Papillomas (or warts) are not so common in men.
They usually do not cause pain, but they need treatment, as they pose a threat to both their owner and others.
What is
A papilloma is a growth formed due to excessive cell division of the epithelium of the skin or mucous membrane.
Its appearance is due to a papilloma virus - it changes the DNA of human cells, causing them to reproduce intensively.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is an extremely common microorganism.
It has been found that about half of the adult population are carriers of one strain or another or have clinical manifestations of the disease.
A person can encounter the virus every day and not get sick due to an active immune defense. But reducing resistance can make the body vulnerable.
To date, more than 100 types of HPV have been identified.
What papilloma looks like on the skin: treatment and prevention of papillomavirus infection
The external manifestation of the human papillomavirus is papillomas on the skin. Neoplasms, popularly known as warts, are benign in nature. But a seemingly harmless growth can undergo a malignant disease and transform into a cancerous tumor.
Why do papillomas appear on the skin?
You can get the virus through contact with a carrier of the strain or through household contact when using contaminated items.
In newborns, the cause of papillomatosis is passage through the mother's infected birth canal.
HPV infection also occurs under the influence of such adverse factors as:
- weakening of the immune system;
- sex life with unverified partners;
- bad habits;
- long-term treatment with certain drugs;
- tendency to depression;
- infectious diseases;
- non-observance of hygiene rules in public places with high humidity.
When HPV, the main cause of skin papillomas, enters the body, it affects the basal layer of the epithelium at the point of its transition from multilayer to cylindrical. As a result, the infected cell becomes benign, but can subsequently regenerate and trigger the mechanism of cancer development.
The pedicled neoplasm deserves special attention - due to its sensitivity to injury, it can infect the surrounding healthy skin and cause multiple papillomatosis.
Warts do not always turn into tumors. If they are caused by viruses with a low oncogenic type, you should not worry. These are strains 42, 44, 11 and 6. A dermatologist or venereologist can determine the degree of oncogenic risk.
Diagnosis of papillomatosis
What does a papilloma look like on the skin? The standard variant is a rough, soft-to-the-touch growth that looks like an inflorescence of a mushroom or cabbage. Its size can reach 2 cm.
Neoplasms are of the following types:
- simple - these are rough hard growths, the size of which starts from 1 mm. They tend to accumulate in arrays under one stratum corneum. Such papillomas form under the knees, on the backs of the fingers and palms.
- Callus-like plantar warts are small, shiny bumps. Over time, they grow and are distinguished by a characteristic convex edge. Branches diverge from the main growth in the form of smaller baby warts.
- Filamentous growths resemble elongated cone-shaped rods, the length of which reaches 6 mm.
- Flat neoplasms are characterized by a natural shade of the body and similarity to flattened cones. If they are present, people complain of itching, sometimes - redness of the focus.
- Genital warts are neoplasms that appear on the genitals of men and women. They affect the skin and mucous membranes. The color of genital warts is flesh, pink, red. Sizes vary from 1 mm to several centimeters.
After a visual examination of the patient, the specialist gives him a referral for PCR diagnosis of the DNA of the virus. According to his answers, the doctor will be able to determine the type of strain, the degree of its oncogenicity and the amount. PCR also allows you to find out whether papillomatosis is chronic or appeared suddenly against the background of a sharp decrease in immunity.
The micropreparation of the papilloma of the skin is represented by the stroma of the connective tissue and epithelium. The nature of the latter determines the type of neoplasm, which is squamous and transitional cell. The connective tissue of the stroma is defined as dense or loose. It is often edematous, inflamed and full of blood vessels. In the case of growth sclerosis, a diagnosis of fibropapilloma is made.
The epithelial layer covering the wart shows an increase in the number and size of pathological cells. This is an indicator of hyperkeratosis. Papillomas can differ from each other in their histological structure.
For example, areas of parakeratosis and vacuolated epithelial cells are inherent in simple cutaneous papillomas. Formations with polymorphism of epithelial cells are determined in senile keratosis. In ICD 10, skin papilloma is recorded under code B97. 7 "Papillomaviruses as causative agents of diseases classified elsewhere".
Treatment and prevention of human papillomavirus infection
HPV treatment regimens are always selected by doctors individually. If the virus is detected before its clinical manifestation, the patient is offered the use of cytostatics.
Based on the specific symptoms and localization, the treatment of papillomas on the skin is carried out by one of the following methods:
- cryodestruction;
- radio wave therapy;
- electrocoagulation;
- laser vaporization;
- chemical destruction.
Warts with signs of degeneration are subject to surgical excision with capture of healthy tissue. After eliminating the external signs of papillomavirus carrier, the patient is prescribed a course of antiviral therapy and regular examinations are offered.
As a conservative therapy, drugs are prescribed that inhibit the activity of the virus and increase the body's defenses.
The medicine released in the form of a spray is a topical preparation. Its use gives an antiviral and immunomodulating effect. The spray is included in the complex therapy of genital warts.
Prevention of HPV infection has several directions. An important one of them is the sexual education of young people, explaining the features of transmission of the virus and the methods of protection. Particular attention is paid to a healthy lifestyle, the development of resistance to stress and the timely treatment of any infectious diseases.