Papillomas on the pubis are not harmless moles, as many mistakenly think. These benign formations are an external manifestation of the activity of the human papillomavirus. Doctors recommend removing growths on the skin immediately after their appearance, to prevent the likelihood of their transformation into a cancerous tumor.
Is papillomatosis contagious
For ethical reasons, we will not post papillomas on the pubis in the article, but even without a clear example it becomes clear that they bring a lot of problems and inconveniences in intimate life. Such neoplasms can occur not only on the skin, but also on the mucous membranes of the genitals. Unlike papillomas, which appear on other parts of the body, pubic warts indicate a high degree of infectivity.
During sexual contact with a partner infected with HPV and having characteristic growths in the intimate zone, the probability of infection reaches 99%. When adverse factors appear, warts in the groin in men and women undergo malignancy - the process of the transformation of healthy cells into atypical ones.
What causes the disease
The causative agent of papillomatosis is a virus that can penetrate the body in all available ways. There is an opinion that HPV can enter the body only through sexual contact. However, doctors were able to prove that infection occurs not only during sex. A person runs the risk of becoming a carrier of HPV, not observing personal hygiene rules, in contact with objects that were in use by an infected person. The papilloma virus is transmitted in utero through the placenta from the mother to the fetus.
It is worth noting that the use of a condom does not guarantee one hundred percent protection against infection with this infection. If your partner has flat hanging warts in the pubic and groin, most likely, after the first sexual intercourse, the virus will be transmitted to you. The genital epidermis is highly susceptible to various kinds of infectious agents, and the papilloma virus has the ability to penetrate into the deep epithelial layers. Using a personal towel and washcloth will minimize the risk of infection.
HPV-triggering factors
More than one month, and sometimes even several years, can elapse from the moment an infectious agent penetrates the body to the first manifestations of the disease. How the virus behaves depends largely on the state of the human immune system. Even with a slight weakening of the immune system, HPV can go into the active stage. The following reasons can contribute to the development of the disease:
- weight change and exhaustion;
- pregnancy and a long period of lactation;
- taking oral contraceptives;
- stress and nervous experiences;
- relapse of chronic diseases.
Symptoms of papillomatosis
Recognizing this disease is not difficult. It is impossible to confuse hanging warts on the pubis with anything else. Characteristic rashes in the genital area resemble peaked or filiform growths. Their structure is heterogeneous, the shape and type of neoplasm is different from the hanging nevi. The hue of the papilloma is mostly pale flesh, but sometimes it can redden or darken, becoming almost black. The latent period of the disease lasts from several months to several years. The first rashes appear suddenly, have a conical shape and a slightly yellowish color. The size of papillomas can reach 5-7 mm.
How to recognize papillomas: diagnosis
At the beginning, neoplasms appear singly, but over time they become more. Papillomas grow throughout the body, can even merge in a few pieces. Most often, pubic papillomas are found in women during pregnancy or after menopause. Gynecologists associate the appearance of warts with malfunctioning of the ovaries.
If such rashes appear on the pubis, their owner must follow all safety measures and prevent damage to the warts. Otherwise, inflammation may develop. Doctors advise against using razors, mechanical and electric epilators.
Any surgeon or dermatologist can make a diagnosis of papillomatosis after examining areas of the skin where rashes are localized. To verify the benignness of these neoplasms, it is recommended to conduct a histological examination after their removal. Samples of growths obtained by biopsy and sent to the laboratory for cytological or histological analysis.
In the presence of papillomas on the pubis, women are prescribed an analysis that determines the type of virus and its degree of oncogenicity. Among the HPV strains, the most dangerous are 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 52, 58, 59, and 67th types. It is these types of infection, penetrating the body of a woman, that can provoke cervical cancer. Having determined the HPV strain, the doctor will be able to choose an effective antiviral therapy regimen.
Do I need to delete
If at the initial stage the disease does not bring much discomfort and inconvenience, it is not necessary to remove them at all. In this case, doctors prescribe medications to patients that inhibit the activity of HPV and strengthen immunity. If neoplasms rapidly increase in size, they are often damaged, bleed and hurt, cause inflammation of nearby healthy tissues, they should be disposed of as soon as possible. Removing papillomas on the pubis is the most effective way to prevent the development of skin cancer. Unlike other malignant processes, this one is characterized by a high risk of rapid development of metastases.
Most representatives of the stronger sex sometimes do not even notice that they have papillomas on the pubis. Men are in no hurry to remove hanging warts, underestimating the danger due to banal ignorance. In addition, the process of excision with papillomas is completely painless. Before removing growths from the skin, a local anesthetic is administered to the patient.
