Why do papillomas occur and how to treat them?

Papillomas are benign papillary formations on the surface of the skin and mucous membranes.The cause is 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 defense is weakened, which is caused by colds, inflammation, and concomitant chronic ailments of internal organs.

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

Papillomas are observed much more often in women than in men.Benign formations can occur in the anogenital 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 susceptible to HPV infection; the virus is transmitted from infected parents through close household contact.

Often overweight patients 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 localized mainly in the skin folds of 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 occurs.

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

The main routes of HPV infection:

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

Types and external signs of papillomas

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

1. Genital wartsoccur on 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 multiple, causing itching and discomfort.In rare cases, anogenital condylomas are localized on the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, tongue, and lips.
2. Simple wartsThey are round in shape and most often affect the extremities.Usually many papillomas appear, the 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 localized on the face, neck, fingers and toes on the back side.The growths are flat, light pink or beige in color, painless.
4. Filiform warts or acrochords- These are elongated formations of light pink or brownish color.Most often they appear in women under the mammary glands, on the neck, eyelids, face and groin, armpits.
5. Plantar wartslocalized on the soles of the feet and the inside of the hands.The growths cause itching and discomfort while 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 constantly injured and are cosmetic defects.

It is impossible to completely cure the HPV virus, but maintenance therapy can help avoid the appearance of skin growths.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 topical medications.

If no positive changes are observed after taking the drugs, the growths are removed surgically.But without preliminary 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 body's immune defense.The patient takes immunomodulators, a vitamin complex, 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 pathology surgically 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.Then cosmetic stitches are applied.

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

• Cryodestruction– this is the effect on the neoplasm of low temperatures (-196°).The procedure is painless and does not require the administration of anesthetics.After treatment with liquid nitrogen, the growth turns white, then a blister forms in its place.Gradually, the pathological cells die off.This method helps treat papillomas on the neck, eyelids, intimate areas and other areas with sensitive skin.
• Electrocoagulation– this is the effect of high frequency currents on the affected area.A special ring is placed on the narrow stem or base of the growth, which cauterizes the tissue.After this, the papilloma is easily removed.No bleeding occurs.
• Laser removalis the least traumatic method of treatment.The affected area is exposed to a carbon dioxide ray, the liquid evaporates, the tissues are 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 contact with ultraviolet rays on the skin, otherwise pigmentation may occur.
• Radiosurgical treatmentperformed using a special apparatus.The method of therapy is similar to laser cauterization, only in this case a radio knife is used.After removal there are no scars left.
• Chemical destruction methodis 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 perform disinfection.The excised papilloma is sent for histological examination to exclude the presence of cancer cells.

Relapses after surgical treatment occur if the affected area is not treated completely.In this case, the 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, smears for urogenital infections, and a tissue biopsy.Based on the research results, the doctor selects 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 for all patients to treat papillomas in the intimate area, as they can infect their partner with the virus.And growths in the vagina and cervix in women require urgent excision 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 request of the patient.

Vaccine injections are given in 3 stages, 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 intercourse, careful selection of a sexual partner, 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 grow and how they should be treated.The doctor will conduct an examination, prescribe laboratory tests and select the necessary treatment regimen.