Why do papillomas occur and how to treat them?

Papillomas are benign papillary formations on the surface of the skin and mucous membranes.It is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), which infects most 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 manifest itself for a long time.Clinical symptoms are observed when the body's immune defenses are weakened, which is caused by colds, inflammation and concomitant chronic diseases of internal organs.

Body papillomas most often appear in adolescence, coinciding with the onset of sexual activity.In young people, the cause may be frequently changing partners and having anal sex.In private areas, tumors usually form within 1–2 months after unprotected intercourse.

Papillomas are observed more often in women than in men.Benign formations can occur in the genital area and on the mucous membranes of the vagina and cervix.This often causes cancer of the reproductive organs.Due to weak immunity, young children are very susceptible to HPV infection;the virus is transmitted from infected parents through close household contact.

Overweight patients often ask dermatologists: why do papillomas appear on the body?In people with excess body weight, signs of the disease are diagnosed especially often.The cause is due to metabolic disorders in the body.Tumors are concentrated mainly in skin folds in the armpits, groin, 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 actively multiply, affecting the upper layers of the skin.If the immune system is strong enough, external manifestations of infection may not be observed for a long time.But when favorable conditions are created, pathological proliferation of epithelial cells will occur.

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

Main routes of HPV infection:

• From a sick mother to her child during the reproductive tract.This happens if a woman has papillomas in intimate places.Pathogens can also be transmitted to the baby through breast milk.
• The disease is sexually transmitted from an infected partner to a healthy person.Using condoms will reduce the risk.But if the tumor is located in the perineum or anus, contraception will not be effective.
• The route of infection within the family occurs through shared towels and hygiene items.Therefore, the virus enters the child's body.
• Self-infection occurs when a benign tumor is damaged by a razor or tight clothing.Growth appears elsewhere in larger numbers.

Types and external signs of papillomas

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

1. Genital wartsoccurs in the external genitalia, anus and perineum in men and women.They have a peculiar shape, reminiscent of a rooster's comb or cauliflower.The formations are numerous, causing itching and discomfort.In rare cases, genital warts are localized on the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, tongue and lips.
2. Simple wartsThey have a round shape and often affect the limbs.Usually many papillomas appear, the rash lasts 6–8 months, then can go away without treatment.
3. Flat warts or juvenile wartsoccurs in adolescents during puberty due to hormonal changes in the body.Usually such papillomas are localized on the face, neck, fingers and toes on the back.The tumor is flat, pale pink or beige in color, and painless.
4. Filamentous warts or acrochords- These are elongated masses of pale pink or brown color.They often appear in women under the mammary glands, on the neck, eyelids, face, groin, and armpits.
5. Foot wartslocalized on the soles of the feet and the inside of the hands.The growth causes itching and discomfort when walking.This papilloma looks like a circle, similar to scar tissue.In the center there are black dots, along the edge there is a roll of keratinized skin.
6. Papilloma virus causes cancerhumans 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 frequently injured and have cosmetic defects.

HPV cannot be completely cured, but maintenance therapy can help avoid the appearance of skin tumors.It will be very useful if the infected person adheres to a proper diet, exercises, carries out health care procedures and gives up bad habits.

To begin with, it is better to treat papilloma virus with topical medications.

If no positive changes are observed after taking the drug, the tumors are removed surgically.But without preliminary restorative therapy, this procedure will not be effective because relapse is possible.First, it is necessary to carry out a course of treatment to increase the body's immune defenses.Patients take immunomodulators, vitamin complexes, antiviral and cytotoxic drugs.If there is an accompanying disease, the cause of inflammation needs to be treated.

Surgical treatment methods

Surgical treatment of the pathology is required if the diameter of the papilloma exceeds 1 cm, if a cancerous tumor is suspected.Your doctor will remove the tumor along with a small amount of surrounding tissue.Then cosmetic stitches are applied.

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

• Cold destruction– this is the effect on tumors at low temperatures (-196°).This procedure is painless and does not require the use of anesthesia.After treatment with liquid nitrogen, the tumor turned white, then a blister formed on the spot.Gradually, pathological cells die.This method helps treat papillomas on the neck, eyelids, private areas and other sensitive skin areas.
• Electrocoagulation– this is the effect of high frequency current on the affected area.A special ring is placed on the narrow stem or base of the growth, which helps burn the tissue.After that, the papilloma is easily removed.No bleeding occurred.
• Laser removalis the least traumatic treatment method.The affected area is exposed to carbon dioxide rays, the liquid evaporates, the tissues become dehydrated, dry out 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 exposure to ultraviolet rays on the skin, otherwise melasma may occur.
• Treatment is with radiotherapyis done using a special device.The therapeutic method is similar to laser cautery, only in this case a radio knife is used.After removal there are no scars left.
• Chemical destruction methodis done by applying organic acids to the surface of the papilloma, destroying the structure of pathological cells.

If the pain threshold is low or the tumor is large, local anesthesia will be used.After surgery, the patient must follow the doctor's recommendations and perform disinfection.The resected papilloma will be sent for histological examination to rule out the presence of cancer cells.

Recurrence after surgical treatment occurs 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, a urogenital infection smear, and a tissue biopsy.Based on the research results, the doctor chooses the optimal treatment plan.

Genital warts are removed using the same methods as cervical and facial papillomas.These are cold destruction, laser radiation, electrocautery, radio wave therapy, and chemical destruction.

It is recommended that all patients be treated for genital papillomas because they can transmit the virus to their sexual partners.And tumors in the vagina and cervix in women need to be removed urgently because they can cause cancer.

Prevention of HPV in humans

The only way to prevent papillomavirus is by 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.

Vaccination is carried out in 3 stages, with an interval of 1 month and 6 months after the first injection.Scientific studies have confirmed the effectiveness of this method, helping to eliminate the causes of benign formations on the skin.

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

A dermatologist can answer the question of why papillomas develop and how to treat them.The doctor will conduct an examination, prescribe laboratory tests and choose the necessary treatment regimen.