Papillomas on the neck

Papillomas on the neck are one of the manifestations of an infectious disease caused by the human papilloma virus.They belong to the benign skin formations.

Causes of papillomas on the neck

There is an etiological reason why papillomas begin to grow on the neck or other areas of the human body - infection with the human papillomavirus (papillomavirus, HPV), which belongs to the Papovaviridae family.There are more than 100 serotypes of this pathogen, each of which is responsible for the appearance of a different clinical picture of the disease (papillomas, condylomas, warts - these terms are synonymous, different names are associated with the peculiarities of localization in a particular area).

The main routes of transmission are household contacts and sexual contacts (condylomas in the perianal area).The virus can only penetrate the skin through microdamage or open wounds;in other cases it is unable to penetrate the skin's protective barrier.

Information about pathogens

1. It has a high prevalence regardless of gender (however, it occurs slightly more often in women than in men), age or region (according to some data, 2/3 of the world's population is infected with this virus).
2. Contains double-stranded, circular, twisted DNA that can integrate into the human genome.
3. Infection with some strains is associated with a high carcinogenic risk, particularly in the event of permanent damage.Papillomas on the neck are caused by non-oncogenic virus strains.
4. During the division process, the virus goes through two main stages.In the first stage it is in episomal (free) form and in the same period the main division of the virus particle occurs.This phase is reversible (long-term remission occurs after treatment).In the second - integrative - stage, the virus is implanted into the cell genome (the first step towards cell degeneration and the formation of a malignant neoplasm).The first stage is temporary and occurs relatively quickly, the second is latent and explains the existence of carriers.
5. The basal layer of the epidermis is affected, where the virus multiplies.The pathogen can persist in the remaining layers but cannot divide.If the virus is in the germ layer, the normal cell differentiation of all layers in this area is disrupted during growth; the disruptions are particularly severe at the level of the spinous layer.
6. Has a tendency to long-term asymptomatic transmission in the body (from several months to a year).It is rarely possible to determine the exact time of infection - for this reason, treatment begins during the period of intense clinical manifestations, and not at the first vague signs.
7. To prevent infections, bivalent and quadrivalent vaccines are used, which are particularly effective against the most oncogenic strains 16 and 18.

Predisposing factors

1. Non-compliance with hygiene regulations.Since the virus is able to maintain vital activity in the external environment for a long period of time, it is necessary to carefully observe the rules of personal hygiene when visiting public places (swimming pool, sauna, gym).
2. Traumatic injuries to the skin.Microtears or scratches in the skin (e.g. from rubbing the neck with a shirt collar) are enough for the virus to enter.
3. Immune system dysfunction.Immune defects of any origin create favorable conditions for the development of possible infections.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 by scratching the skin.
5. Systematic lifestyle violations (stress, lack of exercise, unhealthy diet).These factors impair the functioning of all metabolic processes in the body and lead to a deterioration in the skin's barrier function.
6. Environmental factors that influence the weakening of the body's defenses (hypothermia, excessive UV exposure).

External manifestations of the disease

Cervical papillomas in the photo look like this:

1. The growth is usually on a broad base and protrudes significantly above the surface of the skin.Less often, the base of the papilloma is represented by a thin stalk (in this case the formation occupies a hanging position).With the second variant, the risk of injury is significantly higher.
2. The boundaries of education are smooth and clear.
3. The color does not differ from the surrounding skin.In rare cases, adjacent tissue may be slightly paler or darker.
4. The surface is often flat and smooth.Sometimes growths are possible at the top of the papilloma, causing its surface to become ribbed.
5. The diameter varies greatly - from 1-3 mm to several centimeters (small diameter papillomas are more common).
6. Location in any area of the neck (back, side, front).Sometimes a face is involved.

There are usually many lesions along the folds of the skin.

In very rare cases, papillomas on the neck can become malignant, i.e. 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 degeneration are the following:

• Change and heterogeneity of color (polymorphism);
• change in boundary (blurring, loss of clarity);
• the appearance of asymmetry (when drawing a line through the conditional center of the formation, it is impossible to obtain two equal halves);
• intensive growth;
• Bleeding or ulceration (a nonspecific sign, since it is also typical of simple trauma to a neoplasm);
• itching, burning, peeling;
• Shields form (small daughter formations around the center).

The appearance of such signs does not necessarily mean the degeneration of the papilloma, but it means that a visit to the doctor and differential diagnosis are necessary to find out whether it is a normal inflamed mole or skin cancer.

How to remove papillomas on the neck

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

You can fight in different ways:

method	Description
Medication methods	The use of cytostatics and immunomodulators is intended to suppress the proliferation of the viral pathogen in the affected area and reduce its concentration in the blood.Some drugs (keratolytics) are applied directly topically to destroy skin growth (they cauterize and cause tissue necrosis).
Physical methods	Cryodestruction, laser therapy, electrocoagulation.The aim is to eliminate papillomas on the neck and other parts of the body.These methods make it possible to restore the aesthetic appearance of open areas and remove the viral reservoir - the skin tumor itself, but do not completely remove the virus from the body.
Combination therapy	It combines the previous two options and is therefore the most effective.

Treatment of papillomas with folk remedies (for example, celandine juice) is ineffective and often dangerous;In any case, the 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 exposure to concentrated acid solutions	A 1.5% solution of zinc chloropropionate in 50% 2-chloropropionic acid, a combination of nitric acid, acetic acid, oxalic acid, lactic acid and copper nitrate trihydrate, etc. are used.The procedure is carried out on an outpatient basis by a specialist (dermatovenereologist, cosmetologist) in compliance with the surgical rules.The product is applied pointwise with a spatula 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 papilloma, you need to do 1-2 treatments on average.
Electrocoagulation	Using a special electric knife, targeted removal of formations is carried out without affecting the underlying tissue (the impact on healthy skin cells is minimal).The method is most convenient if the formation has a long stem and small size.
Cryodestruction	The lesion is exposed to liquid nitrogen;Ultra-low temperatures lead to tissue necrosis.In this way, formations with a wide base can be easily removed.The duration of action of nitrogen is chosen by an expert (1-5 minutes).After cauterization, a burn occurs that heals within an average of 10 days.
Laser removal	The most modern and gentle approach that allows you to remove formations in prominent places such as the neck.Has the most positive reviews.Using a light guide, the lesion is exposed continuously for 5 seconds to 3 minutes.The healing time is much shorter than other methods (5-7 days).Due to the high precision of the impact, the technique involves minimal trauma to the surrounding tissue.
Classic surgical removal (excision with scalpel)	It is used extremely rarely, only for large lesions or suspected malignancy.This is because the lesions are often numerous, scattered throughout the neck, and too small to remove;In addition, scars may remain after surgical removal, which in turn represents a cosmetic defect.