Papillomas are classified as benign neoplasms that have the form of warts that protrude on the skin. Such growths not only cause cosmetic discomfort, but under certain circumstances can harm human health and even become malignant.
Why do papillomas appear and how to get rid of them without harming your own health?
What papillomas look like: varieties and types
Small benign formations (up to a few 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, slightly convex and somewhat hanging, and their surface is heterogeneous and varies depending on the type of papilloma.
Where papillomas can appear:
- On the feet and hands;
- On the face and neck;
- On the mucous membranes of the genital organs;
- In the nasopharynx and oral cavity;
- In the armpit area;
- In the urethra.
Most often, papillomas are localized and spread on the genitals.
Important! The main and only cause of papillomas is the human papillomavirus (HPV).
According to the degree of danger to human health, papillomas are divided into two types:
- With a low level– papillomas caused by HPV virus types 6 and 11;
- With a high level- neoplasms that appear under the influence of HPV types 18, 31, 16, 35 and 33; the risk of developing dysplasia and cancer in such tumors is quite high.
Papillomas are quite common, and appear equally often in 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 manifest itself externally - growths appear, redness and irritation may appear on the mucous membranes.
Important! Papillomas are not malignant formations, but some types 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:
- Nipples are flat– round or oval warts that rise above the skin by 1-2 mm. They are found in adolescents and young adults, which is why they are also called "juvenile warts".
- Nipples 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 rooster or cauliflower. They are most often found on the mucous membranes - urethra, genitals and in the mouth.
- Filiform warts- most often this type is called "papillomas" and they are typical for people older than 35-40 years. They are most often localized in the armpit, on the face and neck, and in women under the breast. The dimensions do not exceed 3-5 mm and they look like round orfilamentous growths.
Less common are papillomas in the urethra and bladder - usually in men and in combination with genital warts. A special group consists of papillomas in the larynx, trachea and oral cavity, because such neoplasms cause many problems for the patient, and in some cases even pose a threat to life.
Why do papillomas occur?
The cause of papilloma in humans is HPV, which, penetrating the blood, begins to multiply actively, primarily affecting the upper layers of the skin. With a strong and strong immunity, the external manifestations of the virus may not be noticed 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.
The provoking factors for the formation of papillomas are:
- Reduced immunity- under the influence of past infections, stress, long-term illnesses, lack of vitamins.
- Bad habits- Smoking and alcohol abuse often cause tumor processes.
- Promiscuity- papillomas are often sexually transmitted, and accompanying diseases of the reproductive system only accelerate the development of HPV.
Indirect causes of the development of HPV can be long-term treatment with antibacterial drugs for viral and infectious diseases, and gastrointestinal pathologies.
Important! HPV infection occurs through sexual contact in 50% of cases. Therefore, doctors believe that any person who is actively sexually active is at risk.
Papillomas often appear in adolescence and young adulthood, which coincides with the onset of sexual activity. Young people more often have unprotected sex and change sexual partners. In this case, HPV can enter the body via vaginal, oral and anal routes.
In women, provoking factors for the appearance of papillomas are: general weakening of the immune system (in case of long-term illnesses, frequent stress), use of oral contraceptives, menstrual irregularities.
In men, papillomas arise as a result of a promiscuous and active sexual 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 the mother is infected with the HPV virus, it will pass to the child during childbirth or through breast milk.
- By everyday means- when you use means for general hygiene, contrary to sanitary standards.
Self-infection with the papilloma virus often occurs in places with high humidity - on beaches, in swimming pools, saunas. In the case of minor skin damage or when the mucous membrane comes into contact with the source of HPV, infection occurs.
Penetrating the body, the virus finds the most favorable habitat for itself, but it is more often localized in those parts of the body that are most susceptible to microtrauma. The virus becomes contagious 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 permanent injury. Some rashes can completely disappear on their own when the immune strength of a person is strengthened, but with any provoking factor they reappear.
Papillomas should be treated only in cases of large growths and in the presence of risk factors for their degeneration into malignant tumors.
