If such a growth appears on a person's skin, he asks the question what changes have occurred in the body and are they not dangerous? Read on for useful information on the characteristics of different types of papillomas. This information will help you recognize the presence of such formations to treat them in a timely manner, if necessary.
Varieties of papillomas
Why do these processes often appear on the skin with age? These skin changes are caused by the human papillomavirus or HPV for short. After infection with such a pathogen, the patient develops papillomatous disease, during which warts of various shapes appear on the skin or mucous membranes. These growths are benign, but some types of papillomas have a high risk of recurrence as a malignant tumor. For this reason, you should definitely see a doctor if you notice such changes in your skin!
Medicine knows more than 40 varieties of papillomavirus that cause various forms of the disease in humans. The type of virus that has entered the body depends on what the papilloma looks like, as the infection is manifested externally by different types of formations on the skin. According to the general classification, the following types of growths are distinguished.
- Simple, also called vulgar - keratinized growths with a dark color.
- Sole - affects the feet.
- Acrochords are filamentous formations whose body rests on a leg.
- Flat formations or simple warts - often found in adolescents in the hands, fingers, face.
- Acute - localized on the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, genitals or anus.
- Squamous cells - consist of squamous epithelium that has grown due to the virus and the stroma (the base of connective tissue and blood vessels).
- Basal cells - grow from cells in the basal layer of the epidermis or from hair follicles.
- Internal - they do not occur in the area of the external visible parts of the body, but where they are difficult to notice, such as the larynx or bladder.
Sharpened
Such growths are often called warts. Their characteristic features are small size and special shape: wide base and sharp tip. These warts are fleshy or slightly pink in color and appear singly or in groups. They are characterized by rapid growth: in just a few days, where there was only one growth, a whole group of them 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 cell
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 a papilloma of this type look like? These are flat formations with a round or oval shape, slightly protruding above the surface of the skin - no more than 1 mm, can be both soft and with signs of keratinization. They often appear in groups, the color is practically indistinguishable from the surrounding coating.
Such growths occur mainly in the upper body: in the face (for example, nose or lip), 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, as well as in the genitourinary system and even in the rectum. People who have such formations are advised to remove them due to the high risk of degeneration into a malignant form.
Basal 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 in color. The areas of the body where basal cell carcinomas are common are the armpits, back, lips and nose. Their distinguishing feature is that they never degenerate into cancerous tumors, which is why they are considered safe.
What do papillomas look like in intimate places
When it comes to formations in the genital area, then pointed formations are meant. Papillomas of this type are overgrown cells of the upper layer of the epithelium that resemble groups of small papillae. Such growths 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 in the uterus itself.
Manifestations of changes in the skin of the genitals that occur as a result of human infection with the HPV virus require special attention from the patient. He should consult a doctor and remove the growths on the genitals, because with the transition of such a disease to a chronic form, the risk of infertility and oncology increases significantly.
Photo: what papillomas look like on the body
In order to imagine exactly what these formations are, it will be useful for you to look at the images of what such growths look like. See this selection of photos showing examples of different types of papillomas. Use these photos to check the growths that you or your loved ones have, and you can determine in advance whether these warts are subject to mandatory removal and prevent serious risks to your health.
