Hey, so I’m having a little bit of a concern with my penis. My girlfriend and I are planning to have oral sex this week but I’m afraid she won’t want to because of PPP. How do I explain to her that it’s not harmful and should I wear a condom?

Thanks for your question and wanting to make sure you have safe, enjoyable sex with your girlfriend. As you know, pearly penile papules (PPP) are small, benign (non-cancerous) bumps in a single or double row on or around the head of the penis. They are not contagious. It is important to make sure that your healthcare provider agrees that these are PPP and not something else. If your healthcare provider agrees, you can let your girlfriend know that they are not contagious. They are like birth marks, in the sense that some people have them and some people do not.

While PPP are not contagious, it is always recommended to wear a condom during oral sex that consists of penis-mouth sex. This helps prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STI’s). In fact, they even make flavored condoms. For vagina-mouth sex you can use a dental dam to prevent STI’s.