tritium

deleted.

lurkette

Good for you for embarking on this journey - overcoming your fears and taking care of yourself.

I'm glad you're considering going to a doctor. I labored for 7 years under the delusion that I had contracted HIV and any number of other STDs as punishment for a blow job I gave an ex-boyfriend. I finally just went and got tested - all negative, good for my sanity.

About talking to a prospective sex partner about sexual health in general and about this matter in particular, I agree that you don't seem like a "player" and will probably have earned some degree of trust from any woman who you get to this point of intimacy with. I say, be honest. You might not even have to mention it - the picture you linked to looks pretty harmless, and she may not even notice, depending on how much experience she has with penises (penii?) If she does notice, or if you want to get it out of the way up front, just say something like "It's a totally normal skin condition that just looks a little strange but is not an infection or anything transmittable." If you want to, say that you were a little concerned about it and got it checked out, and the doctor assured you it's normal and fine. If you wear a condom, no problem anyhow. I can't imagine this would be a deal-breaker with any woman with sense, and who trusts you.

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tritium

Thank you, lurkette. That was very reassuring.

badflsh

You said you are in college. I just wanted to mention that there is probably a student health services located on your campus. You should be able to make an appointment to have a Dr. there take a look at it, and since the service is covered in your tuition they wont bill insurnce or anything. The only thing to look into is, they may charge a small fee (like 15 or 20 bucks) in which case they usually give you the option to just add it to your tuition bill or pay cash. If you pay your own tuition it doesnt matter either way, if your parents pay, just ask student health services for a list of fees, and see if you can pay cash or look around the net.

Dont be shy about asking them though. Just remember that they are used to college students coming in worried that they are pregnate or infected with god knows what, all because last night they were trashed and had an orgy with 5 strangers. You pretty much cant shock them.

yeahjim

Yeah, dude, don't sweat it. Unless they bleed. Then sweat it.

Kidding. Actually, I kinda feel for ya. There was a period a few years back when I developed a rather gruesome, recurring rash on little yeahjim, and I freaked out. Being insecure (ahh, aren't we all?) I didn't tell anybody and wondered whether my shared-drink STD or whatever the fuck was life-threatening or merely painful and recurring. As I was a virgin, I was doubly clueless and intimidated by the whole thing.

I went to the free sex doctor one fine day and- hey hey! it was all good. Just some random rash. Moral: no biggie.

As to explaining your wretched, terrible condition to the girl who's about to go down on you, don't sweat it. I assume the decision to perform oral sex on a guy is less motivated by appearance than by smell. Chances are, given that men and women have very different organs and that much of sex happens in the dark, you won't have to explain a thing.

If, by chance, she gets that sly look in her eye and says, "Heyyyy, is that herpes?" you say "No, some penises look that way. That's your piece of cock trivia for the day." Then say "Seriously," for emphasis. Moreover, lots of people (namely sexually active women) are already aware of said conditions. My second girlfriend was the one who told me about the subject. Her first looked like you.

So, again, my advice is to not worry about it. You're doing way too much thinking about this already. Now go screw somebody.

rival

I'd say go to a doctor just to be sure. It would be a real bummer if you explained the bumps as harmless to a potential sexual partner only to find out in the future you were wrong.

However, if your only sexual contact has been a quick game of swords, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

yeahjim

Do what badflsh says if you're at all worried about an actual STD. He's the sensible one. Though I gotta say that if you've had one for an extended period, you'd probably know on account of the pain.

shay

i can't really offer too much in the way of suggestions or helpfulness about healing or approaching the topic with a doctor, or a female you're going to be intimate with.

but i can say this - i'm a college aged female, i've seen a good share of penii, i've seen that before, albeit to a somewhat lesser degree than the pictures, more than once, and thought absolutely nothing of it - even to the point where when i was looking at the two pictures before i saw the explanation at the bottom of the page i thought 'yeah, and? where's the problem?'

so... if that doesn't help, let's pretend i never said anything.

motdakasha

On top of college student health services, there is also Planned Parenthood (well, in the state of CA. i'm sure there is something similar for each state.) if you don't have the funds to pay for treatment and you can prove this, they will often help you for free or for a super low fee depending on your age and whatnot.

