Genital Bumps Vs. Warts and Other Lumps

It’s normal to be concerned if you notice a bump or lump in your genital area. Often, these bumps are nothing to worry about. But in some cases, they could signal a more serious condition. Here’s what to know about bumps that don’t need treatment and when to see a doctor for genital bumps.

Harmless Bumps

You may find these types of harmless bumps in the genital area:

• Angiomas are small collections of blood vessels that are either bright red or slightly purplish. They usually don’t get larger or bleed. They don’t need to be treated.
• Cysts are yellowish round lumps under the skin. They feel like a small ball or pebble that you can move around easily. They’re usually caused by blocked hair follicles. Cysts may get slightly larger, but in general they stay about the same size, and they don’t cause any problems. They don’t need to be treated.
• Molluscum  are tiny, skin-colored bumps (1-2 millimeters) caused by a virus. In the genital area, they’re usually transmitted by sexual contact. Molluscum don’t cause diseases or increase your cancer risk, but they often stem from unprotected sex. So, if you have them, ask your provider about testing for other sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and hepatitis. Molluscum will go away with time, though it could take up to three years.
• Pimples, or zits, are small, red bumps filled with pus. They may be white at the tip. Friction, sweat, body fluids, ingrown hairs and inflamed hair follicles (called folliculitis) can all cause genital pimples. They don’t need to be treated.

While you don’t need treatment for these types of genital bumps, they can be irritating, embarrassing and uncomfortable. Your doctor can recommend lifestyle changes and medication to help you treat and prevent genital pimples, cysts, angiomas and molluscum.

Genital Infections

Having sex without a condom or with multiple partners, can put you at risk of sexually transmitted infections, some of which can cause genital bumps. Without treatment, some infections can cause potentially serious complications. It may be hard to tell the difference between genital bumps vs. warts.

• Genital warts are usually multiple, small, skin-colored bumps. They may eventually go away, or they may stay the same or multiply. They are contagious and caused by genital human papillomavirus (HPV), which is the most common STI and is linked to cervical cancer in women and throat cancers in men. Fortunately, there's an HPV vaccine that’s recommended for children 11 and older, as well as adults who haven’t yet been vaccinated. If you think you have genital warts, see your doctor, dermatologist or OB/Gyn.
• Syphilis looks like a sore and can appear in the genital area or on your lips and mouth. It’s caused by bacteria, so it usually goes away in a few weeks with antibiotic treatment.  Reinfection is possible, though, and you can develop serious problems if you don’t treat it.
• Genital herpes causes painful blisters in the genital area. The herpes infection itself isn’t particularly dangerous, but it tends to come back in the same area multiple times. Some people have outbreaks as often as once a month. Herpes is contagious and can be a problem during pregnancy. See a doctor for medication to prevent or treat outbreaks.

Skin Cancer

Vulvar, vaginal and penile skin cancer are uncommon but possible. If you find a black spot that continues to get bigger, it could be melanoma. This type of skin cancer can be deadly if left untreated. This type of skin cancer can be deadly if without treatment. A melanoma can be completely flat and can develop in skin that’s not exposed to the sun.

Non-melanoma skin cancer usually looks like a skin-colored or reddish bump that often bleeds easily and doesn’t go away. 

These important signs can help you figure out if you should ask your doctor about a spot that might be melanoma. Just think A through E:

• A (asymmetry): A spot that doesn’t look the same on both sides.
• B (borders): The outline of the spot is wavy, rigid or uneven.
• C (color): The spot is more than one color or changes color over time.
• D (diameter): The spot is larger than the diameter of a pencil eraser (more than ¼ inch or 5 millimeters).
• E (elevation or evolution): The spot is raised above your skin or changing over time.