Dear Doctor

Hoping you can help me, I have this light brown raised bump on the base of my penis. It is very disconcerting and embarrassing. I think it’s just some weird mole, but it could also be a wart or a sign of HPV infection… I’m just not sure.

It doesn’t hurt at all and it never oozes anything strange. I do vaguely remember having a smaller mole in that area when I was younger and scratching it off.

It is possible it grew back as a super mole? What is the best course of action to remove it on a limited budget?

Dear Patient

If you have a pigmented (colored) lesion on the skin which grows back after it is removed, the worst it can be is a malignant melanoma.

Malignant melanoma is a type of skin cancer which is notorious for recurring around the area where they were removed from. Because of this fact, I recommend you consult your nearest dermatologist so that they can examine it and possibly do an excisional biopsy.

An excisional biopsy is a procedure in which the doctor numbs the area and removes the entire mole. It is then sent to the laboratory to be examined under the microscope if it has cancerous cells.

In addition, I also recommend an excisional biopsy for this mole because of the hyperpigmented (darker than surrounding skin) spot at the top of the lesion in the picture.

NB I am not saying that this is a malignant melanoma. I am just saying that you may need an excisional biopsy because of the history of its recurrence and the hyperpigmented spot.

Common Penis Mole

Common moles which occur on other parts of the body can also develop on the penis. These penis moles do not have to be removed unless:

If you have a penis mole it does not have to be removed unless:

1. It looks suspiciously similar to a malignant melanoma

2. Its cosmetic appearance disturbs you the patient

3. It becomes a nuisance for example by rubbing against clothing

4. It begins changing for example by rapidly increasing in size.

Penis Mole Danger Signs

If you have a common penis mole ensure that you examine it each month to look for the following danger signs:

1. Changes in size like a sudden increase or decrease and especially if the increase is uneven.

2. Changes in its color

3. Changes in its shape

4. Changes in its texture for example if the mole becomes hard or lumpy

5. It the mole starts bleeding or oozing fluid

6. It the mole starts to itch

7. Changes on the skin on the mole’s surface for example if it becomes dry or scaly

If the mole develops any of these danger signs, you should consult your nearest dermatologist for an examination and possible excisional biopsy.

Dermatologist Skin Examination

If you have a common mole on the penis or any other part of your body, you should receive a total body skin examination three or four times a year by your dermatologist if you have the following risk factors for developing malignant melanoma:

1. A personal history of having developed a malignant melanoma

2. A family history of a close family member like a parent, child or sibling having developed a malignant melanoma

3. Having more than 50 common moles

4. Having more than 5 dysplastic moles

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