Human papillomavirus (HPV) manifests itself in the body with various ailments, depending on the type and location. It can remain in a latent state for a long time without causing disease, and then, for no apparent reason, appear in the form of various growths on the skin or mucous membranes.
Papillomas on the penis: causes
Papillomas, warts or warts may be harmless, but their danger lies in the fact that the altered skin cells can degenerate into cancerous cells. Therefore, if papillomas have occurred on the penis, you should immediately consult a doctor for the diagnosis of the disease and timely treatment.
What is it
HPV is a large group of intracellular DNA-containing pathogenic microorganisms, divided into twenty-seven species, five families and more than one hundred strains.
They are also distinguished by the degree of risk of malignancy (oncogenic properties). According to statistics, these viruses affect more than ninety percent of adults. Papillomaviruses exist and only develop inside the human body. They are more often transmitted through sex than other viruses. HPVs do not have a shell, but they show exceptional vitality and can exist for some time in the external environment. Pathogenic microorganisms are localized in the basal layer of the skin or mucous membranes.
Papillomas on the penis are often caused by a group of viruses that can quickly provoke the malignancy process. In this regard, they are often called a precancerous condition or the first step towards the development of oncology. In this case, doctors can prescribe the drug Helixor to the patient.
What are they
Genital papilloma is a small neoplasm. The growths are similar in appearance to cauliflower, mushroom or cockscomb. You can see what the pathological growths of the epithelium look like in the photo. More often they can be seen on the foreskin, frenulum and glans penis, less often on the shaft of the penis or scrotum.
- On the foreskin you can see genital warts, which are light in color and have a thin stem. At first, individual elements are found, but as the disease develops, they grow and become similar to cauliflower.
- If papillomas have occurred on the penis in the frenulum area, they can be seen as small white pimples, located in several rows.
- Pale pink hairy growths can be seen on the head of the penis. They represent multiple growths, as well as on the foreskin.
- One type of HPV-induced ailment on the genital trunk, scrotum, or groin is a giant Buschke-Levinstein wart. It is classified as a precancerous condition, as the altered cells grow rapidly.
Reasons for appearance
Viral agents that cause papillomas on the penis penetrate the epithelium through microcracks in the skin or mucous membranes. The main path is sexual contacts of any form. You can also become infected with the papillomavirus in a domestic way, if you use personal hygiene items, for example, towels from a person infected with HPV. The risk of contracting the virus is high in public places such as bathrooms, swimming pools, showers. The pathogen does not reveal itself immediately.
The latency period can last from several months to a year. Also, if a man is healthy and has a high level of immune defense, the ailment may not appear and the person simply becomes a carrier of the virus. The impetus for the reproduction of papillomavirus and the appearance of papillomas on the penis is a decrease in immunity.
Thus, there are two reasons for the formation of growths on the genital organ:
- papillomavirus infection;
- HPV activation, due to weakened immunity.
Provoking factors:
- frequent changes of sexual partners;
- lack of contraception during sexual intercourse;
- chronic diseases in the genitourinary sphere;
- hormonal disorders;
- AIDS or HIV infection;
- frequent hypothermia;
- viral infections, persistent colds;
- long-term intoxication of the body (reception of antibiotics, consumption of alcohol, smoking, etc. );
- stress, unhealthy diet and similar factors that negatively affect the immune system.
Papillomas on the glans: symptoms and diagnosis
HPV masses on the penis are usually not symptomatic. Men often do not even notice the activity of the papillomavirus. Papillomas on the head of the penis may turn out, manifested by itching or burning during intercourse.
If the pathological formations have grown and become noticeable, this can cause discomfort in a man due to the non-aesthetic appearance of the penis. Papillomas localized on the head of the penis can cause phimosis, which is accompanied by corresponding symptoms. In the case of oncogenic formations, when the growths reach large sizes, men may complain of pain in the affected area and a fetid odor.
Diagnostics
If a man sees suspicious formations on his penis, then you should discard the false shame and seek medical help. Diagnostic measures to identify papilloma on the head of the penis are performed by a urologist. Carefully collects anamnesis - interrogates and examines the patient.
In addition to the penis, the doctor examines the scrotum, groin and anal area, ie those points where the virus can be located. If the urologist discovers papillomas on the head of a man's penis, he arranges him for tests to determine the type of virus. If the frenulum is affected, meatoscopy may be required, which is done to identify foci of HPV lesions in the urethra.
Men take a swab from the urethra for cytological examination, which determines the type of viral agent. The presence and type of the virus can be identified with a probability of up to ninety five percent using the polymerase chain reaction method. Any liquid - blood or contents of the urethra - is suitable as a test medium.
Condyloma on the penis: danger of pathology
After the diagnosis of the disease, the doctor will prescribe the appropriate treatment. Do not self-medicate, as it may not be effective and dangerous. If the disease is not treated, non-aesthetic warts on the penis can cause more serious problems.
