A skin growth on a cylindrical pedicle, sometimes almost invisible, is called papilloma. It often appears out of nowhere and does not appear for a long time. But with any “jump” of immunity or in the heat, it suddenly appears to your eyes, first as a single person: one papilloma “mother” can “pop out” in the armpit or on the eyelid (her favorite places, for example, on the bends of the elbows and in the popliteal fossae), and then “let in” the “babies”, that is, literally “sprinkle” all sorts of places on our body. For some, this phenomenon will only be a temporary disorder - well, they say, it gets in the way, clings to clothes, and if it’s “stuck” on the face, it’s ugly, a cosmetic defect, but you don’t have to notice! But is this small growth so harmless, especially when it forms a whole colony around itself? Should I delete it, or leave it and forget it?
Is human papillomavirus (HPV) a sexually transmitted disease?
HPV - in more detail stands for “a virus that causes a benign tumor of epithelial origin in the form of a papilla” - papilloma (papilloma: Latin papilla - nipple and Greek -oma - tumor). It is classified as a sexually transmitted disease (STD). The concept today has, unfortunately, become much broader, and if earlier we heard about several “terrible”, as it seemed to us, classical diseases of Venus, which are actually treated simply and are detected quickly (syphilis, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chancroid), then The list of “new” STDs - insidious, difficult to diagnose, and sometimes difficult to treat and completely incurable (HIV) - is constantly growing.
So, we include the following “new” STDs: chlamydia, mycoplasmosis, ureaplasmosis, gardnerellosis, genital herpes, candidiasis, and human papillomavirus. If growths from papillomavirus have formed in the areas of the genital or perianal organs, then they are called “pointed candylomas,” but in fact they are the same virus, only its different strains (types).
Common causes of tearing
Often, it is precisely those growths that are damaged that were previously damaged, or new growths that tend to grow further that come off. The reason for this is poor connection of the papilloma with the skin. Sometimes involuntary removal occurs during sleep or scratching the skin after a mosquito bite.
For antiseptic treatment of the papilloma tear area, it is recommended to use alcohol with a concentration of no more than 70%.
A more concentrated one can cause chemical burns and blockage of skin pores.It is strictly forbidden to use homemade ointments and solutions to treat a wound.
Cosmetologist, dermatologist, trichologist
Kalinina Olga Alexandrovna
4 years of experience
There are frequent cases of damage and tearing off growths located on open parts of the body (arms, face, neck). Papilloma can also be regularly injured by clothing, jewelry, or when wearing a backpack or bag with a shoulder strap.
Sometimes a person can tear off a growth that just appears, confusing it with a pimple or other formations.
Situations are not excluded in which people deliberately tear off or cut off papillomas, trying to get rid of an external skin defect.
Are papilloma and condyloma the same thing?
Genital condylomas in the perineal area are sometimes single, and sometimes look like growths that resemble cauliflower in appearance. Sometimes these formations cause itching, irritation when touched, and sometimes they bleed. SM-Clinic doctors are often approached by patients who, having seen enough advertising, have been treated for years with “one pill” for supposed “exacerbations” of candidiasis (thrush). Upon examination, it turns out that the smear in such patients is normal, and the often recurring itching is actually caused by condylomas.
Is it possible or not?
It is possible or not to cut off growths; this is the question that interests many. Experts are unanimously of the opinion that it is impossible to cut off tumors on your own, even if it is in the way. For help, you need to contact specialists, where, after examination, the papilloma will be removed in 5 minutes using anesthetics.
Instead of doing dangerous manipulations, you can get rid of papillomas with the use of local or oral antiviral drugs.
Papillomatosis in the throat
There is also papillomatosis of the respiratory tract, when the tissue lining the nasopharynx begins to grow from the nose to the lungs, also often affecting the larynx. This is also one of the types of disease caused by the papilloma virus; the formations in this case are considered benign. SM-Clinic doctors are good at diagnosing this type of HPV and successfully treating it, while the disease is not always recognized by local or ENT doctors, who at best shrug their shoulders and prescribe rinses.
Possible consequences
One of the biggest troubles that awaits a person who has torn off a papilloma is its degeneration into a tumor.
So, from an ordinary benign growth it can turn into a malignant neoplasm. The consequences of such developments will be operations, dangerous drug treatment and other measures that are carried out for cancer.
