Papilloma has turned black - a fairly common complaint that can be heard from patients visiting a dermatologist’s office.
Most people with these benign skin growths know that they can become malignant.
Therefore, they treat any changes with great caution.
Naturally, a change in color inevitably causes not only caution, but also well-founded fears.
Why benign formations can turn black, and what symptoms this can be combined with, patients are often interested in.
What tests should I undergo to make sure there is no danger to life, and what are the possible consequences?
Clinical picture
Blackening of the papilloma occurs with the development of the inflammatory process. Associated symptoms may include:
- Increases in size.
- Itching.
- Burning.
- Bleeding.
The pedunculated papilloma may become harder. In certain cases, exudate may be released from the formation. If these symptoms appear, you should consult a doctor.
Blackening of the papilloma is a sign of its inflammation. Often, the color change is accompanied by itching, increase in size, and bleeding.
These symptoms are a reason for an urgent consultation with a doctor, who will find out whether the papilloma is dying off or undergoing a pathological change.
Treatment: prescribed taking into account diagnostic data: most often removal is performed.
Often several black dots can be seen inside the neoplasm. Such growths usually form on the palms or soles, but can also appear on other areas of the skin. They are the result of internal hemorrhages and may be accompanied by pain.
Darkening of the papilloma most often indicates its traumatization.
At the first signs of papilloma injury, an in-person examination by a doctor is necessary. Dermatoscopy is required.
Dermatovenerologist, cosmetologist
Zhikhoreva Inna Viktorovna
6 years experience
The following signs indicate the possibility of cancer cell development:
- Rapid growth of papilloma.
- Bleeding.
- Burning and itching.
- Unpleasant smell.
- Various discharges.
If these signs are present, a tumor marker test is prescribed, which most often turns out to be positive. In this case, surgical removal of the growth is prescribed.
Factors influencing the disappearance of education
Patients should know why a papilloma may fall off and what reasons contribute to this. Such predisposing factors include:
- Stopping constant re-infection with papillomavirus. This can happen when a sexual partner changes or in the absence of promiscuous sexual relations.
- Completion of treatment with drugs that reduce immunity: immunosuppressants, cytostatics, corticosteroids. Some time after this, your own immunity is restored and actively fights papillomas.
- Destruction of favorable conditions for the development of HPV. This includes cure for sexually transmitted infections: chlamydia, genital herpes, candidiasis.
- Exceptions to stressful situations. The constant release of catecholamines leads to a decrease in humoral immunity.
- Rational and balanced nutrition. Eating fatty, fried, spicy foods contributes to the rapid growth of papillomas.
- Giving up bad habits, active physical activity, playing sports. A healthy lifestyle normalizes a person’s immune status.
- Compliance with personal hygiene rules. This reduces the risk of developing papilloma infection several times.
- Periodic course use of multivitamins and immunomodulators. Especially in the winter - autumn period.
- Timely treatment of chronic diseases.
There is no clear answer to the question of how long it takes for a papilloma to fall off. This depends on the immune status of the body, treatment methods, and the extent of the process.
Not all warts can go away on their own. This is only possible if they are small in size and appear in small quantities. Their superficial localization or location in places that are covered by clothing can also contribute to the disappearance of these growths.
After stopping the bleeding, treat the wound with an antiseptic
Causes
Various formations on the skin in the form of moles, papillomas, warts and other types of formations are perceived as a cosmetic defect. They appear on the neck, face, arms and other parts of the body. They usually do not show symptoms. But when exposed to various factors, they can change color, becoming brown or black.
Removal of papillomas
Papillomas are benign formations.
It was found that neoplasms can change size, shape and color under the influence of the following factors:
- The process of dying. If the papilloma has turned black and dried out, this is normal if the treatment was carried out with the help of medications. This indicates a positive result of therapy. Over time, the formation will dry out and fall off on its own. This leaves no traces on the skin.
- Injury. Damage to the growth can occur as a result of mechanical or physical impact. As a result, bleeding may occur. The consequences of injury are infection and suppuration. In addition, a self-infection effect occurs when new growths appear around the damaged growth.
- Age-related changes. Senile warts and papillomas can be black or brown in color.
- Development of an infectious disease.
- Wearing uncomfortable clothes that can rub and put pressure on the papilloma. As a result, inflammation appears, and the formation changes color.
- Exposure to acids and alkalis. Self-removal also leads to blackening of the tumor.
- Long-term use of certain medications .
- Hormonal imbalance or improvement of the immune system. The body begins to fight the virus on its own, which leads to a change in the color of the papilloma.
- Formation of hemangioma.
- Degeneration into a malignant neoplasm.
Blackening of the papilloma does not always mean that an inflammatory process has begun in the body or cancer cells are developing. When treated with medications, the cells of the growth begin to die, which leads to its drying out and blackening. But if the papilloma changes color for no apparent reason, you should consult a doctor.
And is it possible to remove benign epidermal tumors on your own?
Having noticed specific neoplasms on the skin, which in medicine are called papillomas, many patients strive to cut or rip off the epidermal growth on their own, believing that such actions will lead to the disappearance of this defect. In addition, the Internet is actively discussing questions about what will happen if a papilloma is torn off and whether it is worth contacting a specialist if the papilloma comes off accidentally. Due to the relevance of such information, we will try to sort it out.
Diagnostics
Depending on the area where the papilloma is formed, treatment is carried out by doctors of different profiles:
- Dermatologist and surgeon. New growths that appear on open areas of the body are removed.
- Proctologist or gynecologist. These specialists should be contacted in cases where a growth appears in the groin area, on the genitals or around the anus.
