Papillomas are called benign skin and mucous membranes. But some strains are capable of causing tissue degeneration. That is why experts recommend timely removal of papillomas. This will prevent the appearance of malignant tumors, including the development of cervical cancer in women.
Papillomatous growths appear on the skin and mucous membranes due to the ingestion of human papillomavirus (HPV), which may not appear for a long time. With weakened immunity, tissue damage, chronic transmission leads to cellular hyperplasia. HPV begins to multiply actively, causing the formation of papillomas or warts on the skin or genital warts (on the genital mucosa).
Predisposing factors
The following factors contribute to the active growth of papillomas:
- frequent change of sexual partners, infection with sexually transmitted diseases;
- household contact with people who have warts, warts or papillomas;
- damage to the skin and mucous membranes;
- weakening of immunity.
In 80% of people who reach puberty, HPV is present in an inactive form. The virus does not cause neoplasms to grow until 6-8 months after contact with the virus carrier. Exceptions are genital warts and papillomas - they appear in the first weeks after intimate contact with an infected person.
Why remove papillomas
Papillomavirus is fraught with a serious health threat. Particularly dangerous are strains with high oncogenic risk: 16, 18, 30, 31-35, 56-59, 67-68. When papillomatous growths appear, it is necessary to consult a dermatologist or venereologist. The doctor will perform an external examination and prescribe PCR diagnostics, which will identify the DNA of the virus and determine the degree of oncogenicity of a particular strain.
The specialist will also select the most effective surgical techniques. Only a doctor, having the results of the examination at hand, can tell exactly how to remove papillomas with minimal health risks. It is not recommended to leave such neoplasms. Under the influence of adverse factors, they can become inflamed, bleed, and cause benign or malignant tissue hyperplasia.
Important!It is imperative to remove papillomas in intimate places - neoplasms with a high oncogenic risk most often appear here.
If papillomatous growths are found on the external genitalia (vulva, perineal area, foreskin), a consultation with a venereologist is necessary. In addition, it is worth passing the tests prescribed by your doctor, which aim not only to determine the type of HPV, but also to detect concomitant urogenital infections.
Surgical treatment of papillomas
The main methods of surgical treatment of papillomas:
- the use of special local means with which you can remove papillomas at home;
- cryodestruction (removal of papillomas with liquid nitrogen);
- laser coagulation (removal of papillomas with a laser);
- removal of papillomas by radio waves;
- cutting formations with a scalpel.
Each of these methods can remove papillomas. The specialist will help you choose the appropriate option, taking into account the location of the neoplasm, the number of papillomatous growths and diagnostic data. Before removing papillomas, the doctor must make sure that there is no malignant process. With a high oncogenic risk, experts prefer the classic method of removing papillomas - excision of neoplasms with a scalpel.
The main indications for removal of papillomas:
- the desire to get rid of a cosmetic defect in the form of single or multiple papillomatous growths on the skin and mucous membranes;
- frequent damage to neoplasms that are under the arms, neck, groin, bleed and become inflamed, leading to an increased risk of malignant tissue disease;
- detection of papillomas with medium and high oncogenic risk;
- the presence among relatives of people with malignant neoplasms;
- the site of localization of papillomas are the genitals and internal genitals.
The ideal time to remove papillomas
Before removing papillomas on the body and face, the doctor warns the patient of possible complications, including the formation of age spots. The risk of pigmentation is higher in spring and summer. Many people wonder if it is possible to remove papillomas in the summer. If the formations are located on exposed parts of the body or face, it is better to postpone the operation for the cold season, when the likelihood of secondary infection and the formation of pigmentation is lower (the activity of UV rays in the autumn-winter period decreases).
Important!It is not enough just to remove the neoplasm - this way it will not be possible to stop the growth of the papillomavirus. Surgical methods must be combined with therapeutic ones.
It is impossible to get rid of HPV completely - a small amount of the virus will still remain in the body. But in combination with antivirals, surgical methods give the highest treatment results.
Laser papilloma removal
Laser removal of papillomas is a modern method of surgical treatment of HPV. Most often, specialists use laser systems with carbon dioxide. After the procedure there are no scars or defects on the skin. The high cost of laser papilloma removal corresponds to the effectiveness of the method. The final price depends on the size and number of lesions. At a time, the doctor can perform laser destruction of up to 5-20 medium formations. After examination and consultation, the specialist will tell you exactly how much it costs to remove papillomas and will give detailed recommendations. In addition, antiviral treatment is required. Medicines are also chosen by the attending physician.
