Papilloma is a growth on the skin in the form of a cylinder on the pedicle, often almost invisible. In many cases, it does not manifest itself in any way, but with the weakening of the immune system and heat, it appears unexpectedly. Usually this is first one papilloma (the so-called "mother"), and then she raises "babies", which are sprinkled on different parts of the body. Many people just try not to notice this defect, but is it so harmless? Do I need to have my papillomas removed? We will explain in detail what papillomas are and how to treat them, as well as the most effective removal methods.
What is papilloma
To understand how to treat papillomas on the skin of the body, you need to figure out what it is. The medical name for papilloma is human papillomavirus (HPV). It is a sexually transmitted disease. Infection with the disease can also occur using the contact-household method (skin damage in contact with some objects that the infected person has touched).
Papillomas can be "recognized" by the shape of the papilla or cam. They usually have a so-called "leg". Such growths can be in a chaotic way in different parts of the body - on the arms, legs, neck, elbows and knees, face, lips, chest. Sizes can vary - both very small and large. The color of the papilloma ranges from light body color to dark brown and reddish. For this reason, some people mix them with moles.
In fact, papilloma is a benign neoplasm that can appear not only on the skin but also on the mucous membranes. The difference between a papilloma and a wart is that they are softer, have no keratinized layer, and have a harder texture.
One of the varieties of papillomas is the so-called "genital warts", which have an elongated conical shape and appear on the genitals. When exposed mechanically, such growths itch, hurt and even bleed. Only a doctor can determine if a patient has papilloma or warts, who will order additional examinations and tests if necessary.
Why do papillomas appear?
Let's find out why papillomas appear and how to treat them. The most common causes of papilloma:
- changes in hormonal levels (including pregnancy, abortion);
- hypothermia;
- intrauterine device installation;
- body exhaustion;
- bad habits (smoking, alcohol).
Papillomas often appear, disappear and then reappear as a manifestation of a viral infection. This means that their presence determines the body's immunity at a certain point in time. HPV often occurs in people who have had unprotected sex with an infected person, as well as in women who use hormonal contraceptive pills.
The "trigger" factor for the virus is any stress that the body has suffered: banal cold, prolonged use of the drug, hypothermia. All of this weakens the immune system and makes it vulnerable to the human papilloma virus.
Getting infected is very easy - close contact with an infected person or living with a papilloma carrier is enough, or just visit a public beach, swim in a shared pool or visit a sauna. By the way, this virus is a "lover" of heat and high humidity.
Why is papilloma dangerous?
Some types of HPV are dangerous because they can cause cervical cancer in women. This mainly applies to genital warts, which usually appear on the genitals. Due to the fact that the viral disease passes without symptoms, a person does not consult a doctor for a long time. Therefore, it is important for women to see a gynecologist every six months and have their cytology checked once a year so that pre-cancerous changes, if any, can be detected in good time.
Even if a person does not have genital warts, in any case, papillomas are a disorder of the body. Tiny growths indicate that you should see a doctor and rule out the presence of gynecological diseases, kidney problems, colitis. And after the tests, it is mandatory to remove the papilloma, because it is a benign tumor that may one day become malignant. In addition, papillomas look unattractive, it is an aesthetic defect. But how to properly remove papillomas so that there are no complications? This will be discussed below.
How to remove papillomas: popular methods
When we notice papillomas, we immediately start searching the Internet for information on how to remove papillomas. There are many home methods, but they can be not only ineffective, but also dangerous and traumatic. Better to see a specialist!
It is categorically impossible to remove papillomas:
- Tear off.
- Tie with thread.
- Needle.
These actions will only provoke the virus to "pick up" other areas, and it will "move" to other areas. But how to get rid of the papilloma so that it no longer appears?
If you have papilloma, your doctor will tell you how to treat it based on the type of growth. But we will still consider the most popular and effective methods for removing papillomas:
- Excision with a surgical scalpel. . . It's the easiest way, but quite painful. Nowadays, there are more gentle techniques that do not leave traces.
- Cauterization with liquid nitrogen. . . Papillomas simply freeze, and the vital activity of their cells stops.
- Electrocoagulation. . . In this case, the accumulation is removed by electric current. Before removing papillomas from the body, this method gives the patient minimal local anesthesia.
- Radio wave surgery. . . The method is non-contact, it aims to eliminate the defect by exposing it to radio waves. Local anesthesia is also used in this case.
- Laser removal. . . It is considered to be the most effective and safest method of treating papillomas. The laser beam penetrates to the desired depth, clogs the vessel that feeds the growth, and as a result, the neoplasm dies and disappears. As a rule, the papilloma disappears after a few days.
How best to remove papillomas
The best way to remove papillomas is to tell you who will see your papilloma and determine its type. But now in most cases it is recommended to remove the laser, because it has many advantages:
- Non-contact procedure - there is no physical contact between the skin and the instrument, but the laser beam has a bactericidal effect in parallel.
- Bloodless, lack of painful sensations.
- Lack of side effects such as burns, scars, hyperpigmentation after the procedure.
- Ability to remove multiple papillomas at the same time.
Before prescribing the procedure, the beautician tells the patient how to remove the papillomas with a neodymium laser, as well as finds out if he has no contraindications. If everything is in order, the session lasts no more than 15 minutes. Laser removal is done without footprints and various complications. At the same time, the doctor prescribes medicines to boost the patient's immunity.
We hope we helped you understand what a papilloma is and how to treat it. The main thing is not to take self-medication to prevent unpleasant consequences in the form of burns or injuries, nor to doubt that papillomas should be removed by everyone.