But even when the greatest danger is avoided, numerous troubles of another type may appear. Pathogenic microorganisms can settle in an open wound. The result is severe inflammation or suppuration.
This is especially unpleasant when the problem area is in a place of constant friction, for example, in the armpit or neck. Even after successful treatment and complete healing of the problem area, a scar may remain at the wound site.
All this suggests that papillomas and warts need to be gotten rid of in a timely manner. A qualified specialist will help you detect and remove problematic growths. Self-medication in this case is extremely dangerous.
Who is at risk of getting the papilloma virus?
Papillomas and condylomas can appear, disappear and appear again, because they are manifestations of a viral infection, and their presence depends on the state of the body’s defenses at the moment, that is, immunity. Infection is most likely among smokers and alcoholics, and among those who are indiscriminate in sexual relations.
Women who use oral contraceptives (COCs) for a long time are also at risk of contracting the virus. The carrier of the virus can be both old and young. It is enough for your body to experience internal stress of various origins: you have had the flu or ARVI, gastrointestinal problems have worsened, your body cannot cope with long-term medication use - and here you have a weakened immune system, and with it the papillomavirus.
It is enough to be in close contact or live next to a person carrying the virus, take a swim in a “dirty” pool or shower in a public bath, or just walk along the beach - and if your immune system fails, the virus will invade your life. The papillomavirus “loves” heat and high humidity, when your skin is not protected by clothing. He immediately finds refuge on your heated skin.
How to get rid of papillomas on the face: professional techniques
Treatment of all skin tumors begins with a patient interview. It is important for the doctor to find out when the growth appeared, whether it bothers you, and whether its size and shape have changed. This is followed by a visual examination and dermatoscopy - the study of papilloma through the already mentioned dermatoscope. After this, the doctor issues a conclusion about what type of tumor we are dealing with and prescribes the optimal method for its removal.
“To treat papillomas, cytostatics, cryo-laser, diathermocoagulation and electrical destruction are used,” says Anna Torosyan. — Some medicinal formulations that contain, for example, celandine or castor oil, can be effective in the treatment of papillomas, but the use of these drugs without consultation with a specialist is unacceptable, since self-medication can lead to aggravation of the problem. Convex papillomas require immediate removal, especially if they are located on the face. This is due to the high probability of injury to the formation, which can trigger the onset of the inflammatory process and the spread of pathology to nearby areas of the skin.” In some cases, trauma can stimulate the development of cancer.
“Today, the safest and most reliable method of removing papillomas is radio wave,” says Maria Istomina. “Here they use a special device designed specifically for radio wave surgery - a unique non-contact technique for cutting soft tissue using high-frequency radio waves. This occurs due to the heat that tissues emit when high-frequency waves penetrate them. When working with papillomas, this device uses a very thin electrode. A radio wave with a frequency of about 4 MHz is concentrated in it. The papilloma tissue evaporates under its action, the skin does not heat up, and the patient feels practically nothing. The method is universal, since the device regulates the power and wave shape to remove tumors on any area of the skin. The device burns out the papilloma without pain or discomfort for the patient, and completely - only a small crust remains. The radiosurgery technique completely eliminates painful contractions of muscles or nerve endings, so it is one of the most painless techniques in modern medicine.”
There is also a method of cryodestruction - freezing the tumor with liquid nitrogen. It does not damage the skin, does not cause bleeding, and the procedure itself is quick and painless. Cryodestruction is most often used by specialists to remove papillomas on the face of children.
Histology for removed papilloma is not necessary. The need for this analysis depends on what diagnosis the doctor made when studying the tumor. If during dermatoscopy the doctor has no doubt that he is faced with a benign papilloma, histology can be dispensed with.
Pregnancy with papilloma virus
Infection from mother to fetus during childbirth occurs in almost 98% of cases. For a baby who passes through the birth canal, literally strewn with condylomas, the virus enters the mouth and eyes, so all women planning a pregnancy should be tested in advance and, if necessary, treated for HPV and all types of STDs. Only after completion of treatment can you plan to conceive.
If the disease was in a latent form and was first discovered during pregnancy, and this happens often (immunity weakens during pregnancy), then it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor: treatment of papilloma during pregnancy is possible.
