What does a Papilloma Look Like?

If such an increase appears on a person's skin, then he asks the question, what changes have taken place in the body and are they not dangerous? Read on for helpful information on the characteristics of different types of papillomas. This information will help you recognize the presence of such formations so that they can be treated in time if necessary.

Papilloma varieties

Why do these processes often appear on the skin with age? These changes in the skin are provoked by the human papilloma virus or HPV for short. After becoming infected with such a pathogen, the patient develops papillomatosis disease, during which warts of various forms appear on the skin or mucous membranes. These growths are benign, but some types of papillomas have a high risk of developing a malignancy. For this reason, you should definitely see a doctor if you notice such changes on your skin!

Medicine knows more than 40 varieties of papillomavirus that cause various forms of the disease in humans. The virus that enters the body depends on the appearance of the papilloma, as the infection is manifested in various forms on the skin of the body. The following types of growth are distinguished according to the general classification.

  1. Simple, also called vulgar - keratinized dark colored growths.
  2. Plantar - affects the soles of the feet.
  3. Acrohords are thread-like formations with a body resting on the legs.
  4. Flat formations or common warts - often occur in adolescents' hands, fingers, face area.
  5. Indicated - localized on the oral, genital or anal mucosa.
  6. Flat cells - consist of flat epithelium that has grown due to the virus and stroma (the base of connective tissue and blood vessels).
  7. Stem cells - grow from cells in the basal layer of the epidermis or from hair follicles.
  8. Internal - they do not occur in the area of the external visible parts of the body, but in places where they are difficult to notice, such as the larynx or bladder.
papillomas on the fingers

Specified

Such growths are often called warts. Their characteristic features are small size and special shape: wide base and axis. These warts are fleshy or slightly pink in color and appear either individually or in groups. They stand out with rapid growth: in just a few days, where there was only one increase, a whole group is formed. In shape, this family resembles a cauliflower inflorescence. Genital warts are often found on the mucous membranes: in the mouth, on the tongue, as well as in the genital area or near the anus.

Squamous

This form of skin growth caused by the HPV virus is one of the most common, as it can have a very wide localization throughout the body. What does this type of papilloma look like? They are flat round or oval-shaped formations slightly protruding above the surface of the skin - no more than 1 mm, can be both soft and show signs of keratinization. They often appear in groups, they are practically no different in color from the surrounding lid.

Such growths occur mainly in the upper body: face (for example, on the nose or lips), neck. They often appear on the mucous membranes: inside the mouth on the cheeks or tongue. Squamous cell tumors can be diagnosed in the esophagus, larynx, and organs of the genitourinary system and even the rectum. People with such formations are advised to remove them because of the high risk of degeneration in the malignant form.

Base cell

These growths are often called basal cell carcinomas or senile warts because they often affect the skin of the elderly. These formations grow slowly from the basal layer of the epidermis (hence the name) or from the hair follicles, appearing on the surface of the skin in the form of papillae from pink to dark brown. Areas of the body where basal cell carcinomas are common are the armpits, back, lips and nose. Their distinctive feature is that they have never degenerated into cancerous tumors and are therefore considered safe.

basal cell papilloma in the back

What papillomas look like in intimate places

When it comes to formations in the genital area, then we mean pointed formations. This type of papilloma is an overgrown cell in the upper layer of the epithelium that looks like a group of small papillae. Such increases can affect both sexes equally often. They are localized in the groin and directly on the surface of the genitals: in men - on the head of the penis or in the lumen of the urethra, in women - on the vaginal mucosa, the surface of the cervix and the uterus itself.

Particular attention should be paid to changes in the genital envelope resulting from human infection with the HPV virus. He should consult a doctor and remove genital lesions, as the risk of infertility and oncology is significantly increased by the transition to such a chronic condition.

Photo: how papillomas look on the body

In order for you to have an accurate and clear idea of what these formations are, you will find it useful to look at the images of what such growths look like. Check out a selection of these photos, which show examples of different types of papillomas. Use these photos to check the growth of you or your loved ones, and you can determine in advance whether these warts should be removed and prevent serious risks to your health.

papillomas under the armpapilloma on the neck