Papillomas on the neck

Neck papillomas are one of the manifestations of an infectious disease caused by the human papilloma virus. Refers to benign skin formations.

Causes of neck papilloma

There is one etiological reason why papillomas begin to grow on the neck or in any other part of the human body - infection with the human papilloma virus (HPV), which is a member of the Papovaviridae family. There are more than 100 serotypes of this pathogenic agent, each of which is responsible for the appearance of a different clinical picture of the disease (papillomas, condyloma, warts - these terms are synonymous, different names are associated with the peculiarities of localization in a particular area).

The main routes of transmission are contact household and genital (condylomas of the perianal region). The virus is able to penetrate the skin only in the presence of micro damage or open wounds, and in other cases it is unable to cross the skin's protective barrier.

Pathogen Information

1. It has a high rate of spread regardless of gender (however, it is more common in women than men), age or region (according to some reports, 2/3 of the planet is infected with this virus).
2. It contains a double-stranded, twisted ring of DNA that can be integrated into the human genome.
3. Infection with some strains is associated with a high risk of cancer, especially in the case of permanent injuries. Neck papillomas are caused by non-oncogenic strains of the virus.
4. The virus goes through two main stages in the division process. In the first phase, it is in episomal (free) form, and in the same period, the main division of the viral particle occurs. This phase is reversible (long-term remission occurs after treatment). In the second - integrative - stage, the virus is incorporated into the genome of the cell (the first step towards cell degeneration and the creation of a malignant neoplasm). The first phase is transient and passes relatively quickly, while the second is latent and explains the existence of carriers.
5. The basal layer of the epidermis is affected, where the virus replicates. In the remaining layers the pathogen may persist but cannot divide. Provided that the virus is in the germ layer, as it grows, the normal differentiation of cells in all layers of this area is disturbed, especially at the level of the prickly layer.
6. Has a tendency to long-term asymptomatic wear in the body (from several months to a year). It is rarely possible to identify a particular moment of infection - this is why treatment begins in a period of intense clinical manifestations, and not at the first vague signs.
7. Divalent and quadrivalent vaccines are used to prevent infection, which are particularly effective against the most cocogenic strains 16 and 18.

Predisposing factors

1. Lack of hygiene. Since the virus is able to maintain vital activity in the external environment for a long time, it is necessary to carefully follow the rules of personal hygiene when visiting public places (swimming pool, swimming pool, gym).
2. Traumatic skin injuries. For the virus to penetrate, microcracks or scratches on the skin are sufficient (for example, caused by rubbing the neck with the collar of a shirt).
3. Impaired immune system function. With immunodeficiencies of any genesis, favorable conditions are created for the development of any infection. For example, frequent colds and infectious diseases lead to a weakening of the immune system and the appearance of papillomas on the skin.
4. Self-infection during skin scratching.
5. Systemic lifestyle disorder (stress, lack of physical activity, improper diet). These factors affect the work of all metabolic processes in the body and lead to a decrease in the barrier function of the skin.
6. Environmental factors that affect the reduction of the body's defenses (hypothermia, excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation).

External manifestations of the disease

The cervical papillomas in the photo look like this:

1. The growth is usually located on a wide base and protrudes significantly above the surface of the skin. Rarely, the base of the papilloma is a thin leg (in this case, the formation occupies a higher position). In the second possibility, the risk of injury is much higher.
2. The boundaries of education are uniform and clear.
3. The color is no different from the surrounding skin. In rare cases, it may be slightly paler or darker than adjacent tissues.
4. The surface is often even, smooth. Sometimes growths on the top of the papilloma are possible, which makes its surface ribbed.
5. The diameter varies widely - from 1-3 mm to several centimeters (papillomas of small diameter are more common).
6. Position in any area of ​​the neck (rear, side front). Sometimes the face is also involved.

As a rule, there are many lesions located along the folds of the skin.

In very rare cases, papillomas on the neck can become malignant, ie degenerate into a skin tumor. This can occur as a result of infection with an oncogenic strain of HPV.

Signs that may indicate a malignant transformation are as follows:

• color change and heterogeneity (polymorphism);
• border change (blur, loss of definition);
• occurrence of asymmetry (when drawing a line through the conditional middle of the formation, two equal halves cannot be obtained);
• intensive growth;
• bleeding or ulceration (non-specific symptom, because it is also characteristic of a simple neoplasm injury);
• itching, stinging, peeling;
• abandonments are formed (small daughters formations around the central one).

The appearance of such signs does not necessarily mean papilloma degeneration, but it means that you should consult a doctor and undergo a differential diagnosis, revealing whether we are talking about a common inflamed mole or skin cancer.

How to get rid of papillomas on the neck

Treatment of papillomas on the neck is carried out only in a complex way with a simultaneous effect on the pathological focus on the skin and on the pathogen itself in the blood.

There are several ways to fight:

Method	Description
Medications	The use of cytostatics, immunomodulators is intended to suppress the replication of the viral agent in the affected area and reduce its concentration in the blood. Some drugs (keratolytics) are applied topically directly to destroy skin growth (cauterize and cause tissue necrosis).
Physical Methods	Cryodestruction, laser therapy, electrocoagulation. Their goal is to get rid of papillomas both on the neck and on other parts of the body. These methods allow you to restore the aesthetic appearance of open areas and remove the viral reservoir - the skin neoplasm itself, but they do not completely remove the virus from the body.
Combination Therapy	Combines the two previous options and is therefore the most efficient.

Treatment of papillomas folk folk remedies (celandine juice, for example) is ineffective and often dangerous, in any case, a prerequisite is to consult a doctor.

Physical methods of destruction

It is possible to effectively reduce formations using the following physical methods:

Method	Description
Local action with concentrated acid solutions	1. 5% solutions of zinc chloropropionate in 50% 2-chloropropionic acid, a combination of nitric, acetic, oxalic, lactic acid and copper nitrate trihydrate, etc. are used. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis by a specialist (dermatovenerologist, cosmetologist) in accordance with the surgical rules. . . The agent is applied with a spatula in the direction until the color of the formation changes to a lighter color (as soon as this happens, further application should be stopped immediately). To completely cure a papilloma, you need to do an average of 1-2 treatments.
Electrocoagulation	With the help of a special electric knife, the formations are cut out without affecting the underlying tissues (the effect on healthy skin cells is minimal). The method is most suitable when the formation has a long stem and a small size.
Cryodestruction	Focus is exposed to liquid nitrogen, ultra low temperature leads to tissue necrosis. It is good to clean this way of education with a wide base. The time of nitrogen action is selected by an expert (1-5 minutes). After moxibustion, a burn occurs that heals in an average of 10 days.
Laser removal	The most modern and delicate approach to removing growths in prominent places such as the neck. He has the most positive reviews. With the help of a light guide from 5 seconds to 3 minutes in continuous mode act on the focus. The healing period is much shorter than with other methods (5-7 days). The technique is associated with minimal trauma to surrounding tissues due to high precision of action.
Classic surgical removal (scalpel excision)	It is used extremely rarely, only with large lesions or with suspected malignancy. The reason is that the lesions are often multiple, scattered around the neck and too small for excision, in addition, after the surgical excision, scars can remain, which in themselves create a cosmetic defect.