What’s Coming Out of My Dick?? The Low Down on Penile Discharge

Wondering WTF that mystery stain or crust is in your boxers? Shitting bricks because you’ve noticed crust on the tip of your dick or liquid coming out⁠ (out: Short for ‘out of the closet’. When someone’s LGBTQ+ identity is known to other people.) that isn’t one of the usuals, like pee or semen⁠ (semen: Fluid which comes from the urethra of the penis during ejaculation, and which usually contains sperm.) ? We feel you. Seeing or feeling anything coming out of your penis⁠ (penis: One of the two external reproductive organs of people often assigned male at birth.) when you’re not expecting it is enough to scare the pants off even the most even-keeled person.

To help you solve the mystery, let’s do a deep dive into the various causes of penile discharge⁠ (discharge: In the context of sex and sexual health, any number of fluids which come from the genitals. Plenty of genital discharge is healthy, while some discharges can be symptoms of illness.) . And in case you’re wondering (which you totally are, understandably), discharge from your penis isn’t always a sign of an STI⁠ (STI: Sexually transmitted infections: illness, infection and/or disease which is often or can be transmitted through sexual or other intimate contact, like HIV, Chlamydia or Herpes. Some people call STIs STDs.) or something scary like cancer.

What’s Penile Discharge?

Penile discharge is any fluid that comes out of your urethra that isn’t one of the usual suspects, including pee, semen, or pre-ejaculate⁠ (pre-ejaculate: A fluid which the penis usually emits with or around erection and before ejaculation, sometimes more than once. Pre-ejaculate itself does not contain sperm, but in some cases, can pick up traces of sperm left in the urethra.) .

It can be different colors and consistencies, from watery and clear to thick and white, yellow or green, and contain pus or even blood.

The Usual Suspects

Not every fluid that comes from your penis is a potential problem that requires medical care. That said, I get that even some of the “normal” things that can make an appearance down there can catch you off guard if it’s the first time or if it’s changed somehow.

Pee, pre-ejaculate, and ejaculate are all normal things to come from a penis and not a medical concern, but let’s talk about them anyway, just in case you have questions.

Urine

You learn pretty early in life that pee comes out of your penis and that’s what it’s supposed to do. However, some changes in your urine might be worth mentioning to your doctor, such as:

• You’re suddenly not able to hold in your pee
• Are peeing more than usual without a reason, like having had too much (of anything) to drink
• It burns or hurts when you pee
• You’re wetting the bed
• Your pee looks pink, orange or red, which could mean you have blood in your urine

If you experience any of these, see a healthcare provider⁠ (healthcare provider: A qualified person to provide sound physical and/or mental healthcare, such as a doctor, nurse, clinician, counselor, medical assistant, midwife or other healthcare professional.) as soon as you can. They’ll ask about your symptoms and likely ask you to provide a urine sample to check for blood and signs of infection⁠ (infection: When harmful microbes, or germs, or harmful levels of microbes/germs, enter the body and multiply, causing illness. The common cold, flu viruses, sexually transmitted infections, chickenpox, impetigo, rabies and diphtheria are some kinds of infections.) . They may also perform a physical examination and feel your abdomen to check for pain or swelling. If you have any redness or swelling on the tip of your penis, they may want to have a look.

Pre-ejaculate

Pre-ejaculate — a small bit of fluid that comes from the penis most often when someone gets or is sexually aroused and/or gets an erection⁠ (erection: When a body part, such as the penis or parts of the vulva, becomes filled with blood and enlarges and/or becomes more firm.) , and happens either before or without a full ejaculation⁠ (ejaculation: In a sexual context, a discharge of genital fluid, usually (but not always) as a result of sexual stimulation and/or orgasm.) — is totally normal, but it can come out when you’re not exactly expecting it and catch you off guard. As inconvenient as this can be – like when you go commando and wet spot makes an impromptu appearance on your joggers in front of your mom – it’s not something that can be controlled. Again, this is normal.

Anywhere from a few drops to about a teaspoonexternal link, opens in a new tab is typical for pre-ejaculate. You may feel it oozing out or not notice until you look down and see it on the tip of your dick or notice a wet spot or white crusty patch on your underwear. You might not even realize you’re turned on or be turned on at all! Like when you’re sleeping or if you’re distracted by something else.

