Papillomas on the elbows: causes and treatment

Papillomas are multiple benign neoplasms on the human body that can affect any organ of the body, mucous membranes, and appear in the form of outgrowths of epithelial tissue.

Small papillomas create little discomfort, but at the same time they look unaesthetic and can increase in volume over time, so they need to be treated.

They are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), which has about 32 main types, as well as many intermediate varieties.

What types of papillomas are there?

The appearance of papillomas may vary - these are single skin growths or small papillomas localized in different parts of the body. Their main pitchforks are distinguished:

1. Vulgar (simple) - are most often found on the hands, fingers, and in the neck area. They may not bother you for years and disappear without a trace without specific treatment.
2. Plantar papillomas are hard formations that differ from calluses in their rough structure and cause discomfort when walking and wearing shoes.
3. Flat formations on the skin are caused by inflammation of the skin, often have an angular shape, are localized on the face and neck and cause unpleasant sensations in the form of itching and irritation. Create aesthetic discomfort.
4. Thread-like papillomas can appear throughout the body, in the groin area, armpits, and on the bend of the elbow; they look like a 5-6 mm pedunculated lump. They also cause sensations of itching and discomfort and are diagnosed in older people.
5. Genital warts are a sexually transmitted disease and subsequently cause unpleasant health consequences.

And finally, about prevention

The use of individual personal hygiene products (sponges, washcloths, towels) and condoms during sexual intercourse (especially casual) will greatly help you avoid encountering this not at all safe infection. And regular preventive visits to a dermatologist, urologist or gynecologist will allow you to identify the disease at an early stage and avoid the unpleasant consequences of HPV.

Under no circumstances should you reduce papilloma using home methods! You will not get rid of it, because individual fragments will remain, from which the tumor develops again. By cauterizing the papilloma with hot objects or tying the leg with thread, you can introduce an infection and create a threat of degeneration of a benign tumor into a malignant one. It is dangerous to remove growths with celandine juice: it contains aggressive organic acids that cause severe burns, which leave rough keloid scars.

Papillomavirus (human papillomavirus - HPV) is a disease caused by a viral infection that affects the skin and mucous membranes.

The virus manifests itself in the form of warts, papillomas, and condylomas of various shapes. The tumor consists of nodules and resembles cauliflower inflorescences or cockscombs. Skin papilloma can be either small (no more than 1 mm) or quite large (up to 2 cm). At the beginning of its development, the formation is flesh-colored, but over time it acquires a brown tint. Most often, warts appear on the neck, in the groin folds, armpits, elbows, knees, head, and around the eyes. Also, growths can be in inconspicuous places, for example, on the cervix, in the vagina, on the external genitalia.

Classification

This disease was known back in Ancient Greece. Today, statistics say that only 1 in 10 people are not carriers of any type of HPV. There are more than 70 types of papillomavirus.

It is impossible to determine just by appearance which species you are a carrier of.

The manifestation of the virus can be various types of warts (plantar warts, flat warts and common warts); certain types of HPV include those types of the virus that affect the groin areas. HPVs are also separately identified, which are associated with the condition of a precancerous disease.

To determine what type of virus you have, you need to see a doctor and undergo the necessary tests.

Routes of infection

The papilloma virus needs special conditions to invade the body. Infection occurs from person to person through direct contact. The greatest danger of transmission is through sexual contact, since the alkaline environment is beneficial for the virus, and there are often microcracks on the genitals.

In everyday life, it is more difficult to become infected with the papilloma virus, but there is a risk of transmission of the virus if a sick person and a healthy person use the same bath towel or washcloth. If someone in the family has HPV, then you should always observe personal hygiene measures and precautions.

Treatment

Complex therapy includes taking medications to treat concomitant infections, correcting the immune system, and removing the growths themselves.

Physical methods are used for treatment: cryodestruction, electrocoagulation, laser coagulation. Often, after physical treatment, wounds that do not heal for a long time are formed, so remedies are prescribed that promote their rapid healing.

Treatment of papillomas should be complex, long-term and often by several specialists at once - a dermatologist, dentist, ENT specialist.

Also, if you have an infection, you must stop smoking, alcohol and monitor your diet. It is important to exercise and maintain personal hygiene.

Risk factors

...if you accidentally damage or rupture a tumor, treat the wound with an antiseptic (green paint, alcohol solution). For the first 2-3 days, do not disturb it with water procedures and do not cover it with a band-aid.

...if the growth bleeds, hurts, or has increased in size, you need to urgently seek help from a specialist.

