If such growths appear on human skin, then it begs the question, what kind of changes have taken place in the body and is it not dangerous? Read useful information about the characteristics of different types of papillomas. This information will help you to understand the existence of such formations so that you can treat them in a timely manner if necessary.
Varieties of papillomas
Why do these processes often occur on the skin with age? These changes in the skin are provoked by human papillomavirus, or HPV for short. After infection with such a pathogen, the patient develops papillomatosis, in which warts of various shapes appear on the skin or mucous membranes. These growths are benign, but some types of papilloma have a high risk of recurrence of malignant tumors. For this reason, you should definitely visit a doctor if you notice such changes on your skin!
Medicine knows more than 40 species of papillomavirus that cause various forms of the disease in humans. The type of virus that enters the body depends on what the papilloma looks like, as the infection is manifested externally by different types of growths forming on different parts of the body. According to the general classification, the following types of growth are distinguished.
- Simple, also called vulgar - dark-colored keratinized formations.
- Plantar - affects the soles of the feet.
- Acrocords are fibrous formations on which the body rests.
- Flat growths or warts - often found in adults on the hands, fingers, face.
- Droplet - localized on the mucous membranes of the mouth, genitals or anus.
- Flat cells - consist of flat epithelium that has grown due to exposure to the virus and stroma (the basis of connective tissue and blood vessels).
- Basal cell - grows from cells of the basal layer of the epidermis or hair follicles.
- Internal - they arise not in the vicinity of the external visible parts of the body, but where they are difficult to notice, for example, in the larynx or bladder.
Noted
Such growths are often called warts. Their characteristic features are small size and special shape: wide base and sharp tip. These warts are flesh-colored or slightly pink in color and appear both individually and in groups. They are characterized by rapid growth: in just a few days, where there was only one growth, their entire group is formed. In shape, this family resembles a cauliflower blossom. Genital warts are often located on the mucous membranes: in the mouth, on the tongue, as well as near the genitals or near the anus.
Flat
This form of skin growth caused by the HPV virus is one of the most common because it can have a very wide localization throughout the body. What does this type of papilloma look like? These are round or oval-shaped flat formations, slightly raised on the skin surface - no more than 1 mm, may be soft and with signs of keratinization. Often they appear in groups, in color they are practically indistinguishable from the surrounding cover.
Such formations are mainly found on the upper part of the body: on the face (for example, on the nose or lips), on the neck. They often appear on the mucous membranes: on the cheeks or tongue in the mouth. Flat cell tumors can be diagnosed in the esophagus, larynx, genitals, and even the rectum. People who have such tumors are advised to remove them because of the high risk of degeneration into a malignant form.
Basal cell
These growths are often called basal cell carcinomas or warts because they often affect the skin of older people. These growths grow slowly from the basal layer of the epidermis (hence the name) or from the hair follicles, appearing on the surface of the skin in the form of papillomas from pink to dark brown in color. Areas of the body where basal cell carcinoma is common are the arm, back, lips, and nose. Their distinguishing feature is that they never develop into cancerous tumors, so they are considered safe.
How papillomas look in intimate areas
As for the formations in the genital area, then it means drip formations. These types of papillomas are exaggerated cells of the upper layer of the epithelium that look like groups of small papillae. Such formations affect both sexes equally often. They are localized in the vagina and directly on the surface of the genitals: in men - on the head of the penis or in the lumen of the urethra, in women - on the mucous membrane of the vagina, on the surface of the cervix and in the uterus itself.
Manifestations of changes in the composition of the genitals, which occur as a result of human infection with the HPV virus, require special attention from the patient. She needs to consult a doctor and get rid of genital warts, because with the transition to such a chronic form of the disease the risk of infertility and oncology increases significantly.
Photo: How papillomas look on the body
In order to get a clear and concise idea of what these formations are, it will be useful for you to look at pictures of what such formations look like. Take a look at this selection of photos showing examples of different types of papillomas. Check out the growths you or your loved ones have with these photos and you can determine in advance whether these warts are subject to mandatory removal and avoid serious risks to your health.
