Why do papillomas occur and how to treat them? Methods for eliminating papillomas

Papillomas are classified as benign neoplasms that look like warts protruding from the skin. Such growths not only cause cosmetic discomfort, but under certain circumstances can cause harm to human health and even become malignant.

Why do papillomas appear and how to get rid of them without harm to your health?

What do papillomas look like: varieties and types

Small benign formations (up to several millimeters in diameter) may appear on the skin and mucous membranes, which are popularly called "warts", and in medicine – papillomas. The growths are soft to the touch, have a slightly convex shape and are somewhat hanging, and their surface is heterogeneous and varies depending on the type of papilloma.

Where papillomas can occur:

• 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 region;
• 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 risk to human health, papillomas are divided into two types:

1. With low level– papillomas caused by HPV types 6 and 11;
2. With a high level– neoplasms that appear under the influence of the HPV virus types 18, 31, 16, 35 and 33; the risk of developing dysplasia and cancer with these tumors is quite high.

Papillomas are a fairly common phenomenon and appear equally frequently 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 detecting itself. But when the body weakens under the influence of certain factors, HPV begins to manifest itself externally - growths appear, redness and irritation of the mucous membranes may occur.

Important!Papillomas are not a malignant formation, but some varieties can create favorable conditions for the development of precancerous diseases and cancer.

There are many types of papillomas, depending on the type of HPV that has entered the body.

What are the main types of papillomas:

• 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 also called "juvenile warts. "
• Warts are simple ("vulgar")– they rise approximately 2-3 mm above the skin and occur most frequently on the feet, palms and hands, and are rough to the touch.
• Condylomata acuminatum– looks like a rooster’s comb or cauliflower. Most often they are located on the mucous membranes - in the urethra, genitals and mouth.
• Filiform warts- most often this type is called "papillomas" and they are typical for people over 35-40 years old. They are most often located in the armpits, on the face and neck, and under the breasts in women. Dimensions do not exceed 3-5 mm and look like round or thread-like protrusions.

Less common are papillomas in the urethra and bladder - usually in men and in combination with genital warts. A separate group includes papillomas in the larynx, trachea and oral cavity, becauseThese neoplasms cause the patient a lot of problems, and in some cases even pose a threat to life.

Why do papillomas occur?

The cause of papillomas in humans is HPV, which, penetrating the blood, begins to actively multiply, affecting mainly the upper layers of the skin. With strong and strong immunity, 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 it happens that the latent course lasts for several years.

The provoking factors for the occurrence of papillomas are:

• Decreased immunity– under the influence of past infections, stress, chronic diseases, lack of vitamins.
• Bad habits– Smoking and alcohol abuse often cause tumor processes.
• Promiscuity– papillomas are often sexually transmitted and concomitant diseases of the reproductive system only increase the development of HPV.

Indirect causes of the development of HPV can be prolonged 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 consider anyone who is sexually active to be at risk.

Papillomas often occur 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 the vaginal, oral and anal routes.

In women, the factors that provoke the appearance of papillomas are: general weakening of the immune system (with long-term illnesses, frequent stress), use of oral contraceptives and menstrual irregularities.

In men, papillomas occur as a result of promiscuous and active sexual life, refusal of condoms, nicotine and alcohol dependence.

How can you 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 birth or through breast milk.
• By everyday means– when using general hygiene products that do not comply with health standards.

Self-infection with the papilloma virus often occurs in places with high humidity - on beaches, swimming pools, saunas. With minor damage to the skin or when the mucous membrane comes into contact with a source of HPV, infection occurs.

Penetrating into the body, the virus finds the most favorable habitat for itself, but it is most often located in those parts of the body that are most often subject to microtrauma. The virus becomes infectious immediately after entering the human body. HPV does not spread to other organs, but it is very difficult to eliminate and it is almost impossible to completely eliminate the virus.

How to get rid of papillomas

Typically, papillomas do not require treatment if they do not cause aesthetic discomfort and are not subject to constant injury. Some rashes can disappear completely on their own when a person's immune strength increases, but with any provoking factor they reappear.

It is necessary to treat papillomas only in cases of large growths and in the presence of risk factors for their degeneration into malignant tumors.

Home treatment is best carried out after consulting a doctor - most often, papillomas are removed by a dermatologist; if the growths are located in the genital area, a dermatovenereologist (for men), a gynecologist (for women).

Important!Under no circumstances should you cut, scratch or squeeze tumors yourself!

