Papillomas are classified as benign neoplasms that have the form of warts that appear on the skin. Such growths not only cause cosmetic concerns, but in certain circumstances can cause harm to human health and even become malignant.
Why papillomas appear and how to get rid of them without harming your health?
What papillomas look like: varieties and types
Small benign formations (up to several millimeters in diameter) can appear on the skin and mucous membranes, which are popularly called "warts" and in medicine - papillomas. Growths are soft to the touch, have a slightly convex shape and hang down somewhat, and their surface is heterogeneous and varies depending on the type of papillomas.
Where papillomas can appear:
- On the feet and hands;
- On the face and neck;
- In the mucous membrane of the genital organs;
- In the nasopharynx and oral cavity;
- In the armpit area;
- In the urethra.
Most often, papillomas are localized and spread to the genitals.
Important! The main and only cause of papillomas is the human papillomavirus (HPV).
According to the degree of risk to human health, papillomas are divided into two types:
- Low level– papillomas caused by HPV type 6 and 11;
- With a high level- neoplasms that appear under the influence of the HPV virus types 18, 31, 16, 35 and 33; the risk of developing dysplasia and cancer with such tumors is quite high.
Papillomas are a fairly common phenomenon and appear equally often in both men and women. With a healthy immune system and a healthy lifestyle, the papilloma virus can "live" in the human body for many years without being detected. But when the body weakens under the influence of certain factors, HPV begins to appear externally - growths appear, redness and irritation may appear on the mucous membrane.
Important! Papillomas are not a malignant formation, but some varieties can create favorable conditions for the development of precancerous conditions and cancer. .
There are many types of papillomas, depending on the type of HPV that has entered the body.
What the main types of papillomas look like:
- Warts are flat– Round or oval warts that rise above the skin by 1-2 mm. They are found in teenagers and young adults, which is why they are also called "juvenile warts".
- Warts are simple ("vulgar")– they rise approximately 2-3 mm above the skin and most often appear on the feet, palms and hands and are rough to the touch.
- Condylomas acuminata– looks like a turkey comb or cauliflower. Most often they are located on the mucous membrane - urethra, genitals and in the mouth.
- Filiform warts- more often this type is called "papilloma" and they are typical for people over 35-40 years old. They are most often located in the armpit, on the face and neck and under the breast in women. The dimensions do not exceed 3-5 mm and look like round growths or threads.
Less common are papillomas in the urethra and bladder - usually in men and in combination with genital warts. A special group includes papillomas in the larynx, trachea and oral cavity, because such neoplasms cause a lot of trouble for the patient and in some cases pose a threat to life.
Why do papillomas appear?
The cause of papillomas in humans is HPV, which, penetrating the blood, begins to multiply actively, affecting mainly the upper layers of the skin. With strong and strong immunity, the external manifestations of the virus may not be observed for a long time, but under favorable conditions, the pathological growth of the epithelium begins.
Usually the incubation period does not exceed 2-3 months, but it happens that the latent course drags on for several years.
Provocative factors for the appearance of papillomas are:
- Decreased immunity- under the influence of past infections, stress, long-term illnesses, lack of vitamins.
- Bad habits- Smoking and alcohol abuse often cause tumor processes.
- debauchery– Papillomas are often sexually transmitted and associated diseases of the reproductive system only increase the development of HPV.
Indirect causes of HPV development can be long-term treatment with antibacterial drugs for viral and infectious diseases, as well as for gastrointestinal pathologies.
Important! HPV infection occurs through sexual contact in 50% of cases. Therefore, doctors consider any person who is sexually active to be at risk.
Papillomas often appear in adolescence and adulthood, which coincides with the onset of sexual activity. Young people are more likely to have unprotected sex and change sexual partners. In this case, HPV can enter the body through vaginal, oral and anal routes.
In women, provoking factors for the appearance of papillomas are: the general weakening of the immune system (with long illnesses, frequent stress), the use of oral contraceptives and menstrual irregularities.
In men, papillomas appear as a result of promiscuous and active sex life, refusal of condoms, addiction to nicotine and alcohol.
How you can get infected:
- sexually- the most common route of infection. Using a condom does not eliminate the risk of infection, especially if the growths are located in the perineum or anus.
- During pregnancy and childbirth– if a mother is infected with the HPV virus, it will pass to the child during birth or through breast milk.
- With everyday tools– when using general hygiene products, contrary to sanitary standards.
Self-infection with the papilloma virus often occurs in places with high humidity - on beaches, in swimming pools, saunas. With minor skin damage or when the mucous membrane comes into contact with a source of HPV, infection occurs.
Penetrating the body, the virus finds the most favorable habitat for itself, but it is most often located in those parts of the body that are most often subjected to microtrauma. The virus becomes infectious immediately after entering the human body. HPV does not spread to other organs, but it is quite difficult to get rid of it and it is almost impossible to completely eliminate the virus.
How to get rid of papillomas
Usually, papillomas do not require treatment if they do not cause cosmetic discomfort and are not subject to persistent injuries. Some rashes can completely disappear on their own when a person's immune strength increases, but with any provoking factor they appear again.
Treatment of papillomas is necessary only in cases of large growths and in the presence of risk factors for their degeneration into malignant tumors.
Home treatment is best carried out after consulting a doctor - more often papilloma removal is done by a dermatologist; if the growths are located in the genital area, a dermatovenerologist (for men), a gynecologist (for women).