- Dentist or otolaryngologist. Remove formations that have arisen on the oral mucosa.
- Oncologist-mammologist. Women should consult a doctor in cases where papilloma has formed on the mammary glands.
- Ophthalmologist. Patients who have formations in the eye area are referred to a specialist.
- Urologist. Removes papillomas formed on the penis.
Test for human papillomavirus
The human papillomavirus (HPV) manifests itself differently in each case.
To determine the course of treatment or determine the need for surgical removal, the doctor prescribes a set of diagnostic measures:
- Analysis for papillomavirus. A polymerase chain reaction blood test helps identify the DNA of viral cells. It is also possible to establish the type of growths and their number.
- Biopsy. The procedure involves sampling the area of formation for further histological examination. The diagnostic method helps to determine the presence of cancer cells and the likelihood of their degeneration into a malignant neoplasm.
- General clinical tests of blood, urine and feces. They are carried out to identify inflammatory processes and infections. Particular attention is paid to hemoglobin and red blood cell counts.
- Colposcopy. It is prescribed in cases where the growth is located on the genitals. For this purpose, a special calposcope apparatus is used, which allows tissue cells to be enlarged several times.
Digene-test may also be prescribed. The study helps determine the concentration of the tumor and its oncogenicity.
What happens if you tear off a papilloma
When considering skin growths such as papillomas, it should be clarified that such neoplasms are exclusively viral in nature and are provoked by the patient being infected with HPV (human papillomavirus). Papillomas can have different localizations and differ significantly in external signs, but they are all united by the phenomenon of epidermal hyperplasia, which is manifested by pathological tissue proliferation.
All experts in the field of dermatology, cosmetology and oncology unanimously state that it is strictly prohibited to independently remove epidermal tumors by cutting, burning or tearing off. Here is a list of the main unpleasant consequences of unprofessional removal of warts and papillomas:
- Severe bleeding. People who are interested in the answer to the question of whether it is possible to cut off papillomas do not even imagine how much the capillary and vascular network that feeds the body of the neoplasm grows. The fact is that the active growth and spread of papilloma requires a constant flow of nutrients and oxygen, which is due to the presence of a developed wart supply network. By independently cutting or tearing a papilloma, the patient can provoke severe bleeding and heavy blood loss. Such experiments are especially dangerous for people suffering from blood clotting disorders.
- Autoinaculation of a skin defect. The term autoinoculation refers to the spread or self-infection, which is quite likely when blood carrying the virus gets into healthy tissue, especially if there are injuries or microcracks on them. As a result, this method of treatment may end up worsening the primary problem.
- Infection of an open wound. When a papilloma is torn off accidentally or on purpose, an open wound remains at the site of the skin defect, unprotected by the epidermal integument. As a result, a gate is formed for the unhindered penetration of microorganisms and fungi into the patient’s body. This option becomes especially dangerous for papillomas localized on the mucous membranes, where there are no favorable conditions for rapid healing of the wound surface.
- Formation of unaesthetic scars and scars. Another guaranteed result of self-treatment of papillomas will be disfigurement of the site of treatment due to the proliferation of coarse connective tissue. That is why cutting off warts on the face and hands on your own leads to significantly more complex aesthetic problems.
It should also be noted that cutting or tearing off papillomas is an extremely ineffective idea. This is explained by the presence of a root in such growths, which lies deep in the skin. Having removed the surface structures of the papilloma, the root continues its vital activity, which is manifested by the formation of a new growth in the same place. In addition, removing a section of the epidermis on your own is painful and unsafe.
What are papillomas?
Vulgar warts
The most common variant is vulgar warts, which are located on the palms and soles.
Most often they appear at the site of skin trauma due to decreased immunity, excessive sweating and contact with chemicals.
Externally, the wart has a round shape and a deep root, which provides nutrition and growth of the tumor.
Filiform papillomas
Formations that have a long stalk and are located on thin skin ( chest area, armpits, eyelids, etc.)
Most often they grow in length and appear in older people.
Flat warts
This form of neoplasm consists of small flat plaques that rise above the surface of the skin, located in the area of the labia, scrotum and labia.
Quite often, such papillomas are accompanied by itching, which in turn creates an increased risk of bacterial infection.
Thanks to the deep root, such a formation has good nutrition and quickly increases in size.
Condylomas acuminata
Formations located on the skin and mucous membranes of the groin area. quite often such papillomas are injured, which is accompanied by secondary infection and inflammation.
Outwardly, they look like a single growth, which grows over time and becomes shaped like a cauliflower or a rooster's comb.
Lewandowski-Lutz papillomas
A rare type of papillomas that are located on the feet, palms and face. Such formations have a variety of colors from light pink to brown and uneven edges. In some cases they may have a tendency to become malignant.
Plantar warts
Most often they occur in childhood and adolescence on the feet as a result of trauma to the skin on the soles, wearing tight shoes made of non-natural materials, excessive sweating and decreased immunity.
With this type of disease, small rough spots appear on the soles, growing not only outward, but also deeper. In addition to being an aesthetic defect, such warts cause discomfort and pain while walking.
Papillomatosis
A dangerous form of papillomas, manifested by the appearance of a large number of formations on the skin and mucous membranes.
Routes of infection
In most cases, the cause of infection is unprotected sexual intercourse.
The household method of infection with HPV is not relevant; in rare cases, risks are possible with a pronounced decrease in immunity and severe stress.
Dangers of infection
It may seem that papillomas are purely an aesthetic defect. However, it is not. Unfortunately, a number of HPV strains are a predisposing factor for the development of cervical cancer. These types of infections require careful attention from specialists, comprehensive treatment and observation.