Which doctor to contact
If a papilloma appears on the pubis, an urgent need to consult a dermatovenerologist. With warts that have grown in size and darkened, it is better to go for a consultation with an oncologist surgeon. The doctor will prescribe the necessary examination and surgery to remove the growths, and then send the tissue for examination. In parallel, the patient is prescribed medication, the purpose of which is the prevention of relapse.
Ways to remove growths
Timely detected pubic papillomas in men and women can be treated without complications. Such growths are removed without consequences. No need to independently try to get rid of warts, so as not to provoke their malignancy.
Today, there are several modern and effective ways to remove papillomas on the pubis. How this can be done, the doctor will determine. So, for some patients, warts are removed with a laser, and for others, with liquid nitrogen. There are other treatment methods that are used regardless of the type of papilloma (genital or filiform). The best option for removing tumors is selected based on the diagnostic results.
Cryodestruction
This is one of the methods of radical treatment of pubic papillomas. To remove growths with its help, liquid nitrogen is cooled to a critically low temperature, as a result of which the wart is cauterized and completely destroyed. The procedure itself is painless, but uncomfortable sensations are inevitable if at least a particle of nitrogen gets on healthy tissues. The healing period lasts no more than two weeks in the absence of complications. After cryodestruction, a small scar can be left barely noticeable. The cost of removing one papilloma in the regions of Russia is on average 300-500 rubles.
Laser therapy
This type of excision of papillomas on the pubis in men and women is considered the most expensive and most effective. During the manipulation, a benign skin growth is exposed to a powerful laser beam, as a result of which the wart instantly heats up. After a few seconds, the liquid begins to evaporate from the papilloma, and then the laser simply cuts the growth from the surface of the epidermis. Along with the excision of the neoplasm, cauterization of capillaries and injured areas occurs, which prevents the development of the inflammatory process, bleeding, and the formation of a scar. The price of laser papilloma removal varies from 600 to 1500 rubles.
Diathermocoagulation
The surgeon with the help of an electric knife emitting high-frequency waves heats the wart. After the procedure is completed, a scab forms at the site of the papilloma, which will subsequently heal within a week. Diathermocoagulation is a very painful manipulation, therefore, its implementation is not complete without a local anesthetic. This type of removal is suitable for patients with a small number of neoplasms on the pubis. The cost of one procedure is in the range of 300-600 rubles.
Radio wave therapy
Using a radio wave scalpel, papillomas on the pubis can be removed. As a rule, this method is used if there are contraindications to cauterization of warts with liquid nitrogen. Papillomas are removed without blood, but the tissues heal and scar for a long time. The price of such a manipulation is 500-1000 rubles.
Surgical method
This method of treating papillomatosis is considered traditional. The growths on the skin of the pubis are excised with a scalpel, after which the affected areas are treated with a special solution. At the end of the procedure, a bandage can be applied to the patient and fixed with a band-aid. The operation is performed under local anesthesia.
Surgical excision of warts is resorted mainly to advanced stages of the disease, when they rapidly increase in size. Another indication for surgery is considered signs of degeneration of papilloma into skin cancer.
Conservative treatment of the disease
If there are no clear indications for the removal of growths, the doctor selects the appropriate medications for the patient from the group of antiviral and immunostimulating agents. Thanks to such drugs, it is possible to reduce the activity of HPV infection and strengthen the body's defenses.
In addition to medicines, patients with papillomatosis are often prescribed topical drugs. Experts do not recommend buying such medicines at their discretion due to the high risk of burns and improper scarring of the wound. External solutions include liquid solutions and ointments, which include trichloroacetic acid. The medicine is carefully applied to the warts, trying to prevent contact with a healthy epidermis.
Consequences of removal: reviews
Wart excision procedures themselves are easy to tolerate - a lot of patient comments testify to this. During removal, people often experience unpleasant sensations such as burning, tingling, mild soreness.
Data on the timing of wound healing also diverge. Depending on the type of procedure, for complete recovery, patients require:
- 14-18 days after cryodestruction;
- 7-10 days after laser removal;
- 4-7 days after radio wave excision;
- up to 30 days after removal with a scalpel.
The longest recovery period lasts in patients who have several papillomas removed at once. In their reviews, many complained about the complexity of the subsequent care of the wound surface, constant itching, swelling and a strict ban on visiting the solarium, baths, pools, saunas, open reservoirs over the next three weeks.
Papilloma prophylaxis on the pubis
In order to prevent the appearance of rashes on the skin, including in the inguinal region, it is necessary to constantly and closely monitor your health, treat ARVI and other infectious diseases in time, and do not allow the immune system to weaken. In addition, you should avoid contact with random partners and remember that even barrier methods of contraception are not able to protect against papillomavirus.