Why are papillomas on the penis dangerous?
- In the first stage of the development of papilloma, phimosis can occur, which is characterized by the fusion of the foreskin with the head of the penis. If this condition is not treated, the following complication occurs, caused by the accumulation of smegma in the space between the head and the foreskin.
- Inflammation of the head and body of the penis, due to the entry of pathogenic bacteria under the inner sheets of the foreskin.
- The appearance of erosive defects on the head and foreskin, the degeneration of altered epithelial cells into cancer cells.
Because they are dangerous for a woman
A man with papillomas on the genitals, first of all, becomes a source of infection for a woman. If the papillomavirus has entered the genitals of a woman, then, as a rule, its activity is very difficult to notice at the initial stage of the disease. Oncogenic types of viruses are particularly dangerous, as they cause cervical cancer. If a woman does not undergo a preventive examination, then oncology is detected already in the late stages of cancer development.
How it is reborn in cancer
At the beginning of the development of the papilloma, single benign neoplasms are visible. Then they increase in number and combine with each other, creating a single conglomerate. If the disease is not treated, over time the altered cells can degenerate into malignant cells. The risk of degeneration of cancer education increases tenfold if the type of virus is oncogenic.
Therefore, it is very important to be diagnosed in a medical facility. The most common oncogenic HPV that causes genital warts is the sixteenth or eighteenth type. They cause cancer of the penis, cervix and bladder.
How to get rid of papillomas on the penis: treatment and prevention
Since the appearance of pathological growths on the genitals is preceded by a decrease in immunity, treatment should be complex. The growths themselves are removed surgically or by cauterization. Medicines that contain a component that blocks the development and reproduction of viral agents, for example, Viferon, Acyclovir, Epigen-intim and similar drugs, help fight viruses.
In addition to antiviral therapy with drugs, the doctor prescribes immunomodulators, vitamin complexes and gives recommendations on a healthy diet and lifestyle. It is important to identify all the factors that led to the activation of the virus and eliminate them. Therefore, before deciding how to get rid of papillomas on the penis, you need to undergo a thorough examination of your health.
Delete
Genital growths do not go away on their own, so radical treatments are needed to eliminate them. There are several methods of removing unpleasant growths.
- Laser removal. The papillomas are dissolved by a laser beam and a crust remains in their place, which naturally disappears after two weeks.
- Cryodestruction. Neoplasms are cauterized with liquid nitrogen. In addition, as in the first case, a crust remains, which after a while disappears without a trace.
- Radiosurgery. Papilloma is affected by radio waves. The method is considered the most accurate, safe and does not cause complications.
- Electrocoagulation. Growth is eliminated by using an electric current that is applied at a certain frequency. This method of removal can cause complications in the form of tissue scarring.
- Disposal of chemicals. The method consists in cauterizing the papilloma with medical solutions: Condolin or Solkoderm. Medicines are applied by health professionals. After a course of treatment, the neoplasms dry out and disappear.
- Treatment with ointments. If the growths are minor, you can use an ointment to remove them. Oxolinic ointment or Aldara drug will help to cope with the papillomavirus.
How to get rid of papillomas on the penis, by cryodestruction or with the help of drugs, the doctor decides, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient. Procedures for getting rid of neoplasms do not require anesthesia and give a positive result in ninety-five percent of cases. Sometimes the relapses occur in the same place.
Unconventional methods
The answer to the question of how to get rid of papillomas on the penis can be found in the recipes of traditional medicine. It should be borne in mind that the use of such methods must necessarily be agreed with the attending physician. Otherwise, the treatment may be in vain, time will be lost, and this will lead to complications.
Popular folk recipes:
- Tea tree oil, massaged daily on the affected area, will help get rid of the buildup until the wart disappears;
- Good results in treatment can be achieved if propolis is applied to the papilloma;
- the simplest way is to lubricate the neoplasms with egg white;
- vinegar will help get rid of papillomas, which must be carefully cauterized against growth once a day;
- you can get rid of small formations using the juice obtained from rowan berries (lubricate);
- Be careful when applying ammonia lotions, as it can burn thin skin.
These recipes will help get rid of newly appeared neoplasms that have not had time to grow. If the papilloma has already formed and strongly protrudes above the skin, it must be removed by radical methods.
Prevention
The surest way to rule out an unpleasant and dangerous disease is safe sex and good personal hygiene. If these conditions are violated, it is necessary to direct preventive measures to maintain a sufficient level of immunity so that the virus does not show activity in the body.
You can have a positive effect on immunity by curing chronic diseases, eating properly, playing sports, tempering and curing infectious diseases in time. It is important to give up bad habits that lead to intoxication of the body. To prevent papillomas from leading to complications, men must regularly visit a urologist to identify the initial signs of the disease.