FYI: Pre-ejaculate itself doesn’t have sperm⁠ (sperm: Reproductive cells of people with penises which can fertilize an ovum and create pregnancy.) in it, but if you recently ejaculated, there can still be still some sperm cells left in your urethra⁠ (urethra: The urinary tract, where people pee from. On a penis, the opening to the urethra is at the head of the penis; on a vulva, the opening is above the vaginal opening and below the external clitoris.) . That can technically present a pregnancy⁠ (pregnancy: The state of carrying a developing embryo or fetus within the uterus. Medically, someone is considered to be pregnant when an egg has been fertilized by sperm, cells divide, and the fertilized egg is implanted within the lining of the uterus.) risk if you have intercourse⁠ (intercourse: When people interlock their genitals and move together as feels good to them for the purpose of sexual stimulation and/or reproduction.) , but since the sperm cells left in that case are few and were basically the slowest swimmers, it’s something that’s possible, but not at all likely,

Ejaculate

Haven’t ejaculated before or aren’t entirely sure if you have? Have some concerns about your splooge? No worries.

Ejaculate is a gooey liquid that usually comes out of your dick just after you have or as you are having an orgasm⁠ (orgasm: An event typically in response to physical or intellectual sexual stimulation, controlled by the involuntary nervous system. ) , though it’s also possible to ejaculate without having an orgasm.

Your body starts producing sperm during puberty⁠ (puberty: The process of physical and sexual changes from childhood to adulthood, initiated by hormone signals from the brain to the gonads. ) once your testicles begin to grow. This can happen anywhere from the ages of 9 to 14external link, opens in a new tab, or even later for some. A person’s first time ejaculating usually occurs within a year or so after this, either from masturbating or during a wet dream⁠ (wet dream: (or nocturnal emission) An ejaculation during sleep that can occur for people with penises, often most frequently during puberty.) . If it happens during a wet dream, you might wake up with wet underwear or pajamas – or both – without even remembering the dream. Totally cool and nothing to talk to your parents or doctor about, unless you want to, of course.

If you notice any changes in how you ejaculate or are bothered by what’s happening, it’s worth chatting with a doctor about. Here are a couple examples:

• You’re having trouble ejaculating. There are a few things that can make it harder for you to ejaculate or not ejaculate at all, like if you’re tired, distracted, or not feeling good, or if you’ve had too much alcohol. If you were able to ejaculate before and now suddenly can’t when you masturbate or have sex⁠ (sex: Different things people choose to do to actively express or enact sexuality and sexual feelings; often this involves genitals, but not always. ) and none of these apply, a doctor can help you figure out what’s happening.
• It doesn’t feel good. As mentioned before, you can release ejaculate without having an orgasm. This means the ejaculate comes out, but you don’t feel all the feels associated with an orgasm. If this bothers you, which I totally understand, then it’s worth bringing up to a doctor. Same if you’re having discomfort or pain when you ejaculate, which could be caused by infection, an injury or illness.
• Funky spunk. Ejaculate doesn’t have much of an odor and can range from clear to cloudy to white to grayish-white. A change in color or smell of ejaculate could be the sign of a problem. For instance, yellow-green semen or semen that smells bad can be caused by an infection (sexually transmitted or other type) or even a problem in your urethra.

Causes of Penile Discharge

Now that we’ve covered the stuff that you don’t usually need to talk to a doctor about, let’s get to the potential causes of penis discharges and some of the accompanying symptoms to look for that require medical attention.

Breathe. They’re not all major. In fact, most aren’t.

Smegma

Heads up if you’re uncircumcised! Penises that still have their foreskin are a lot more likely to develop smegma.

While not true penile discharge because it doesn’t come out of your penis, the buildup of this thick, white or yellowish, cheesy-esque substance around the head of your penis might cause some concern when you see it for the first time, especially if it’s causing discomfort.

Smega is made up of dead skin cells, oils, sweat and other fluids, all of which are naturally occurring on your body to keep your tender part lubricated. It becomes a problem when the area isn’t cleaned properly, allowing these to build up.

Smegma can occur in anyone with a penis, but foreskin⁠ (foreskin: A loose tube of skin with nerve endings that extends from shaft of the penis to below the glans and which normally covers the head of the penis when it is not erect. ) – in all its wrinkly goodness – can trap the oils and other substances and cause it to accumulate.

