Q: I have small pimples on my penis. These are increasing in number. I can also see hair coming out of these boils / pimples. There is no pain or itching. Also, there are small spots under my gums and on the upper side of my lips. What is my problem?

A:What you have is a condition called Fordyce spots. Fordyce spots are small (1-5 mm), slightly elevated yellowish or white papules or spots that can appear on the glans or shaft of the penis, labia of the female, inside of the cheeks and on the lips. Fordyce spots are a variant of sebaceous glands (the glands that normally produce sebum and are usually found within hair follicles). Fordyce spots are sebaceous glands without hair follicles. They are present in 80-95% of adults. They are probably present at birth but become bigger and more visible from about puberty onwards. They may occur as a solitary lesion or more frequently in crops of about 50-100. Fordyce spots cause anxiety but they are completely harmless whether on the lips or on the genitals. They are not a sexually transmitted disease and they are not infectious.