Papillomas are classified as benign neoplasms in the form of warts on the skin. Such growths are not only a cosmetic concern, but under certain conditions can harm human health and even be malignant.
Why do papillomas appear and how to get rid of them without harming your own health?
What papillomas look like: types and types
Small benign formations (up to a few millimeters in diameter) can be seen on the skin and mucous membranes, which are popularly called "warts" and medically called papillomas. The growths are soft to the touch, have a slightly convex shape and hang down slightly, and the surface is heterogeneous and varies depending on the type of papillomas.
Where papillomas occur:
- On the feet and hands;
- On the face and neck;
- In the mucous membranes of the genitals;
- In the nasopharynx and oral cavity;
- In the armpit;
- In the urethra.
Often, papillomas are localized and spread to the genitals.
It is 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:
- With low level– Papillomas caused by HPV types 6 and 11;
- With a high level– Neoplasms caused by HPV types 18, 31, 16, 35 and 33; with such tumors, the risk of developing dysplasia and cancer 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 revealing itself. But when the body is weakened under the influence of certain factors, HPV begins to show itself externally - growths appear, redness and irritation may occur on the mucous membranes.
It is 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 papilloma, depending on the type of HPV that enters the body.
What do the main types of papillomas look like:
- Warts are flat– round or oval warts that rise 1-2 mm above the skin. They are found in teenagers and young adults, which is why they are called "juvenile warts. "
- Warts are simple ("vulgar")– rises about 2-3 mm above the skin and occurs most often on the feet, palms and hands and is rough to the touch.
- Condylomas acuminata– looks like a rooster's comb or cauliflower. Most often, they are located in the mucous membranes - urethra, genitals and mouth.
- Filiform warts- this type is often called "papillomas" and is typical for people over 35-40 years old. In women, it is mostly localized in the armpits, face and neck, under the breasts. They are no more than 3-5 mm in size and look like round or thread-like growths.
Less common, papillomas in the urethra and bladder - usually in men and with genital warts. A separate group includes papillomas in the larynx, trachea and oral cavity, because such neoplasms cause many problems for the patient and in some cases are even life-threatening.
Why does papilloma occur?
The cause of papillomas in humans is HPV, which penetrates the blood and begins to multiply actively, primarily affecting 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, pathological growth of the epithelium begins.
Usually, the incubation period does not exceed 2-3 months, but the latent course can last for several years.
Factors that cause the formation of papillomas are:
- Decreased immunity- under the influence of past infections, stress, long-term illnesses, vitamin deficiency.
- Bad habits- Smoking and alcohol abuse often cause tumor processes.
- Immorality- papilloma is often sexually transmitted, and accompanying diseases of the reproductive system only increase the development of HPV.
Indirect causes of the development of HPV can be viral and infectious diseases, long-term treatment with antibacterial drugs for gastrointestinal pathologies.
It is important! HPV infection occurs in 50% of cases through sexual contact. Therefore, doctors consider anyone who is sexually active to be at risk.
Papilloma often occurs in adolescence and young 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.
Factors that cause the appearance of papillomas in women are: general weakening of the immune system (long-term illnesses, often with stress), use of oral contraceptives and menstrual disorders.
In men, papillomas occur as a result of promiscuous and active sex life, refusal of condoms, nicotine and alcohol addiction.
How you can get infected:
- Gender- the most common way of infection. Using a condom does not eliminate the risk of infection, especially if the growths are localized in the perineum or anus.
- During pregnancy and childbirth- if the mother is infected with the HPV virus, it is transmitted to the child during childbirth or through breast milk.
- By everyday means- when using general hygiene products in violation of sanitary norms.
Self-infection with the papilloma virus often occurs in places with high humidity - beaches, swimming pools, saunas. Infection occurs when the skin comes into contact with a source of HPV, or when the mucous membrane is small.
Penetrating the body, the virus finds the most favorable habitat for itself, but it is mostly localized in parts of the body exposed 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 do not cause permanent damage. Some rashes may disappear completely on their own when a person's immunity increases, but they appear again with any inciting factor.
Papillomas should be treated only in cases of large growth and risk factors for their transformation into malignant tumors.
Home treatment is best carried out after consulting a doctor - in most cases, a dermatologist deals with the removal of papillomas; if the growths are in the genital area, a dermatovenerologist (for men), a gynecologist (for women).