How to stop bleeding
Every person should know what to do if a papilloma comes off and bleeding comes from it. At home, first of all, it is necessary to stop the bleeding and carry out antiseptic treatment. For these purposes, you can use what you have at home: a solution of potassium permanganate, fucorcin, hydrogen peroxide, ethyl alcohol. The most gentle remedy is hydrogen peroxide. It allows you to quickly stop bleeding and does not cause discomfort.
Processing sequence:
- A sufficiently large amount of antiseptic is applied to a cotton swab or cotton pad and the wound surface is thoroughly wiped with it. It is important to ensure that there are no cotton fibers left in the wound, which can cause secondary infection.
- To stop bleeding, apply a piece of sterile bandage folded in several layers to the wound.
- You need to hold the bandage for at least 5 minutes to ensure that the blood stops flowing. In this case, it is important to correctly regulate the force of pressure so that stopping the blood flowing from the wound does not disrupt local blood circulation.
- After the bleeding has completely stopped, it is necessary to re-treat the wound surface with an antiseptic agent, and then cover it with a bandage or plaster.
- The next smart step is to make an appointment with a dermatologist as soon as possible.
If there is such a possibility, then the torn piece of papilloma must be placed in saline solution and taken to a medical facility as soon as possible for diagnostic testing. If, after a papilloma has been torn off, the patient still does not want to go to the doctor or does not have such an opportunity, then it is important to at least initially observe the condition of the damaged area, and if suspicious signs are detected, go to a medical facility without delay.
We treat papilloma
Scientists have discovered more than 100 varieties of the HPV virus, but some types of genital candyloma can lead to cervical cancer, especially HPV subtypes 16, 18, 31. And the reason for this is that often, due to an asymptomatic course, a person goes nowhere for a long time appeals! Dispensary examinations have disappeared from our lives, which is why diagnosis can be quite late.
To avoid this, you need to visit an obstetrician-gynecologist twice a year, and once a year have a cytology smear (also called a Papanicolaou test or “atypia smear”) to detect precancerous changes in the cervix. It is also necessary to undergo a blood test to determine the DNA of the virus using PCR. SM-Clinic's own laboratories use high-quality reagents to more accurately determine test results. After going through them, it will become clear what types of HPV are present or absent in your body, and whether treatment is worthwhile.
- Non-oncogenic papillomaviruses - HPV 1, 2, 3, 5.
- Oncogenic papillomaviruses of low oncogenic risk - HPV 6, 11, 42, 43, 44, 54, 61, 70, 72, 81.
- Oncogenic papillomaviruses of intermediate oncogenic risk - HPV 26, 53, 66.
- Oncogenic papillomaviruses of high oncogenic risk - HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59 and 68.
Do not forget that the appearance of papillomas indicates trouble in your body: these small unpleasant skin protrusions, which are easy to get rid of, signal that you have not seen a doctor for a long time, and may have developed gynecological diseases, kidney disease, gastritis or colitis.
Under no circumstances should papillomas be torn off, tied with threads, or combed out - this provokes the virus to aggressively “seize” new territories - it will simply move to an unaffected organ.
Removal without traces or complications is carried out at SM-Clinic using painless methods that do not leave marks or scars. Immunity-boosting treatment is also carried out in parallel.
Removal of genital papillomas
Where can you go in Moscow if a gynecologist has discovered papillomas on the genitals? Doctors at our clinic remove condylomas from women and teenage girls using the most modern, best method - radio waves. At your service are delicate gynecologists with extensive experience and positive reviews, good imported local anesthesia, which allows you to remove genital papillomas quickly and painlessly!
Prices for services
How much does it cost to remove papilloma on the genitals - the clinic’s basic range of services for women:
✘ Doctor’s appointment with examination - 2500 ₽; ✘ Consultation with a teenage doctor - 2500 ₽; ✘ High-risk HPV types - from 650 ₽; ✘ Colposcopy/vulvoscopy - 1500 0 ₽; ✘ Removal of genital papillomatosis - from 5000 ₽; ✘ Panavir dropper (with placement) - 5500 ₽; ✘ Allokin Alpha injection (with injection) - 3500 ₽; ✘ Taking a smear for viruses - 450 rubles.
Considering the widespread prevalence of genital papillomas and the various possible methods of their transmission, doctors recommend that both sexually active women, girls and adolescents undergo a medical examination and be examined for their presence (read more about condylomas in virgins).
