Papillomas on the penis

Most of the time, people do not know that the human papilloma virus (HPV) is present in their body.This is due to the fact that the papillomavirus is usually present in a latent form, suppressed by natural immunity.Problems arise when it gets out of control and begins to actively manifest itself in the form of growths on various parts of the body.Men are less likely to suffer from the consequences of the virus than women, but even for them its effect can lead to serious problems in the form of papillomas on the penis.

reasons

Viral DNA enters the body through microcracks in the skin or mucous membranes.If a man's immunity is weakened, the first manifestations of HPV will appear several months after infection.

Up to 80% of cases of transmission occur through sexual intercourse.Barrier contraception minimizes the risk of infection, but does not eliminate it completely.

Other routes of infection:

1. Household way.The virus is transmitted through personal belongings of an infected person: clothes, hygiene items, etc.The risk of transmission increases if there is damage to the skin, even if it is minor.This path is characterized by infection with low-oncogenic types of viruses.They do not lead to serious health problems, but manifest themselves in the form of condylomas, papillomas and warts, creating a cosmetic defect.
2. From mother to child.If a mother was infected with HPV during pregnancy and childbirth and gave birth naturally, there is a high probability that the child will be infected.

If a person has good immune protection, the virus does not show itself and can remain in the body for a long time in a latent form.Therefore, it is not the infection with the virus itself that is dangerous, but the weakening of the immune system, which leads to the activation of HPV.

There are a number of factors that affect the possibility of strengthening the virus:

• chronic diseases;
• hormonal problems;
• incorrectly selected contraception or its complete absence;
• viral infections;
• alcohol, smoking or prolonged use of antibiotics;
• frequent stress.

All these factors negatively affect the immune system.If there is not one provoking factor in a man's life, but several, this will lead to a faster development of the papilloma virus.

Symptoms

Often papillomas appear only externally, but in some cases they can appearnon-specific symptoms:

• itching and burning during intercourse;
• pain when touching papillomas;
• accumulation of urine in the folds of the penis;
• unpleasant odor in the affected area.

In addition, neoplasms can grow and affect not only the penile area, but also appear on the anus and pubis.

What do papillomas look like?

Penile papilloma is a small neoplasm.Initially, it may appear on its own, but without proper treatment, the number of papillomas increases.At the same time, they can merge with each other.

Such neoplasms resemble flowery or pink cauliflower inflorescences.They are most often located in the area of the foreskin, head and frenulum.They are less often diagnosed in the urethra and scrotum.Papillomas can also appear as small white bumps that appear in long rows.This form is characteristic of localization in the area of the frenulum.

One of the manifestations of HPV is Buschke-Levenshtein condyloma.It is characterized by rapid growth, exceptional sizes and resistance to various types of treatment.Its appearance is due to several existing papillomas and condylomas that merge together and form one large affected area.Having Buschke-Levenshtein condyloma is dangerous because the cells changed by it can easily develop into cancer.

Which doctor should I contact?

As a rule, the urologist diagnoses papillomas in men.You can also consult a dermatovenerologist or a proctologist if you have condylomas in the anal area.However, to remove papillomas, they are usually referred to a surgeon.In general, diagnostics is carried out in several stages:

1. The urologist examines and interviews the patient.An oral interview is needed to assess the patient's lifestyle and determine the cause of the virus infection.The visual examination includes not only an assessment of the condition of the penis, but also neighboring organs - the scrotum, the anal area.This is necessary for a complete picture of the localization of the virus.
2. Passing a smear from the urethra.Determines the presence of various sexually transmitted diseases.
3. PCR.This analysis not only shows the presence of HPV in the body, but also most likely determines its type.
4. Meatoscopy.This procedure is an examination of the urethra if the papillomavirus has affected the frenulum.
5. After removing the papillomathe doctor may order a biopsyto assess the status of a distant tumor.This is necessary to eliminate the risk of cancer and make sure that the papilloma is benign.

In this case, it is advisable to examine both partners.Usually, the woman is also infected with one of the types of papilloma virus.If only a person is treated, there is a chance that after some time he will get sick again.

Why are papillomas dangerous?

Human papillomavirus is often accompanied by other related diseases.The appearance of papillomas in the area of the head of the penis contributes to the accumulation of urine in the folds.This creates conditions for the emergence and development of various microorganisms, which subsequently leads to infections.They can provoke erosion around the papilloma, as well as contribute to inflammation of the urethra and testicles.These diseases are characterized by problems with urination, pain and high fever.

Another danger is injury to the tumors, which leads to bleeding.This is due to the fact that many blood vessels are formed around the papillomas, which supply them with blood.Even a minor injury can lead to infection due to trauma.

Also, neoplasms can rub when moving, which causes pain and discomfort to a man.

HPV and cancer

When the virus is just beginning to spread, neoplasms are rare and benign.Without treatment, they grow and merge with each other.Over time, the cells degenerate into malignant ones.The risk of cancer is especially high if a man is infected with highly oncogenic types of the virus - 16 or 18.They contribute to the development of penile and bladder cancer.

Treatment of papillomas

The treatment of HPV includes not only eliminating its external manifestations, but also strengthening the immune system, which should block the manifestations of the virus.Immunostimulating drugs are used to maintain immunity.

An ointment that suppresses the reproduction of the virus and removes small growths is effective as an antiviral drug.It does not always cope with the task of complete removal, but it prevents the appearance of neoplasms.An antiviral ointment is prescribed to stimulate the immune system.The ointment does not remove papillomas, but it helps to activate the cells of the immune system, which stops their growth and development.

Removal methods

There are several ways to get rid of emerging tumors:

1. Laser removal.The papilloma is exposed to a laser beam that completely burns the growth.A crust forms in this place, which falls off after a few weeks.The method is considered effective due to the lack of relapses.The removal is performed under anesthesia.In this case, there is no bleeding, no scars or marks remain.
2. Cryodestruction.Papillomas are exposed to liquid nitrogen.It instantly freezes the desired area, the neoplasm on it is destroyed and dies.The disadvantage of this method is the inability to control the depth of cryodestruction.A crust also remains at the site of the removed papilloma, which disappears after a while.
3. Radiosurgery.The principle of operation of this method is similar to laser removal.Radio waves do not leave scars, and the procedure is preceded by preliminary anesthesia with a special spray.After that, there are no complications and the body recovers quickly.
4. Electrocoagulation.The growth is exposed to an electric current, due to which the stalk is eliminated, after which the papilloma disappears.If necessary, surface anesthesia can be used.The procedure takes a few minutes, is common and affordable.But this method can leave scars after healing.
5. Surgical intervention.It is used in rare cases when the tumor becomes too large.It is performed under anesthesia and is characterized by prolonged healing and traumatization.The good thing about this method is that it allows you to save the removed growth for histological examination.

The price of each method depends on the complexity of the work, the size and number of papillomas to be removed.

Before choosing any method, consult your doctor.He will tell you what is best to use in your situation and tell you in detail how the procedure is done.Also, after removal of the tumor, it is advisable to take the material for histology.This is necessary to determine whether the process of degeneration of benign neoplasms into malignant ones has begun.This method will help detect early changes in cells and prevent the spread of cancer.