Here’s how to tell if what you’re dealing with is indeed smegma:

• It kind of looks like crumbly cheese and is around the head of your dick
• It can smell like sour milk
• The area may be irritated and swollen
• Pulling the foreskin back or getting a boner might hurt

The good news is that smegma doesn’t usually require treatment and you can treat it and prevent it by washing your genitals⁠ (genitals: Body parts that are generally, culturally, scientifically or personally considered to be external sexual or reproductive organs.) regularly. If you have foreskin, pull it back *gently* to expose your head and wash the skin with warm water and soap, then pat dry. Again, gently.

Balanitis

Like smegma, this is another issue that can happen to anyone with a penis, but is more likely to affect someone who’s uncircumcised.

Balanitis is inflammation of the head of the penis and can also involve inflammation of the foreskin. It has a few potential causes, including poor hygiene which doesn’t only let smegma accumulate, but also provides bacteria and fungus the perfect condition to breed. An allergic reaction to irritants like soap and condoms, skin conditions like eczema, and even some sexually transmitted infections⁠ (sexually transmitted infections: STIs: illness, infection and/or disease which is often or can be transmitted through sexual or other intimate contact, like HIV, Chlamydia or Herpes. Some people call STIs STDs.) can also cause the tip of your penis to swell.

If you have balanitis, you’ll likely notice one or more of these signs and symptoms:

• Stretched foreskin
• Red rash or irritated blotchy patches on the head or under the foreskin
• Pain and itching
• Liquid or pus leaking from the area
• A foul smell

Balanitis can be quite uncomfortable, so a trip to a health care provider is in order if you think you have it and keeping the area clean⁠ (clean: In a sexual context, usually a word used to suggest a person doesn’t currently have anysexually transmitted infections. That term, however, stigmatizes people with illness. Less stigmatizing choices are “negative,” “clear” or “STI-free.”) doesn’t resolve it. I can’t stress enough the importance of getting medical help for this and steering clear of the home remedies being peddled online or shared on Reddit.

A doctor can determine and treat the cause and prescribe medication to help clear it up, safely.

Urinary tract infection (UTI)

UTIs are caused by bacteria that enter the urethra and that bacteria usually comes from poop that makes its way there after a bowel movement, usually from wiping back to front. People with vaginas are more likely to get them because their urethras are shorter and their pee and poop holes share close quarters, which makes it easier to for bacteria to get in, but people with penises can occasionally get them, too.

If you have a UTI, you might:

• Need to pee a lot more than usual
• Feel an intense urge to pee, even if nothing comes out when you do
• Feel pain or burning when you pee
• Dribble or leak small amounts of pee or even wet the bed
• Have pain or pressure in your lower belly, just below your belly button
• Have pee that looks cloudy or smells bad
• Have a fever, possibly with aches and chills
• Feel nauseous or throw up

UTIs go away with antibiotic medication, so you’ll need to see a doctor.

Urethritis

Urethritis is technically both a symptom and a condition, so bear with me while I break it down.

Urethritis is inflammation of the urethra, which can essentially be considered a urinary tract infection since the urethra is part of your urinary tract. It can be caused by infection, sexually transmitted and otherwise, though STIs are the most commonexternal link, opens in a new tab cause. It can also be caused by repeated irritation of the urethra, or, in some cases, there may be no obvious cause.

Here are different types/categories of urethritis:

• Gonococcal urethritis. This type is specifically caused by the STI gonorrhea⁠ (gonorrhea: A bacterial infection/STI which can infect the cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, urethra, mouth, throat or anus. It requires medical treatment.) .
• Nongonococcal urethritis. This type is NOT caused by gonorrhea, but could be from another type of STI, like chlamydia⁠ (chlamydia: A very common bacterial infection/STI. It can infect the cervix, urethra, testicles, fallopian tubes, and/or ovaries. It can also infect the throat when acquired through oral sex. Chlamydia requires medical treatment.) or genital herpes, or from repeated irritation of your urethra caused by squeezing it too hard, pressure from your riding a bike, or exposure to an irritating substance, like soap.
• Non-specific urethritis. This type refers to urethritis that doesn’t have a known cause.

Here are some signs and symptoms of urethritis:

• Discharge that may include pus, blood or both
• Pain when you pee
• Itchiness at the tip of your dick
• Pain during sex

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

If you have a mystery liquid coming out of your dick and you’ve had sex without a condom⁠ (condom: A thin sheath or tube of latex or another material, worn over the penis during sex to prevent or reduce the risk of pregnancy and/or sexually transmitted infections.) , you’re probably shitting bricks. It’s an understandable reaction and an STI is usually the first thing that comes to mind when things go awry in the nether regions. The good news is that these are all treatable.

