How to distinguish papillomas and condylomas

The presence of such growths is associated with the presence of HPV in a person. They may not remind you of themselves for a long time.

Causes of appearance

The cause of warts is the papillomavirus, which causes papillomatosis. These types of growths occur on the skin if provocative factors are present:

• congenital or acquired form of immunodeficiency;
• Stressful situations;
• cold;
• use of cytostatics;
• long-term use of antibiotics, hormonal, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs;
• chronic form of vitamin deficiency;
• persistent urogenital infections;
• the presence of the herpes virus in the body.

Attention! The presence of HPV in a person does not guarantee the formation of a neoplasm.

Risk subgroups

Papillomavirus occurs in the bloodstream of approximately 85% of the population. Since HPV is in a latent form and does not show external symptoms, many people are not aware that they are carriers of the virus. People with weakened immune systems due to past illnesses, pregnancy, and diabetes are at risk.

Additionally, those who use medications that suppress the immune system are susceptible to infection. Also at high risk are those who frequently change sexual partners.

Ways of infection

There are 3 types of HPV transmission:

1. Sexual. Regardless of the type of sexual intercourse, it is the most popular method of infection. The virus also spreads through kissing. It penetrates the mucous membrane of the genital organs and enters the body through microscopic injuries. The infection can survive for a long time.
2. During birth. The infection is passed from mother to child during birth. During this period, condylomas and anogenital growths may develop in the oral cavity of the baby.
3. Local. It is very rarely spread through contact. It enters the body through microcracks in the skin. This happens when people share personal hygiene products.

However, it is possible to prevent the emergence of pathology by eliminating these methods of infection.

Features of papillomas

HPV manifests itself in different ways and has the following characteristics:

• It is found inside the body before new formations form on the skin. In such a situation, the doctor diagnoses a latent form of pathology. It is possible to detect a pathogen without skin manifestations using PCR;
• In the episomal form of the virus, it occurs as growths on the skin;
• It promotes the degeneration of epithelial cells from benign tumors to tumor neoplasms.

What do condylomas look like?

Condylomas are neoplasms found in the skin and mucous membranes that are inflammatory in nature. They have the following classification:

• wide with a wide base;
• He pointed to a thin handle. They mostly appear on the skin of the genitals and in the armpits. It is sometimes found in the corners of the mouth.

It is recommended to remove condylomas at the initial stage of their development. Only under these conditions is it possible to eliminate the pathology most likely once and for all. Conservative treatment methods often do not give the expected results.

Symptoms and signs

HPV symptoms depend on the underlying cause. The disease has no general clinical symptoms. But the following signs stand out:

• growth formation;
• skin irritation;
• discomfort during sexual intercourse;
• redness and itching.

Attention! Skin irritation and itching sometimes indicate other pathologies. If such symptoms occur, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Main differences

During a visual external examination and determining its type, many patients inexperiencedly confuse one type of wart with another. They are divided into two types:

• Papillomas – have a round or thread-like shape with a thin base.
• Condylomas are irregularly shaped growths. Its irregular contours usually rise 0. 5 cm above the skin.

Unlike papillomas, condylomas often form in the dermis near the genitals, the labia and foreskin of the penis. They appear darker in color and their occurrence confirms the presence of the HPV pathogen in the body.

Diagnosis

The following diagnostic measures are known to identify the type of skin growths. These include:

• visual inspection;
• PCR, which makes it possible to determine the presence of HPV;
• genotyping. An analysis that determines the type of virus;
• histological diagnosis. It allows you to accurately determine the type of pathology and the likelihood of malignancy.

Treatment methods

In no case should you remove warts on your own. Before the growth excision procedure, doctors recommend taking the following precautions:

• Take antiviral medications. This makes it possible to suppress HPV activity;
• Improve the functioning of the immune system - take vitamins and immunomodulators.

Treatment must be prescribed by the attending physician.

Hardware removal

Skin tumors can be eliminated by:

• Surgical. Until recently it was the main way to eliminate tumors. After the scab falls off, a scar forms in the affected area. This led experts to look for other methods for excising the growths.
• Chemical. Special medications containing strong acids are used to burn warts.
• Cryocoagulation. The growth is frozen using liquid nitrogen at low temperatures. The increased risk of recurrence is a significant disadvantage of using this method.
• Radio waves. It is painless and fast.
• Using laser. One of the newest ways to remove skin growths. It is not suitable for all warts.

Methods of removing warts directly depend on the severity of the pathology, other diseases, immunity and other factors. Only based on these indicators can the doctor recommend a specific method of excision.

Possible complications

If there is no treatment for the pathology, the likelihood of further infection increases, as a result of which the growths can spread to other areas of the skin and quite significantly weaken the functioning of the immune system. Such growths are dangerous because they trigger complications:

• formation of papillomas, condylomas and warts;
• papillomatosisExtensive growth of neoplasms;
• bleeding. Typically after hardware removal of papillomas;
• infection. The likelihood of infection increases during neoplasm trauma;
• reinforcement of neoplasms;
• ulcerformed by prolonged friction against clothing;
• precancerous state;
• cancerous growths on the body;
• risk of developing skin cancer;
• asphyxia in childhood. When the larynx is affected by papillomas, breathing difficulties often occur. There is a risk of suffocation.

Important! Human papillomavirus is a serious pathology. It is impossible to ignore this and engage in independent treatment. Otherwise, the disease may worsen.