Tyson Glands: What They Are, and How They Are Removed
Last updated: 26 August 2026
Tyson glands are normal oil glands. They sit in a matching pair either side of the frenulum, on the underside of the penis where the head meets the shaft. Not an infection, not contagious, and nothing you caught from anyone.
You will also see them called parafrenular glands, the gland of Tyson, or Tyson's glands. Same thing. Most men find them while checking for something else and assume the worst, which is why this page exists.
Nothing says you have to remove them. If you want to, they respond to the same treatment as pearly penile papules, and they can be removed at home with the PPP-KIT™ for $129, against roughly $800 to $3,000 at a clinic. Skip to the removal section.
What Tyson Glands Are
Sebaceous glands. You have thousands of them, on your face, your back, inside your lips. They pump out sebum, which is the oil that stops skin drying out.
These ones get noticed because of where they are. Find the frenulum, the small fold of skin underneath that joins the foreskin to the head. Tyson glands sit right beside it, one on each side, close enough to the surface that you see them instead of just having them.
The name comes from Edward Tyson, an English anatomist who wrote them up in the seventeenth century. Worth sitting with that for a second. Nobody discovered a new problem here. This is anatomy somebody catalogued three hundred years ago.
What They Look Like
Small raised bumps, white or a little yellow, roughly one to two millimetres. They feel smooth. Press one and nothing happens, because there is no fluid inside.
Symmetry is the giveaway. They arrive as a matching pair, one either side of the frenulum, mirroring each other. Look at almost anything else that turns up in that area and it will not be symmetrical. Warts appear unevenly. Herpes appears in clusters. Fordyce spots scatter. A neat matching pair either side of the frenulum is Tyson glands nearly every time.
Tyson glands, customer photo
How many you have varies. Some men have one pair, some have several bumps grouped either side. They settle in adulthood and then stay the same. If yours look different from one another, or have changed recently, that is worth having checked rather than assumed.
What They Are Not
This is usually what you actually came to find out. So, the short version. None of it.
- Not a sexually transmitted infection. No virus. No bacteria. Nobody gave them to you, and you cannot give them to anybody.
- Not genital warts. Warts feel rough, appear in uneven clusters, and grow over time. Tyson glands are smooth, symmetrical and unchanging.
- Not a hygiene problem. Washing more will not remove them, because there is nothing to wash away. The gland is part of the skin.
- Not cancerous or precancerous. They carry no health risk of any kind.
- Not something you caused. They are not hereditary either. They are simply how that part of the body is built in a lot of men.
One thing worth knowing: Tyson glands are harmless in themselves, but an infection can exist alongside them. If you also have itching, pain, discharge or a sore, see a doctor even if you are confident the bumps themselves are glands.
Tyson Glands, Fordyce Spots and Pearly Penile Papules
People confuse these three constantly. Hard to blame them. Three harmless things, all pale bumps, all sitting within a couple of centimetres of each other. What tells them apart is position.
| What it is | Where it sits | Pattern | Home removal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tyson glands | Either side of the frenulum | A matching pair | Yes |
| Pearly penile papules | Rim of the head | Neat rows | Yes |
| Fordyce spots | Shaft, scrotum, also lips | Scattered | No |
The last column is the one that matters practically. Tyson glands and papules sit on the head, where the skin behaves more like the lining of your mouth than like ordinary skin. It heals fast and without the marks ordinary skin leaves behind.
Fordyce spots break that pattern. Thicker skin on the shaft, much higher chance of a scar. Do not treat those at home. More on Fordyce spots, or compare all 11 causes of penile bumps.
When to See a Doctor
Tyson glands themselves need no medical attention. Get checked if any of this applies instead:
- The bumps appeared recently rather than always having been there
- They are growing, spreading, or changing colour
- There is pain, itching, bleeding or discharge
- One is inflamed, red or swollen
- You are not certain what you are looking at
A doctor can identify them by looking, and the appointment is usually covered by insurance even though removal is not. Finding out what you have counts as medical. Removing something harmless counts as cosmetic.
