Papillomas on the neck

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

Causes of papillomas on the neck

There is an etiological reason why papillomas begin to grow on the neck or in any other area of ​​the human body: infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is a member of 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 (papilloma, condyloma, warts - these concepts are synonymous, different names are associated with the peculiarities of localizationin a particular area).

The main routes of transmission are domestic and genital contact (condylomata of the perianal region). The virus can penetrate the skin only in the presence of microdamages or open wounds, in other cases it cannot cross the protective barrier of the skin.

Information on pathogens

1. It has a high degree of spread regardless of gender (however, it manifests in women more frequently than in men), age or region (according to some sources, 2/3 of the planet is infected with this virus).
2. Contains double-stranded and ring-stranded DNA that can be integrated into the human genome.
3. Infection with some strains is associated with a high carcinogenic risk, especially in the case of permanent injury. Neck papillomas are caused by non-oncogenic strains of the virus.
4. A virus goes through two main stages in the division process. In the first stage, it is in episomal (free) form, and in the same period the main division of the viral particle occurs. This phase is reversible (after treatment, a long-term remission occurs). In the second, integrative stage, the virus implants itself into the cell's genome (the first step towards the transformation of cells and the formation of a malignant neoplasm). The first stage is transitory and passes relatively quickly, while the second is latent and explains the existence of carriers.
5. The basal layer of the epidermis, where the virus replicates, is affected. In the remaining layers, the pathogen can persist, but not divide. As long as the virus is in the germ layer, as it grows, the normal differentiation of cells is disrupted in all layers of this area, especially at the level of the spinous layer.
6. You have a tendency to be a long-term asymptomatic carrier in the body (several months to a year). It is rarely possible to identify a specific time of infection; This is the reason why treatment begins during a period of intense clinical manifestations and not at the first vague signs.
7. To prevent infection, bivalent and quadrivalent vaccines are used, which are especially effective against the more oncogenic strains 16 and 18.

Predisposing factors

1. Lack of hygiene. Since the virus can maintain vital activity in the external environment for a long time, it is necessary to carefully observe the rules of personal hygiene when visiting public places (swimming pool, public baths, gym).
2. Traumatic skin injuries. Microcracks or scratches in the skin (for example, caused by rubbing the neck with the collar of a shirt) are enough for the virus to penetrate.
3. Impaired immune system function. With immunodeficiencies of any genesis, favorable conditions arise 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 by scratching the skin.
5. Systematic 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 decrease in the body's defenses (hypothermia, excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays).

External manifestations of the disease

The cervical papillomas in the photo look like this:

1. The growth is most often located 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 leg (in this case, the formation takes a hanging position). In the second option, the risk of injury is much higher.
2. The boundaries of education are uniform and clear.
3. The color does not differ from that of the surrounding skin. In rare cases, it may be somewhat paler or darker than adjacent tissues.
4. The surface is usually even and smooth. Sometimes, growths are possible on top of the papilloma, making its surface ribbed.
5. Diameter varies widely, from 1-3 mm to several centimeters (small diameter papillomas are more common).
6. Location in any area of ​​the neck (back, front side). Sometimes the face is involved.

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

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

The signs that can indicate a malignant transformation are the following:

• color change and heterogeneity (polymorphism);
• edge shift (blur, loss of definition);
• the appearance of asymmetry (when drawing a line through the conditional middle of the formation, two equal halves cannot be obtained);
• intensive growth;
• bleeding or ulceration (a nonspecific symptom, as it is also typical of simple trauma to the neoplasm);
• itching, burning, peeling;
• dropouts are formed (small daughter formations around the central one).

The appearance of such signs does not necessarily mean the degeneration of the papilloma, but it does mean that you should consult a doctor and undergo a differential diagnosis, finding out 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 in the blood.

There are several ways to fight:

Method	Description
Medications	The use of cytostatics, immunomodulators is designed to suppress the replication of the viral agent in the affected area and reduce its concentration in the blood. Some medications (keratolytics) are applied topically directly to destroy skin growth (cauterize and cause tissue necrosis).
Physical methods	Cryodestruction, laser therapy, electrocoagulation. Its goal is to remove 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 neoplasms themselves, but they do not completely remove the virus from the body.
Combination therapy	Combines the previous two options and is therefore more efficient.

Treating papillomas with folk folk remedies (celandine juice, for example) is ineffective and often dangerous; in any case, a prerequisite is consultation with a doctor.

Physical methods of destruction

Formations can be effectively reduced using the following physical methods:

Method	Description
Local action with concentrated acid solutions	A 1. 5% solution of zinc chloropropionate in 50% 2-chloropropionic acid, a combination of nitric, acetic, oxalic, lactic and copper nitrate trihydrate, etc. is used. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis by a specialist (dermatovenerologist, cosmetologist) in accordance with surgical standards. . . The agent is applied promptly with a spatula until the color of the formation changes to a lighter one (as soon as this happens, the subsequent application should be stopped immediately). For a complete cure of papilloma, on average, you need to conduct 1-2 treatments.
Electrocoagulation	With a special electric knife, a punctual excision of the formations is performed without affecting the underlying tissues (there is minimal effect on healthy skin cells). The method is most convenient when the formation has a long stem and a small size.
Cryodestruction	The focus is exposed to liquid nitrogen, the ultra-low temperature leads to tissue necrosis. It is good to clean this form of education with a broad base. The nitrogen action time is selected by a specialist (1-5 minutes). After moxibustion, a burn forms that heals in an average of 10 days.
Laser removal	The most modern and delicate approach to removing growths in prominent places like the neck. It has the most positive reviews. With the help of a light guide from 5 sec to 3 min in continuous mode, they 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 the surrounding tissues due to the high precision of the action.
Classic surgical excision (scalpel excision)	Used very rarely, only with large lesions or with suspected malignancy. The reason is that the lesions are often multiple, spread around the neck and too small for excision, in addition, after surgical excision, scars may remain, which in themselves create a cosmetic defect.