Treatment at home is best carried out after consultation with a doctor - most often papilloma removal is done by a dermatologist; if the growths are in the genital area, a dermatovenerologist (for men), a gynecologist (for women).
Important! Under no circumstances should you cut, scratch or squeeze tumors yourself!
Papilloma therapy is carried out in a comprehensive way - first of all, drugs that strengthen immunity and antiviral agents are prescribed. This is usually enough for the growths to disappear on their own.
But if papillomas interfere with a person's normal life or the doctor believes that the virus poses a threat to the patient's health and life, surgical removal of papillomas is suggested.
Note! It is impossible to completely get rid of the papilloma virus, but you can remove the papillomas at home or in the clinic and thus prevent the dangerous development of the disease.
An infected person will have to take preventive measures to prevent growths, adhere to a healthy lifestyle and strengthen immunity.
Treatment in the clinic
Treatment in the outpatient clinic involves the removal of papillomas 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 tumor is larger than 1 cm in diameter or if cancer is suspected. During the operation, growths and a certain amount of surrounding tissue are removed, after which aesthetic stitches are placed.
Surgical methods for papilloma removal:
- Laser removal.The most affordable and common method consists of removing the growth with a laser after anesthesia with an anesthetic. The procedure takes approximately 20-30 seconds per tumor. After cauterization, a crust remains on the skin that cannot be removed - it will fall off by itself after a few days. In this way, it is suggested to remove papillomas on the neck, face, armpits, under the mammary glands, where the skin is very sensitive and easily injured.
- Radiosurgical treatment.According to the principle of application, this method is similar to laser excision, but its characteristic 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). Frozen growths fall off on their own after a few days. The procedure does not require anesthesia, but it is not recommended to perform it on the face, because treatment with liquid nitrogen can cause temporary redness of the skin.
- Electrocoagulation– an outdated method using an electric knife that burns tumors with high-frequency currents.
- Scalpel excision– a previously common method of papilloma removal, which is now not used in 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 carrying out medical procedures at home.
To increase immunity, it is recommended to take vitamin complexes, immunomodulators, diets, walks in the fresh air and hardening.
After surgical removal, recurrences usually do not occur; regrowth at the excision site may occur if the area is not completely cleaned.
Treatment at home
Some types of papillomas can be eliminated at home using folk and pharmaceutical remedies.
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 tissue on the skin. Therefore, before cauterizing papillomas at home, it is advisable to consult a doctor and use such products with caution so as not to damage the skin, especially if the growths are located on the face or neck.
Papilloma removal at home should be done in accordance with three basic rules:
- You cannot remove genital warts on your genitals 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 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 with an adhesive plaster. Repeat twice a day for 2-4 weeks.
- Celandine juice.Make a cut from the celandine stem and apply where the sap is released 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.Lather the skin several times a day on the area where there are growths. The treatment is not effective for old and multiple tumors.
- Castor oil.The area around the papilloma is smeared 1-2 times a day for 1-1. 5 months.
- Vinegar.You can mix 70% vinegar and glycerin in equal proportions and apply to the growths three or four times a day. Or use regular 5% vinegar to lubricate papillomas every day.
Papillomas on the eyelid can be removed at home using kalanchoa 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 home treatment, it is necessary to consult an ophthalmologist or dermatologist.
The gentlest method for removing armpit papilloma at home is to use an ordinary egg white: the egg white is applied to the papilloma in a thick layer and left in that state for several hours, after which a second layer is applied. 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 remembered that different methods will be effective for different types and types of growths, so each method is exclusively individual and it is recommended to use it after consultation. with the doctor.
Important! Various dietary supplements for papillomas, monastery tea, tea for parasites and papillomas - they do not help in the treatment of papillomas!
It is almost impossible to avoid HPV infection - even with strict adherence to personal hygiene rules, avoiding casual sex and visiting public places of use, there is no guarantee that the virus will not enter the body through contact with household objects that have previously been touched by an already infected person.
Therefore, the main preventive measure for the occurrence of papillomas can be considered only to increase immunity, maintain a healthy lifestyle, avoid stress and infectious diseases, take vitamins and get rid of bad habits.