With the help of a laser, papillomas can be removed from any part of the body, including the genitals. This method is bloodless and non-contact. The laser has an anti-inflammatory effect on the tissues, seals blood vessels, preventing bleeding. Most often, papillomas appear on the hands (warts) and on the neck - in the form of filamentous growths, which are easily damaged during hygienic procedures. Such neoplasms do not have a high oncogenic risk, but it is still better to get rid of them.
Characteristics of laser papilloma removal
A dermatologist is consulted before the procedure. The doctor examines the skin, identifies possible contraindications:
- tissue damage;
- local inflammation of the skin and mucous membranes;
- pregnancy;
- exacerbation of any infectious processes;
- herpes.
During laser papilloma removal, semiconductor lasers are used, which evaporate viral neoplasms and at the same time coagulate blood vessels. After the destruction of the papillomatous growth, a protective crust (scabs) forms on the skin. He rejects himself a week after removal. 2 months after the procedure the skin tone is completely evened out. The location of the papillomas will not be different from the surrounding tissues.
Skin care
Scabies, formed after laser removal of the papilloma, should be protected from sunlight, water and cosmetics. It is forbidden to try to tear the bark by force - this can lead to wound infection, large scars and increase the time for tissue healing.
Once the scabies has receded, it is recommended to apply sunscreen to the skin before going outside. This will prevent the formation of age spots. It is not necessary to wear sunscreen during the winter months.
Removal of papillomas with nitrogen
Removal of papillomas with nitrogen involves freezing the neoplasms (cryodestruction). The method is effective in single papillomatous growths on the skin. A significant disadvantage of cryodestruction is the inability to control the depth of tissue freezing. That is why it is so important to approach responsibly the choice of clinic where papillomas will have to be removed. The doctor must have permission to perform surgical activities.
Ultra-low temperatures stop metabolic processes in the cells of the neoplasm, causing their death. A necrotic area forms at the site of the removed papilloma, which is gradually replaced by healthy tissue. Cryodestruction is available to most patients. The procedure is much cheaper than other methods (laser coagulation, removal of neoplasms by radio waves).
It is possible to remove papillomas both for aesthetic reasons and in the presence of specific indications. Particularly worrying are neoplasms, which increase sharply in size, change shade and shape, become inflamed and injured during hygienic procedures.
Characteristics of cryodestruction
Before removing papillomas with liquid nitrogen, the doctor carefully examines the skin, assesses the general state of health and identifies possible contraindications:
- acute infectious processes;
- decompensated stage of somatic diseases;
- exacerbation of skin diseases;
- herpes;
- tissue damage at the site of the neoplasm;
- period of pregnancy.
Removal of papillomas with nitrogen is performed without anesthesia. The cryodestructor applicator is held over the neoplasm for 1-2 minutes. The skin becomes white and cold and temporarily loses its sensitivity. During the procedure there is a slight tingling, burning may occur. Within a few hours after the procedure, the skin swells and reddens, and within 24 hours after cryodestruction of the treated area, vesicular elements appear, inside which there is serous fluid.
Tissue cryonecrosis lasts for up to a month, after which the dead areas of the neoplasm are discarded and invisible spots appear in their place, which will completely disappear 3-5 months after using liquid nitrogen.
Skin care
In the first weeks after removal of papillomas by cryodestruction, it is recommended to protect the skin from moisture, sunlight and other adverse factors. If severe inflammation occurs, you should consult your doctor. Tissues usually heal on their own, but with a low degree of epithelialization, the doctor may recommend cosmetics that accelerate the regeneration of damaged skin.
Removal of papillomas by electrocoagulation
Electrocoagulation of papillomas involves the removal of growths on the skin with an electric current. The method is quite traumatic, but it is affordable. The high-frequency current coagulates the proteins of the neoplasm, causing tissue rejection.
Characteristics of the procedure
Prior to electrocoagulation, a specialist may prescribe dermatoscopy, PCR and other laboratory diagnostic methods. The doctor examines and identifies possible contraindications:
- exacerbation of herpes infection and any inflammatory processes;
- pregnancy;
- suspected malignant papillomas;
- skin hypersensitivity, allergic reaction to electric current;
- exacerbation of severe somatic diseases, especially those in the stage of decompensation.
