on the glans are a consequence of syphilis, the patient will need an immediate antibiotic treatment, in order to defeat the bacterium responsible for the infection;
- If the red dots on the glans are the result of scabies, the causal therapy will include: the patient's hospital isolation for at least 24 hours after treatment has begun, the use of topical and systemic acaricidal drugs (to eliminate from the patient the mites responsible for the infection), the disinfestation of the domestic environment in which the patient usually resides and the sanitation of personal effects (eg: clothes, sheets, etc.) belonging to the infected person;
- If the red dots on the glans are related to candida, the patient will have to take an antifungal drug (based on imidazole or fluconazole), in order to eliminate the fungus responsible for the infection from the body.
Prognosis
The prognosis in the presence of red dots on the glans is strictly dependent on the clinical relevance of the triggering cause. In practical terms, this means that:
- The lesser condition is responsible for the red dots on the glans and the better the chances of an optimal recovery in a short time,
while
- The more serious is the factor at the origin of the red dots on the glans and the lower the chances of an optimal and / or tight healing.
Among the causes of red dots on the glans less worrying, include vigorous masturbation and excessive use of detergents; instead, among the motifs of red dots on the most alarming glans, sexually transmitted infections deserve a mention.
