Papillomas on the neck

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

Causes of papillomas on the neck

There is an etiological reason why papillomas begin to develop on the neck or any other area of the human body: infection with the human papillomavirus (papillomavirus, HPV), which represents 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, condylomas, warts - these concepts 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 (condyloma of the perianal area).The virus is able to penetrate the skin only in the presence of microdamage or open wounds;in other cases, it is not able to penetrate the skin's protective barrier.

Pathogen Information

1. It has a high prevalence regardless of gender (however, it occurs somewhat more often in women than in men), age or region (according to some data, 2/3 of the planet is infected with this virus).
2. Contains double-stranded, circular and twisted DNA that can integrate into the human genome.
3. Infection with certain strains is associated with a high carcinogenic risk, particularly in the event of permanent injury.Neck papillomas are caused by non-oncogenic strains of the virus.
4. During the division process, the virus goes through two main stages.At the first stage it occurs in episomal (free) form and during the same period the main division of the virus particle occurs.This phase is reversible (long-term remission occurs after treatment).In the second stage - integrative - the virus is implanted in the cellular genome (first step towards cellular degeneration and the formation of a malignant tumor).The first stage is transient and passes relatively quickly, and the second is latent and explains the existence of carriers.
5. The basal layer of the epidermis is affected, where virus replication occurs.In the remaining layers, the pathogen may persist but not divide.Provided that the virus is in the germinal layer, as it grows, the normal differentiation of cells in all layers of this zone is disrupted, the disturbances are particularly strong at the level of the spinous layer.
6. Tends to long-term asymptomatic carriage in the body (several months to a year).It is rarely possible to identify the precise moment of infection - this is why treatment begins during the period of intense clinical manifestations, and not at the first vague signs.
7. To prevent infection, 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 rules.Since the virus is able to maintain vital activity in the external environment for a long time, it is necessary to scrupulously observe the rules of personal hygiene when visiting public places (swimming pool, sauna, gym).
2. Traumatic skin injuries.Microcracks or scratches on the skin (caused for example by rubbing the neck with a shirt collar) are enough for the virus to penetrate.
3. Immune system dysfunction.With immune deficiencies of any origin, favorable conditions arise for the development of any infection.For example, frequent colds and infectious diseases lead to a weakening of immunity and the appearance of papillomas on the skin.
4. Self-infection by scratching the skin.
5. Systematic lifestyle violations (stress, lack of physical activity, poor diet).These factors affect the functioning of all metabolic processes in the body and lead to a reduction in the barrier function of the skin.
6. Environmental factors influencing the reduction of the body's defenses (hypothermia, excessive exposure to ultraviolet).

External manifestations of the disease

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.More rarely, the base of the papilloma is represented by a thin rod (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 smooth and clear.
3. The color does not differ from the surrounding skin.In rare cases, adjacent tissues may be slightly lighter or darker.
4. The surface is often flat and smooth.Sometimes growths are possible at the top of the papilloma, which makes its surface ribbed.
5. The diameter varies greatly - from 1-3 mm to several centimeters (papillomas of small diameter are more common).
6. Location on any area of the neck (back, side, front).Sometimes a face is involved.

Typically, many lesions are located along skin folds.

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

Signs that may indicate malignant degeneration include:

• color change and heterogeneity (polymorphism);
• border change (blur, loss of clarity);
• the appearance of asymmetry (when drawing a line passing through the conditional middle of the formation, it is impossible to obtain two equal halves);
• intensive growth;
• bleeding or ulceration (a nonspecific sign, since it is also typical for simple trauma of a neoplasm);
• itching, burning, peeling;
• screenings 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 it is necessary to consult a doctor and carry out a differential diagnosis, to determine whether it is an inflamed mole or skin cancer.

How to get rid of papillomas on the neck

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

You can fight in several ways:

Method	Description
Medication methods	The use of cytostatics and immunomodulators is aimed at suppressing the replication of the viral agent in the affected area and reducing its concentration in the blood.Some medications (keratolytics) are applied directly topically to destroy skin growth (they cauterize and cause tissue necrosis).
Physical methods	Cryodestruction, laser therapy, electrocoagulation.The goal is to get rid of papillomas on the neck and other parts of the body.These methods allow you to restore the aesthetic appearance of open areas and eliminate the viral reservoir - the skin tumor itself, but do not completely eliminate the virus from the body.
Combined therapy	It combines the two previous options and is therefore the most effective.

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

Physical methods of destruction

It is possible to effectively reduce training 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, acetic, oxalic, lactic acids and copper nitrate trihydrate, etc.The procedure is carried out on an outpatient basis by a specialist (dermatovenereologist, cosmetologist) in compliance with surgical rules.The product is applied pointwise with a spatula until the color of the formation becomes lighter (as soon as this happens, further application should be stopped immediately).To completely cure papilloma, you need to carry out an average of 1-2 treatments.
Electrocoagulation	Using a special electric knife, targeted excision of the formations is carried out without affecting the underlying tissues (the impact on healthy skin cells is minimal).The method is more practical when the formation has a long stem and small size.
Cryodestruction	The lesion is exposed to liquid nitrogen;ultra-low temperature leads to tissue necrosis.It is good to eliminate broad-based training in this way.The duration of action of nitrogen is chosen by a specialist (1 to 5 minutes).After cauterization, a burn is formed which heals on average in 10 days.
Laser Removal	The most modern and delicate approach, allowing to remove formations in important places like the neck.Has the most positive reviews.Using a light guide, the lesion is exposed for 5 seconds to 3 minutes in continuous mode.The healing period is much shorter than other methods (5-7 days).The technique is associated with minimal trauma to the surrounding tissues due to the high precision of the impact.
Conventional surgical ablation (scalpel excision)	It is used extremely rarely, only in cases of large lesions or suspicion of malignancy.The reason is that the lesions are often multiple, scattered around the neck and too small to be excised;in addition, after surgical excision, scars may remain, which themselves create an aesthetic defect.