Skin care
Electrocoagulation of papillomas does not require complex skin care. It is necessary to avoid the action of predisposing factors that can provoke inflammation and the addition of secondary infection. During the first weeks, the formed lump is discarded, after which the skin is completely cleansed and replaced with new cells. Exposure to direct sunlight during this period should be avoided. Your doctor may recommend treating the wound with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Removal of papillomas by radio waves
Removal of papillomas by the radiowave method is accompanied by atraumatic incision and coagulation of neoplasm tissues. Radio waves provide a highly accurate effect as long as they do not injure healthy tissue and inhibit the spread of HPV through the bloodstream. The radiosurgical devices used in modern clinics are distinguished by their safety and allow to minimize the risks of any complications.
Characteristics of the procedure
Preliminary diagnosis allows you to determine the amount of virus in the body, the type of HPV and the degree of oncogenic risk. When choosing a method of treatment, the doctor takes into account the general state of health and identifies possible contraindications:
- pregnancy, menstruation;
- exacerbation of all infectious and inflammatory processes and somatic diseases;
- presence of malignant tumors;
- exacerbation of herpes infection;
- damage to the skin at the site of exposure to a radio wave apparatus.
High-frequency energy cuts the skin, coagulates blood vessels and papilloma tissues. In this case, the electrode has no direct contact with the tissues, which avoids painful sensations and muscle spasms. Unlike the electrocoagulation method, using radio waves, it is possible to reduce the time of thermal exposure and to reduce the necrosis of the treated areas.
Skin care
The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. Removal of papillomas takes only 15-30 minutes. In the place of the treated tissue places there are point-like scabs, which after a week are rejected by themselves, leaving no rough scars or other defects. It is recommended to limit contact with water and ultraviolet rays during the recovery period; you should not use cosmetics and household chemicals.
Surgical excision with a scalpel
Removal of papillomas with a scalpel during classic surgery is used quite rarely, mainly when detecting signs of malignancy. In this case, the surgeon cuts out papillomatous growths to capture healthy skin.
The method is traumatic, leaving scars and spots. If desired, they can be removed with the help of laser and other cosmetic procedures, including acid peels. Specialists try not to use surgical excision of papillomas on exposed parts of the body and face.
Means for removing papillomas
Medicines to remove papillomas and warts work in the same way: they contain substances that cause the destruction of neoplastic cells with the formation of a small scab in the future. It is recommended to use drugs of modern type, which have a lower risk of complications in the form of secondary infection, acute inflammatory reaction, spots and scars. It is also possible to use cryopreparations that can replace standard cryodestruction.
Removing papillomas at home is quite dangerous, especially in large neoplasms. It is better to contact specialists who will choose the optimal treatment options, including antiviral therapy, which prevents the recurrence of human papillomavirus infection in the future. A professional will tell you exactly how to remove papillomas at home and whether it is worth doing. Topical preparations on skin growths are used for single small neoplasms.
As it is not always possible to remove papillomas only with the help of pharmaceutical products, it is still recommended to consult a dermatologist. For small neoplasms, your doctor may recommend proven medications that will kill the papillomatous growths. In addition, the use of antiviral drugs is recommended. The integrated approach increases the effectiveness of the whole treatment process. Antivirals can only be removed if the papillomas are solitary and not prone to proliferation and malignancy.
Removal of papillomas by folk methods
Removing papillomas with folk remedies at home is popular. Society does not take papillomavirus seriously enough. Many do not even know that papillomas can become malignant. As it is almost impossible to remove papillomas at home without health risks, it is advisable to consult a dermatologist first. Using modern diagnostic methods, the doctor will be able to assess the nature of the neoplasm and choose an effective treatment regimen.
General methods for home removal of papillomas
You can remove papillomas at home using the following tools:
- celandine juice;
- garlic;
- green walnut juice;
- salicylic acid.
Important!The listed methods destroy the growths on the skin. The use of such agents on the mucous membranes is strictly prohibited due to the high risk of acute inflammatory reaction and chemical burns.
Most often, celandine juice is used to remove papillomas. Affected areas of the skin are treated with this drug several times a day. In this case, celandine should not be applied to healthy tissues. To prevent burns, it is recommended to treat unaffected skin with vegetable oil or zinc ointment before using the juice.
Garlic has a disinfectant effect, with prolonged use helps to remove warts and papillomas. But this method is not suitable for people with sensitive skin. Garlic often causes inflammatory reactions, a burning sensation and redness.
Salicylic acid contributes to the destruction of skin growths provoked by the active reproduction of papillomavirus. This drug is often included in ready-made preparations for the removal of papillomas and warts. Salicylic acid is applied topically several times a day until the neoplasm is completely gone.
Green walnut juice strongly colors the skin. The tool should be used for a long time to achieve fading of the papilloma. The treated tissues acquire a dark brown hue, peeling and dry skin are possible.