Why do papillomas appear and how to treat them?

Papillomas are benign papillary formations on the surface of the skin and mucous membranes.The cause is the human papillomavirus (HPV), which infects the majority of the world's population.Growths can appear on any part of the body, including intimate places and internal organs.

What causes papillomas?

The disease is sexually transmitted in 50% of cases, but may not appear for a long time.Clinical symptoms are observed when the immune defense of the body is weakened, which is caused by colds, inflammations and accompanying chronic diseases of the internal organs.

Papillomas on the body appear more often in adolescence, which coincides with the beginning of sexual activity.In young people, the cause can be frequent changes of sexual partners, anal sex.In intimate areas, growths usually form within 1-2 months after unprotected intercourse.

Papillomas are seen much more often in women than in men.Benign formations can occur in the anogenital area and in the mucosa of the vagina and cervix.This often causes cancer of the reproductive organs.Due to weak immunity, young children are susceptible to HPV infection;the virus is transmitted from infected parents through close family contact.

Overweight patients often ask a dermatologist: why do papillomas appear on the body?In people with excess body weight, signs of the disease are diagnosed especially often.The reason is a metabolic disorder in the body.The growths are mainly located in the skin folds of the armpits, hips, under the mammary glands, on the neck, eyelids and face.

Why do papillomas appear on the body, where do they come from?

After entering the blood, the papilloma virus begins to multiply actively, affecting the upper layers of the skin.If the immune system is strong enough, the external manifestations of the infection may not be noticed for a long time.But when favorable conditions are created, pathological proliferation of epithelial cells occurs.

The incubation period does not exceed 3 months, but in some cases the latent course of the disease lasts up to 2 years.Provocative causes of the appearance of papillomas in the body are flu, poisoning, severe stress, acute inflammatory disease, pregnancy and adolescence.

Main routes of HPV infection:

• From a sick mother to a child during the passage through the birth canal.This happens if a woman has papillomas in her intimate places.The pathogen can also pass to the child through breast milk.
• The disease is transmitted sexually from an infected partner to a healthy partner.Using a condom will reduce the risk.But if the growths are localized in the perineum or anus, contraception is ineffective.
• The domestic route of infection occurs through shared towels and sanitary items.Thus, the virus enters the child's body.
• Self-infection occurs when a benign formation is damaged by a razor or tight clothes.Increases appear in other countries in greater numbers.

Types and external signs of papillomas

There are more than a hundred types of virus manifestations, depending on the type of pathogen:

1. Genital wartsoccur in the external genitalia, anus, and perineum in men and women.They have a special shape, reminiscent of a rooster's comb or cauliflower.Formations are multiple, causing itching and discomfort.In rare cases, anogenital condylomas are localized in the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, tongue and lips.
2. Simple wartsThey are round in shape and most often affect the extremities.Usually many papillomas appear, rashes continue for 6-8 months, then they can go away on their own without any treatment.
3. Flat or juvenile wartsoccur in adolescents during puberty against the background of hormonal changes in the body.Usually such papillomas are located on the face, neck, fingers and legs on the back.The growths are flat, light pink or beige, painless.
4. Filiform or acrochord warts- These are elongated formations of light pink or brown color.Most often they appear in women under the mammary glands, on the neck, eyelids, face and groin, armpit.
5. Plantar wartslocated on the soles of the feet and the inside of the hands.The growths cause itching and discomfort when walking.This papilloma looks like a round formation, similar to a callus.In the center there are black dots, along the edges there is a roll of keratinized skin.
6. Oncogenic papillomaviruseshumans cause the development of cancer of the larynx and genital organs in women.

Treatment of papillomas on the face and body

In most cases, skin tags do not cause discomfort and do not require treatment.Exceptions include formations that are repeatedly injured and are cosmetic defects.

It is impossible to completely cure HPV, but maintenance therapy can help prevent skin growths from appearing.It is useful for an infected person to adhere to a proper diet, exercise, perform health procedures and give up bad habits.

To begin with, it is better to treat the papilloma virus with local drugs.

If no positive changes are observed after taking the drugs, the growths are surgically removed.But without prior restorative therapy, such a procedure is ineffective, as relapses may occur.First, it is necessary to carry out a course of treatment to increase the immune defense of the body.The patient receives immunomodulators, a complex of vitamins, antiviral and cytotoxic drugs.If there are concomitant diseases, the source of inflammation should be treated.

Surgical method of treatment

It is necessary to treat the surgical pathology if the diameter of the papilloma exceeds 1 cm, if a cancerous tumor is suspected.The doctor removes the growth along with a small amount of surrounding tissue.Cosmetic sutures are then applied.

Alternative methods for treating papillomas on the face and body are:

• Cryodestruction– this is the effect on neoplasia of low temperatures (-196°).The procedure is painless and does not require the administration of anesthesia.After treatment with liquid nitrogen, the growth turns white, then a blister forms in its place.Gradually, pathological cells die.This method helps to treat papillomas on the neck, eyelids, intimate areas and other areas with sensitive skin.
• Electrocoagulation– this is the effect of high frequency currents in the affected area.A special ring is placed on the stem or narrow base of the growth, which cauterizes the tissue.After that, the papilloma is easily removed.There is no bleeding.
• Laser removalit is the least traumatic method of treatment.The affected area is exposed to a carbon dioxide beam, the liquid evaporates, the tissues are dehydrated, dry and turn into a dark crust, which falls off after a week.When removing papillomas on the eyelids and face, it is necessary to avoid contact with ultraviolet rays on the skin, otherwise pigmentation may occur.
• Radiosurgical treatmentperformed using a special apparatus.The therapy method is similar to laser cauterization, only in this case a radio knife is used.No scar remains after removal.
• Chemical destruction methodit is carried out by applying organic acids to the surface of the papilloma, which destroy the structure of pathological cells.

If the pain threshold is low or the growth is large, local anesthesia is used.After the operation, the patient must follow the doctor's recommendations and carry out disinfection.The excised papilloma is sent for histological examination to rule out the presence of cancer cells.

Relapses after surgical treatment occur if the affected area is not completely treated.In this case, growth appears again.

Removal of genital warts

Before the procedure, a person must undergo a biochemical blood test for the presence of antibodies to the HPV virus, stains for urogenital infections and a tissue biopsy.Based on the results of the research, the doctor chooses the optimal treatment option.

Anogenital condylomas are removed using the same methods as papillomas on the neck and face.These are cryodestruction, laser radiation, electrocoagulation, radio wave therapy, chemical destruction.

It is recommended that all patients treat papillomas in the intimate area, as they can infect the partner with the virus.And growths in the vagina and cervix in women require urgent removal because they can cause cancer.

Prevention of human HPV

The only way to prevent papillomavirus is vaccination.In some countries, this measure is included in the list of mandatory vaccinations, in others the procedure is carried out at the patient's request.

Vaccine injections are given in 3 phases, with an interval of 1 month and six months after the first injection.Scientific studies have confirmed the effectiveness of this method, which eliminates the causes of benign formations on the skin.

Additional preventive measures include protected sexual relations, careful selection of sexual partners, strengthening of the immune system, improvement of body health, use of personal hygiene items and timely treatment of infectious diseases.

A dermatologist can answer the question of why papillomas grow and how they should be treated.The doctor will perform an examination, prescribe laboratory tests and choose the necessary treatment regimen.