Here are the STIs (which some people call STDs) that can cause penile discharge:

• Chlamydia. This is a very common STI that may or may not cause symptoms. When it does, you might have penis discharge and burning when you pee. Not as common, but it can also cause one or both of your balls to hurt and swell up.
• Gonorrhea. Like chlamydia, gonorrhea doesn’t always cause symptoms, but when it does it can include burning when you pee and discharge from your dick that may be white, green or yellow. Swollen balls are again uncommon, but possible.
• Trichomoniasis. Around 70 percentexternal link, opens in a new tab of people who have this STI don’t have any signs or symptoms. Those that do may have – you guessed it – penis discharge, as well as burning or pain when peeing or ejaculating and itching or irritation inside the penis.
• Genital herpes. Thick, white, fishy discharge from your penis is just one of the many potential symptoms of genital herpes which typically blistery sores on or around your genitals that may hurt or burn when you pee if they’re on the tip of you dick. First-time genital herpes breakouts can also cause fever, swollen lymph nodes in your groin and pelvis, throat and armpits, and make you feel rundown.

If you think you have an STI, don’t hesitate to get tested. The sooner you find out that you have an STI, the sooner you can start treatment. All the STIs mentioned above can be cured with antibiotics, except for genital herpes, which isn’t curable but can be managed with medication.

Prostate issues

Prostate issues are often thought of as something that only affect old men. For sure, issues like prostate inflammation (or prostatitis in medical lingo) are more common in older adults⁠ (adults: People whose age in years exceeds the legal age of majority, people considered to be adults by law, or people who a culture or individual considers to have reached an adult stage of life.) , but if you have a prostate, problems with it are a possibility at any ageexternal link, opens in a new tab.

The prostate gland⁠ (prostate gland: A highly sensory, walnut-sized gland inside the body, below the bladder and between the rectum and urethra at the base of the penis.) is a walnut-sized gland that is part of your reproductive system and makes fluid that goes into your semen. It’s located where your urethra meets your bladder, so when it becomes inflamed it can cause problems with peeing and ejaculation, to name a few.

Prostatitis can be caused by infection, including STIs, or injury to the area between your balls and your butt, and in rare cases, cancer, which is why it’s always important to see a doctor if you have symptoms.

The most common symptoms of an inflamed prostate include:

• Burning or stinging when you pee
• Needing to pee more often than usual
• Trouble emptying your bladder
• Penis discharge when you’re pooping
• Pain or throbbing around your genitals or rectum⁠ (rectum: The internal passage between the anus and the colon; stores solid waste until it leaves the body through a bowel movement.)
• Pressure in your rectum
• Trouble getting hard
• Pain in your pelvis or lower back

If you have an infection, you may also have a fever and chills and feel rundown.

Depending on what causes it, prostatitis can be treated with antibiotics or in rare cases, surgery.

Seeing A Healthcare Provider About Penile Discharge: What to Expect

If you’ve read – or at least skimmed – most of this article, then you know that not everything that comes out of your dick requires medical intervention.

As a general rule, you should see a health care provider about penile discharge if:

• It contains pus or blood
• It has a fishy or other foul smell
• You have pain when you pee or ejaculate
• Your penis or testicles hurt or swell
• You have redness, bumps or blisters, or a rash on or near your genitals
• You have a high fever or flu-like symptoms
• You worry you may have an STI

When you see a doctor about penile discharge, the doctor will:

• ask about your symptoms, medical history, and your sex life
• examine your penis and the area around it, and possibly feel your lymph nodes
• insert a finger into your rectum to feel your prostate, if prostatitis is suspected
• order blood tests to check for infection and other illnesses
• use a cotton swab to collect a sample of your discharge to test for infections, including STIs

And speaking of STIs and STDs…

If you believe you may have an STI/STD but aren’t comfortable seeing your family doctor about it for whatever reason, here are some good-to-knows about testing:

• If you’re 13 or older, you don’t need parental permission to get tested and treated for STIs in most states.
• STI/STD test results are confidential.
• You can get tested at public health, independent, or Planned Parenthood, Brook, Marie Stopes, Better2Know or other clinics that are nationwide in some countries.

Some penile discharge is normal, but when in doubt, have it checked out. I get that talking dick cheese can be uncomfortable, but it’s actually very common. Plus, most causes of discharge are treatable, so the sooner you find out what’s causing it, the sooner you can stop worrying about it and get rid of it.