How Tyson Glands Are Removed
Nothing says you have to remove them. Men who do it, do it because of how they look, or because they are tired of a partner asking.
Creams will not work, and it is worth understanding why before you spend money on one. A Tyson gland is a structure within the skin, not a deposit sitting on top of it. Nothing applied to the surface dissolves a gland. That rules out removal creams, tea tree oil, castor oil and everything else marketed for this.
What does work is destroying the gland tissue, and there are two ways to do that:
- Electrodesiccation, also called hyfrecation. A fine tip creates a controlled electrical arc that dries out and destroys the tissue at the surface. Dermatologists prefer it here because the effect stays shallow.
- CO2 laser. Vaporizes the tissue with a focused beam. Effective, and the more expensive of the two.
At a clinic, expect roughly $800 to $3,000, plus $150 to $300 for the initial appointment. No insurer covers it anywhere, because removal is classed as cosmetic. Full cost breakdown by method and country.
The PPP-KIT™ uses the same electrodesiccation method at home, at a power ceiling calibrated for the skin on the glans. For $129 you get the device, the numbing cream, the aftercare ointment, a printed guide, and access to video of somebody doing the whole thing.
Why does it work on Tyson glands as well as papules? Same skin, same method, same healing. One or two sessions clears it for most men. The kit holds enough charge for ten, so a second pass costs you nothing.
Common Questions
Are Tyson glands normal?
Yes. Ordinary oil glands doing an ordinary job. You cannot catch them and you cannot spread them. Washing has nothing to do with it. No doctor is going to tell you they need treating.
Do Tyson glands go away on their own?
No. This is anatomy, not a condition that passes, so they stay where they are. They will not spread or multiply either. Something that turned up recently, or that keeps changing, is probably not this. Get that looked at.
How long do Tyson glands last?
Permanently, unless you have them removed. They finish developing sometime in early adulthood and then simply stop changing.
Can Tyson glands become inflamed?
Occasionally, the way any oil gland can. Red, swollen or sore means see a doctor. Do not reach for a kit. An inflamed gland is a different situation from a normal one, and treating it yourself is how a minor problem becomes a bigger one.
Tyson glands or Fordyce spots?
Position tells you. A matching pair beside the frenulum is Tyson glands. Scattered across the shaft and scrotum, usually on the lips as well, and you are looking at Fordyce spots. That matters more than it sounds, because Fordyce spots sit on thicker skin and should never be treated at home.
Can I squeeze or pop them?
No. There is nothing in there to come out. All squeezing does is irritate the skin and open the door to an infection, in a part of the body where you really do not want one.
Disclaimer: This article is here to help you understand what you might be looking at. It is not a diagnosis and not medical advice. Only a doctor can properly identify a skin growth. If you are unsure, book an appointment.
References
- National Library of Medicine. Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis: Penis. View reference
- National Library of Medicine. Fordyce Spots. View reference
About PPP KIT
With over six years of proven results and more than 25,000 successful users, PPP-KIT™ is the original at-home solution for safe and discreet Pearly Penile Papule removal.
Discover the PPP KITAuthor: Patrick K.
I earned a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Polytechnique Montreal in 2015. One of my notable achievements during my studies was receiving acclaim for the 'Simplicity of the proposed solution' in a university project. I've always been a 'Do-It-Yourself' type of person, and solving my own pearly penile papules issue was no different. After months of dedicated experimentation, I developed a safe and effective solution that tackles the problem. The solution has been bundled into the "PPP KIT" and I am happy to share this life-changing remedy since 2020!
Reviewed by: Fabiola Garcia
I studied Nursing at the CDI College in Montreal before furthering my education to become a skin care specialist at École Esthétique Avancée, recognized as Quebec's premier private institution for medical aesthetics. I actively contributed to enhancing the safety protocols of the pearly penile papule (PPP) removal procedure by collaborating on the refinement of the 'Aftercare' section within the PPP Kit's step-by-step guide.