Papillomas on the neck

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

Causes of papillomas on the neck

There is an etiological reason why papillomas start growing on the neck or any other area of ​​the human body: human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, 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 localization in a particular area).

The main routes of transmission are family and genital contact (warts of the perianal region). The virus is able to penetrate the skin only in the presence of microdamages or open wounds, in other cases it is not able to go beyond the protective barrier of the skin.

Information on pathogens

1. It has a high degree of spread regardless of gender (however, it occurs in women more often than in men), age or region (according to some sources, 2/3 of the planet is infected with this virus).
2. Contains twisted double-stranded ring DNA capable of integrating into the human genome.
3. Infection with some strains is associated with a high carcinogenic risk, especially in the case of permanent lesions. 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 episomic (free) form, and in the same period the main division of the viral particle occurs. This phase is reversible (long-term remission occurs after treatment). In the second, integrative phase, the virus is implanted in the genome of the cell (first step towards cellular degeneration and the formation of a malignant neoplasm). The first stage is transient 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. Provided that the virus is in the germ layer, as it grows, the normal differentiation of cells in all layers of this area is impaired, especially at the level of the spinous layer.
6. Has a tendency to long-term asymptomatic transport in the body (from several months to a year). It is rarely possible to identify a specific moment of infection - this is 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 particularly effective against the more oncogenic strains 16 and 18.

Predisposing factors

1. Lack of hygiene. Since the virus is able to 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, bathhouse, gym).
2. Traumatic lesions of the skin. For the virus to penetrate, microcracks or scratches on the skin (caused for example by rubbing the neck with the collar of a shirt) are sufficient.
3. Impaired immune system function. With immunodeficiencies of any genesis, favorable conditions arise for the development of any 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 during skin scratching.
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 significantly protrudes above the surface of the skin. Less commonly, the basis of the papilloma is represented by a thin leg (in this case, the formation takes a suspended 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 the surrounding skin. In rare cases, it can be a little lighter or darker than the adjacent tissues.
4. The surface is often uniform, smooth. Sometimes growths in the upper part of the papilloma are possible, which makes its surface ribbed.
5. The diameter varies widely - from 1-3 mm to several centimeters (small-diameter papillomas are more common).
6. Position on any area of ​​the neck (back, front). Sometimes the face is involved.

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

In very rare cases, papillomas on the neck can become malignant, i. e. degenerate into a skin tumor. This can occur following infection with an oncogenic HPV strain.

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

• color change and heterogeneity (polymorphism);
• border change (blur, loss of definition);
• the appearance of asymmetry (when drawing a line through the conditional center of the formation, it is not possible to get two equal halves);
• intensive growth;
• bleeding or ulceration (a nonspecific symptom, as it is also typical of a simple trauma to the neoplasm);
• itching, burning, peeling;
• abandonments 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 undergo a differential diagnosis, finding out whether it is 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 itself in the blood.

There are several ways to fight:

Method	Description
Medication	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 drugs (keratolytics) are applied topically directly to destroy skin growth (cauterize and cause tissue necrosis).
Physical methods	Cryodestruction, laser therapy, electrocoagulation. They aim to get rid of 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 - skin neoplasms themselves, but do not completely remove the virus from the body.
Combination therapy	Combines the two previous options and is therefore the most effective.

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

Physical methods of destruction

It is possible to effectively reduce formations using the following physical methods:

Method	Description
Local action with solutions of concentrated acids	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 the surgical rules. . . The agent is applied punctually with a spatula until the color of the formation changes to a lighter one (as soon as this has happened, the further application must be stopped immediately). For a complete cure of papilloma, on average, it is necessary to carry out 1-2 treatments.
Electrocoagulation	Using a special electric knife, a point excision of the formations is performed without affecting the underlying tissues (there is minimal effect on healthy skin cells). The method is more convenient when the formation has a long stem and small size.
Cryodestruction	Fire is exposed to liquid nitrogen, ultra low temperature leads to tissue necrosis. It is good to clean this way of education on a broad basis. The time of action of nitrogen is selected by a specialist (1-5 minutes). After moxibustion, a burn is formed that heals on average in 10 days.
Laser removal	The most modern and gentler 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 continuously, they act on the fire. The healing period is much shorter than with other methods (5-7 days). The technique is associated with minimal trauma to surrounding tissues due to the high precision of the action.
Classical surgical removal (excision with a scalpel)	Used extremely rarely, only with large lesions or suspected malignancy. The reason is that the lesions are often multiple, scattered around the neck and too small for excision, and after surgical excision, scars may remain, which in themselves create a cosmetic defect.