It is important! Under no circumstances should you cut, scratch or squeeze the tumors yourself!
Therapy for papilloma is carried out in a complex way - first of all, drugs that strengthen immunity and antiviral agents are prescribed. Usually, this is enough for the growths to disappear on their own.
However, if papillomas interfere with a person's normal life or if 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 papillomas at home or in the clinic, thereby preventing the dangerous development of the disease.
An infected person must take preventive measures to prevent the appearance of growths, follow a healthy lifestyle and increase immunity.
Treatment in the clinic
Treatment in the clinic involves surgical removal of papillomas, and the method of removal is chosen by the doctor according to the type of tumor and after diagnostic procedures.
When the tumor is larger than 1 cm in diameter or cancer is suspected, removal of the growth is usually recommended. During the operation, growths and a certain amount of surrounding tissue are removed, after which cosmetic stitches are applied.
Surgical methods of removing papillomas:
- Laser removal.The most accessible and common method consists of laser removal of the growth after anesthesia with anesthesia. The procedure takes about 20-30 seconds for each tumor. After cauterization, a crust remains on the skin that cannot be removed - it will fall off by itself after a few days. With this method, it is suggested to remove papillomas on the neck, face, armpits, under the mammary glands, where the skin is very thin and easily damaged.
- Radiosurgical treatment.According to the principle of implementation, this method is similar to laser excision, but its distinct advantage is that radio wave therapy is not so dangerous for the human eye, and therefore it is preferred when removing papillomas on the eyelid and face.
- Cryodestruction- cold cauterization using cotton wool soaked in liquid nitrogen (temperature of liquid nitrogen is 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 treatment with liquid nitrogen can cause temporary redness of the skin.
- Electrocoagulation– an outdated method that uses an electric knife that burns tumors using high-frequency currents.
- Excision with a scalpel- the previously widespread method of removing papillomas is now almost 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.
The treatment does not end after the operation - the doctor prescribes immunomodulatory and antiviral drugs to the patient and gives recommendations for conducting medical procedures at home.
To increase immunity, vitamin complexes, immunomodulators, diet, walks in the fresh air and hardening are recommended.
Recurrences do not usually occur after surgical removal, but if the area is not completely cleaned, growths may reappear at the site of excision.
Treatment at home
Some types of papillomas can be removed at home using folk and pharmaceutical remedies.
Removal of papillomas at home can be done using pharmaceutical products with cauterizing properties.
These preparations are combinations of alkalis and acids, that is, they eliminate papillomas by burning tissue on the skin. Therefore, before burning papilloma at home, it is advisable to consult a doctor and use such products with caution in order 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 according to three basic rules:
- You cannot remove genital warts from your genitals by yourself.
- It is impossible to eliminate the growth 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, and then the doctor will not be able to remove it.
How to get rid of papilloma at home:
- garlic.Cut a piece of garlic and apply fresh juice to the growth, fixing 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 where it was released. 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 on the affected area several times a day. 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.70% vinegar and glycerin can be mixed in equal proportions and spread on growths three to four times a day. Or use ordinary 5% vinegar to lubricate the papilloma every day.
You can remove papilloma on the eyelid at home using Kalanchoe or aloe juice, and at the same time using antiviral ophthalmic drugs. However, if the growth is close to the mucous membrane of the eye and inside the eyelid, it is better not to treat it at home, you should consult an ophthalmologist or dermatologist.
The most gentle way to remove armpit papillomas at home is to use an ordinary egg white: a papilloma is drawn in a thick layer of white and kept in this position for several hours, after which another layer is drawn on top. After a few days of daily repetition of the procedure, small papillomas dry up and fall off by themselves.
Traditional medicine offers many ways to remove papillomas at home, but it should be taken into account that different methods will be effective for different types and types of growth, so each method is purely individual and it is advisable to use it after consultation. with the doctor.
It is important! Various dietary supplements for papillomas, monastic tea, tea for parasites and papillomas - do not help in the treatment of papillomas!
It is almost impossible to prevent HPV infection - even if you strictly observe the rules of personal hygiene, avoid casual sex and visit public places, there is no guarantee that the virus will not enter the body after contact with household items. touched by an already infected person.
Therefore, the main preventive measure for the formation 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.