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anti fishstick

if it really is harmless and just looks different which i barely even noticed from the pictures, then don't worry about it. when you get to that level of comfort with a girl, she shouldn't be bugged by it especially if she likes you. i wouldn't even bring it up unless the circumstances call for it (i.e she notices and asks) i have these harmless scar tissue that just cosmetically looks bad called keloids and i've always been a bit self-conscious with them naked. i usually warn them that i have these scars..... but what they think of are normal scar tissue that doesnt even look bad. so i give them a warning but then they find out for themselves.. and if they're not cool with it, and dump me.. then their lost. but i've never had that happen. when it ccomes down to it, my partner overlooks it bcos he likes me for me and looks at the big picture. and she should too.

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tritium

Thank you very much. Your comments and suggestions have been very helpful so far.

Its not so much the lack of available services. In fact, my university does have a student health clinic, although they do attempt to bill my insurance (went in there for an earache one time). Its the thought of dropping my pants in a office, in front of someone I've never met, and saying something like, "Here. Take a look at this, man!"

The reluctance is more on my end. My mother is a nurse, so I know exactly what kind of stuff the medical professionals deal with on a daily basis and that my situation would be rather blasé. I'll have to work myself up to it first...

Again, thank you all for your well thought out replies. I look forward to reading more ...

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smithja0423

Hey man - I'm 23 and I've had the same thing for years. I've never had ANYONE ever comment on it. It's so barely noticeable that I don't even think about it.

Hell - i didn't even know it had a name. Off to do some research.

Nisses

gotta throw in my agreement with smithja,

I have somewhat the same thing, though not as pronounced, and it's perfectly fine. Like yeahjim said: it's just cock trivia man, don't sweat it

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tritium

Cock trivia ... LOL! Thanks folks ...

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Blah.

reverendjay

Tritium I think that the first thing you should do is go to a doctor and get checked out. I saw the pics, I (much like a handful of other people in the world) have a unit that very much resembles the picture you linked to. I personally haven't ever considered it to be anything but natural. On the other hand, I have had a handful of STD/HIV scares in my life, which has prompted me to go through some pretty intensive testing. Here's the wisdom I've gained through having people look at and/or fondle my genitals... Doctors don't look at it like a penis. It's an Organ, or a Muscle, or a Gland, or a bit of skin. It's not something to love or admire, it's something to diagnose and treat. Showing your equipment to a girl that you want to have sex with... That's tough. Showing your equipment to someone that's seen a thousand of them, in a hundred different stages of health... Piece of cake man.

Good luck Tri, just try to remember to breathe, and relax.

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raeanna74

IN regards to HPV. If the bumps don't spread and aren't irritated then I wouldn't be overly concerned.

I'm glad you are seeking to get past this bump in the road.

I've seen men with bumps and I know a man who had HPV The bumps that occur normally on some guys don't bother me at all. Personally I would say that unless the bumps are extremely noticable there would be no need to mention them. Otherwise you could just mention that you have not had sexual intercourse prior to finding the bumps so you know they are not from HPV.

Good luck.

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johnnymysto

you're going to be ok, man. i've got these little bumps on my sack (sebaceous cysts is the scientific term). they look like freakin' zits on my balls! anyway, i read that they're normal, not to be worried about, so I don't worry about them. one in particular is bigger than the rest, but i just ignore it. i've never showed it to my wife, and she's never noticed it. of course, your sack is a little more out of the way than the shaft of your member. but, the point it, don't sweat it and if some girl can't handle it, just do it with the lights off!

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jackassidy

Just wanted to say good luck in your recent attempts at healing. From your post you seem like a well spoken intelligent dude. Things will only get better for you. As for those bumps, I have some and the only one who has ever noticed was my fiance; and the only reason she saw them was she was laying with her head on my stomach just looking at and playing with my dick. So I think the subject need not be brought up !

obelix

Well tritium, I checked out the link that you posted there and it turns out that I have pretty much the same 'conditions' as are shown there. I too was concerned with the bumps on the base of the penis, so I actually went to an std clinic and had it checked out. I was told within a matter of seconds that it was nothing to worry about as the bumps are just oild glands and that all males have them in varying degrees.
In terms of girls "discovering" this, chances are that if its a one night stand, the girl knows enough about a man's member that she will probably have seen this sort of thing before. If you are with a girl for a long time (a virgin even), the two of you probably have enough trust in eachother to not hold anything against eachother. I have yet to encounter a problem with this 'condition' with any girl I've ever been with, so I will tell you not to worry too much about it.
I'd also like to say good job to you for coming forth and discussing this on here. It kinda helped me again too

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