Therapy for papilloma is carried out comprehensively - drugs that increase immunity and antiviral agents are first 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 danger to the patient's health and life, surgical removal of papillomas is proposed.

Observation!It is impossible to completely get rid of the papilloma virus, but it is possible to remove papillomas at home or in the clinic, thereby preventing the dangerous development of the disease.

An infected person will need to take preventative measures to prevent the appearance of growths, adhere to a healthy lifestyle and increase immunity.

Treatment in the clinic

Treatment in the clinic involves removing the papilloma by surgical methods, and the method of elimination is chosen by the doctor depending on the type of tumor and after diagnostic procedures.

It is generally recommended to remove the growth if the diameter of the tumor is greater than 1 cm or if cancer is suspected. During the operation, growths and a certain amount of surrounding tissue are removed, after which cosmetic stitches are applied.

Surgical methods for removing papilloma:

• Laser removal.The most accessible and common method is to remove the tumor with a laser after anesthesia with anesthetic. The procedure takes approximately 20-30 seconds per tumor. After cauterization, a crust remains on the skin that cannot be removed - after a few days it will fall off on its own. In this way, it is proposed to remove papillomas from the neck, face, armpits, under the mammary glands, where the skin is very delicate and is easily injured.
• Radiosurgical treatment.According to the principle of implementation, this method is similar to laser excision, but its distinctive advantage is that radio wave therapy is not so dangerous for human eyes and therefore is preferable in removing papillomas on the eyelids and in the face.
• Cryodestruction– cold cauterization with cotton wool soaked in liquid nitrogen (liquid nitrogen has a temperature of 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 carried out on the face, as liquid nitrogen treatment 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 scalpel– a previously common method of removing papillomas, now not used in almost all clinics due to the high risk of skin trauma.

The excised growth is sent for histology to exclude the presence of malignant cells.

Treatment does not end after the operation - 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, diet, walks in the fresh air and hardening.

After surgical removal, recurrences generally do not occur; Growths may reappear at the excision site if the area is not thoroughly cleaned.

Home treatment

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 with cauterizing properties.

These medicines are composed of alkalis and acids, that is, they eliminate papillomas by burning skin tissue. Therefore, before cauterizing a papilloma at home, it is advisable to consult a doctor and use these products with caution so as not to harm the skin, especially if the growths are located on the face or neck.

Removal of papillomas at home must be carried out in compliance with three basic rules:

1. You cannot remove genital warts alone.
2. It is impossible to remove growths of an unknown nature with signs of bleeding, inflammation or excessive growth.
3. It is not possible to remove tumors from the face - a scar or scar may remain that 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 greenery, secure with adhesive tape. Repeat twice a day for 2 to 4 weeks.
• Celandine juice.Make a cut in the stem of the celandine and apply it to the place where the juice is released for new growth. You can do the procedure 2 to 3 times a day, for 14 to 30 days. This method allows you to quickly and painlessly remove papillomas from your face at home.
• Washing powder.Lather the skin several times a day in the area where there are growths. Treatment is not effective for old and multiple tumors.
• Castor oil.The area around papillomas is lubricated 1-2 times a day for 1-1. 5 months.
• Vinegar.You can mix 70% vinegar and glycerin in equal proportions and spread it on the growths three or four times a day. Or use regular 5% vinegar to lubricate the papilloma every day.

You can remove eyelid papilloma at home using Kalanchoe or aloe vera juice, at the same time using antiviral ophthalmic medications. But if the growth is located close to the mucous membrane of the eye and inside the eyelid, it is better not to carry out home treatment, you need to consult an ophthalmologist or dermatologist.

The most gentle method for removing armpit papillomas at home is to use ordinary egg white: the white is applied to the papilloma in a thick layer and left in this state for several hours, after which another layer is applied on top. Several days after daily repetition of the procedure, small papillomas dry up and fall off on their own.

Traditional medicine offers many ways to remove papillomas at home, but it should be borne in mind that different methods will be effective for different types and varieties of growths, therefore each method is purely individual and it is advisable to use it after consultation. with a doctor.

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 avoid HPV infection - even with strict adherence to the rules of personal hygiene, avoiding casual sex and frequenting public places of use, there is no guarantee that the virus will not enter the body through contact with household items that have previously been touched by an already infected person.

Therefore, the main preventive measure for the appearance of papillomas can only be considered increasing immunity, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, avoiding stress and infectious diseases, taking vitamins and getting rid of bad habits.