Important! Under no circumstances should you cut, scrape or squeeze the tumors themselves!
Therapy for papilloma is carried out comprehensively - first, drugs that increase immunity and antiviral agents are prescribed. Usually this is enough for the growths to disappear on their own.
But if the papillomas interfere with a person's normal life or the doctor believes that the virus poses a risk to the patient's health and life, surgical removal of the papillomas is proposed.
Note! It is impossible to completely get rid of the papilloma virus, but you can remove papillomas at home or in the clinic, thus preventing the dangerous development of the disease.
An infected person will have to take preventive measures to prevent the appearance of growths, adhere to a healthy lifestyle and strengthen immunity.
Treatment in the clinic
Treatment in the clinic includes the removal of the papilloma by surgical methods, and the method of elimination is chosen by the doctor based on the type of tumor and after diagnostic procedures.
Removal of the growth is usually recommended if the diameter of the tumor is more than 1 cm or if cancer is suspected. During the operation, growths and a certain amount of surrounding tissue are removed, after which cosmetic stitches are applied.
Surgical methods for papilloma removal:
- Laser removal.The most accessible and common method consists in removing the growth with a laser after anesthesia with an anesthetic. The procedure takes approximately 20-30 seconds for each tumor. After cauterization, a crust remains on the skin that cannot be removed - after a few days it will fall off by itself. In this way, it is proposed to remove papillomas on the neck, face, armpits, under the mammary glands, where the skin is very delicate and easily injured.
- Radiosurgical treatment.According to the principle of implementation, this method is similar to laser removal, but its distinctive advantage is that radio wave therapy is not so dangerous for human eyes, and therefore it is preferred when removing papillomas on the eyelid and face.
- Cryodestruction– cold cauterization using cotton wool soaked in liquid nitrogen (liquid nitrogen has a temperature of minus 15 degrees). The frozen growth falls off on its own after a few days. The procedure does not require anesthesia, but it is not recommended to be performed on the face, because liquid nitrogen treatment can cause temporary redness of the skin.
- Electrocoagulation– an outdated method using an electric knife that burns tumors using high-frequency currents.
- Scalpel excision– a previously common method for removing papillomas, is now not used in almost any clinic due to the high risk of skin trauma.
The excised growth is sent for histology to rule out the presence of malignant cells.
Treatment does not end after surgery - the doctor prescribes immunomodulatory and antiviral drugs to the patient and gives recommendations for performing medical procedures at home.
To increase immunity, it is recommended to take vitamin complexes, immunomodulators, diet, walks in the fresh air and strengthening.
After surgical removal, relapses usually do not occur; re-appearance of growths at the site of excision may occur if the area is not completely cleaned.
Treatment at home
Some types of papillomas can be eliminated at home using folk remedies and pharmacies.
Removal of papillomas at home can be done using pharmaceutical products that have cauterizing properties.
These drugs are compounds of alkalis and acids, that is, they eliminate papillomas by burning the tissues in the skin. Therefore, before cauterizing a papilloma at home, it is advisable to consult a doctor and use such products carefully so as not to damage the skin, especially if the growths are located on the face or neck.
Removal of papillomas at home should be carried out in accordance with three basic rules:
- You cannot remove genital warts on your genitals by yourself.
- It is impossible to remove growths of an unknown nature with signs of bleeding, inflammation or excessive growth.
- You cannot remove tumors on the face - a scar or a scar may remain, which the doctor will not be able to remove later.
How to get rid of papillomas at home:
- Garlic.Cut a piece of garlic and apply fresh juice to the growth, secure it with an adhesive plaster. Repeat twice a day for 2-4 weeks.
- Celandine juice.Make a cut from the celandine stem and apply the sap to the new growth. You can do the procedure 2-3 times a day, from 14 to 30 days. This method allows you to quickly and painlessly remove papillomas on the face at home.
- Laundry soap.Apply to the skin several times a day in the area where there is growth. Treatment is not effective for old and multiple tumors.
- Castor oil.The area around the papillomas is lubricated 1-2 times a day for 1-1. 5 months.
- Vinegar.You can mix 70% vinegar and glycerin in equal proportions and spread it in increments three or four times a day. Or use regular 5% vinegar to lubricate the papilloma every day.
You can remove the papilloma on the eyelid at home using Kalanchoe or aloe juice, while simultaneously using antiviral ophthalmic drugs. But if the growth is located near the mucous membrane of the eye and inside the eyelid, it is better not to do treatment at home, you should consult an ophthalmologist or dermatologist.
The gentlest method for removing armpit papillomas at home is to use ordinary egg white: the white is applied to the papilloma in a thick layer and left in this state for several hours, after which another layer is placed on top. Within a few days of daily repetition of the procedure, the small papillomas dry up and fall off by themselves.
Traditional medicine offers many ways to remove papillomas at home, but it should be borne in mind that different methods will be effective for different types and types of growths, so each method is purely individual and it is advisable to use it after consultation. with a doctor.
Important! Various nutritional supplements for papillomas, monastery tea, tea for parasites and papillomas - do not help in the treatment of papillomas!
It is almost impossible to avoid HPV infection - even with strict adherence to personal hygiene rules, avoidance of casual sex and visits to public places of use, there is no guarantee that the virus will not enter the body through contact with household itemsthat they had before. has been touched by an already infected person.
Therefore, the main preventive measure for the appearance of papillomas can only be considered increasing immunity, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, avoiding stress and infectious diseases, taking vitamins and removing bad habits.