What is the reason for the small red spot on the glans?

From the clinical manifestations, the small red spots on the glans may be caused by glansitis, but it may also be primary syphilis chancre. In comparison, the probability of primary syphilis chancre is very high, mainly caused by Treponema pallidum infection. At the beginning, the patient does not have any pain symptoms, but if not treated in time, the symptoms will gradually worsen or even collapse, but some will disappear on their own without treatment.

1. What is the reason for the small red spot on the glans?

The small red spots on the glans penis and coronal sulcus are likely to be manifestations of primary syphilis chancre, but laboratory tests are required for confirmation. Chancre is a painless inflammatory reaction caused by Treponema pallidum at the site of penetration. It is common in the external genitalia, and in men it is more common in the penis, coronal sulcus, glans penis, foreskin and frenulum. Typical chancres start as small patches of erythema, which quickly develop into painless inflammatory papules. Within a few days, the papules expand to form nodules, and necrosis occurs on the surface, forming a single painless round or oval ulcer with a diameter of 1-2 cm, with clear boundaries, edema and bulges around the periphery, flesh-red base, cartilage-like hardness, and serous secretions on the surface, which contain a large number of syphilis spirochetes. It is highly contagious and often occurs alone, and sometimes 2-3 can be seen. Untreated chancres can last for 3-4 weeks and then disappear on their own.

2. Characteristics of primary syphilitic chancre

① Cartilage-like hardness on palpation; ② No pain or tenderness (when there is no secondary infection); ③ Usually only one lesion; ④ The surface of the lesion is clean; ⑤ Without treatment, it will disappear naturally in about 3 to 6 weeks, leaving no trace or a mild atrophic scar. If you receive insufficient anti-syphilis treatment or topical medication, you may see an atypical chancre. Therefore, primary syphilis is easily ignored by patients.

A few days after the appearance of chancre, the inguinal lymph nodes on one side swell, and later on the other side. The characteristics of these lymph nodes are: ① finger-sized, hard, scattered and not fused; ② no pain or tenderness; ③ no redness, swelling, heat or other inflammatory symptoms on the surface of the skin; ④ no purulent formation; ⑤ spirochetes are contained in the puncture fluid. In the early stage of chancre, most patients have positive syphilis serum reactions, and the positive rate gradually increases. If the chancre appears 7 to 8 weeks later, all patients' serum reactions will be positive. If the chancre is not treated in time, it will disappear naturally after 3 to 4 weeks, but the lesion has not been cured. It is in the latent stage of secondary syphilis. If it can be diagnosed and treated adequately during this period, it can quickly achieve the goal of complete cure.