What Are Those White Bumps That Can Appear on Your Private Parts—and What Causes Them?
Have you ever noticed small white or yellowish bumps on your genitals or lips and worried something might be wrong? If so, you’re not alone. Many people discover these bumps—especially during routine hygiene or intimate moments—and immediately assume the worst. Fortunately, one of the most common causes is completely harmless: Fordyce spots.
What Are Fordyce Spots?
Fordyce spots are small, pale or white bumps that can appear on the lips, genitals, or inner cheeks. They are visible sebaceous (oil) glands that are not associated with hair follicles. While everyone has sebaceous glands, Fordyce spots become visible when these glands are located closer to the skin’s surface than usual.
You might find Fordyce spots:
On the shaft of the penis or scrotum in men
On the labia in women
On the vermillion border of the lips (the transition area between your lip and normal skin)
These bumps are usually 1–3 millimeters in diameter, painless, and not itchy or infectious.