Human papillomavirus is a risk factor for the development of cancer. First of all, cancer of the cervix, as well as of the external genitalia: the vulva in women, the glans penis in men.

But infection with papilloma does not necessarily lead to cancer. There are viruses of low oncogenic risk - these are subtypes 6, 11, 42, 43, 44 (more often they appear in the form of pointed growths - condylomas). Subtypes 16, 18, 31, 33 - have a high oncogenic risk; they form flat papules - warts. But from infection to malignant degeneration of cells, on average, 10–20 years pass.

Smoking, alcohol, obesity, and hormonal disorders that reduce immunity can accelerate the pathological process. Sometimes a virus that has been dormant in the body for years can suddenly awaken from its slumber.

Papilloma is driven to destructive changes by sexually transmitted infections: cytomegalovirus, genital herpes, chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis.

Also, banal carelessness can become a risk factor. Papillomas in the armpit, neck and face are often injured, after which they bleed and can become inflamed.

Frequent trauma to the papilloma can contribute to its degeneration into a malignant tumor.

If you have large papillomas on your body that you often touch, this is a direct indication for their removal.

Vaccine

There is a vaccine against human papillomavirus. It has been successfully tested in 72 countries around the world. The vaccine is primarily directed against infection by subtypes 16 and 18 of the virus, which cause about 90% of all cases of cervical cancer. It also acts on subtypes 6 and 11 - they are associated with the development of genital warts, which present certain difficulties in treatment.

Since the route of infection with these subtypes of HPV is sexual, it is advisable to get vaccinated before the start of intimate life. This vaccine is quadrivalent (against 4 types of virus), approved by the Pharmaceutical Committee for use.

Why are papillomas dangerous?

In addition to discomfort, itching and irritation of the affected areas of the skin, and an outwardly unaesthetic appearance, small papillomas can develop into large malignant neoplasms. These consequences are usually detrimental to women and appear after 50 years of age, in the form of cervical cancer as a result of erosion and HPV infection. Therefore, if you have symptoms of papillomatosis, you must undergo an examination by a dermatologist, even if there are few manifestations, and not self-medicate. For men who are carriers, this virus is practically harmless.

How to treat papillomas

HPV is diagnosed using PCR or DNA diagnostics, which determine the type of virus and its quantitative ratio in the body. This is especially important when planning a pregnancy, and if the virus is diagnosed, it is necessary to undergo a course of treatment to avoid infecting the child.

After diagnosing the type of papillomavirus, the doctor will prescribe medications that suppress its activity and strengthen the immune system in the fight against viruses. Antiviral agents (isoprinosine, groprinosin) inhibit viral activity. Immunity is increased with the help of immunostimulants (amixin, lycopid, immunomax). Alpha interferon preparations (viferon, genferon) simultaneously increase resistance to viruses and affect their pathogens. Immunomodulatory and blocking virus reproduction sprays and ointments (epigen-intim, panavir) help in the fight against the HPV virus as a complex therapy.

External manifestations (small growths on the skin) are removed by cryodestruction (exposure to liquid nitrogen), chemical, thermal and laser coagulation. This intervention is effective against small papillomas on the face and neck for aesthetic purposes.

Papillomas on the body can be treated using traditional medicine. External manifestations are treated by cauterizing celandine juice, which covers the entire affected area. Herbal teas (melissa, horsetail, plantain, dandelion) are brewed and drunk to strengthen the immune system. Potato and cabbage juice in the form of compresses, garlic and raw egg whites as an application to the affected area of ​​the skin help well.

Video

An ugly wart on the elbow not only negatively affects a person’s appearance, but also brings significant discomfort to him. This is because the growths in this area are easily injured by clothing or any object. Medicine has not yet learned to completely remove the HPV virus from the body, which causes the formation of warts on the body. But she offers effective treatments aimed at removing warts and preventing their recurrence.

Dry eczema

Excessive dry skin , cracking and a number of other reasons lead to a disease such as dry eczema. Dry eczema affects absolutely all people, regardless of age and gender. Exacerbations of the disease are seasonal and occur mainly in winter. This is due to low air humidity in winter.

Causes of dry eczema on the hands

There are many reasons that contribute to the development of dry eczema on the hands and fingers, here are just the most basic of them:

• metabolic disease;
• stress and nervous tension;
• chronic non-pulmonary foci of infection;
• dysfunction of the liver and gastrointestinal tract;
• decreased immunity;
• hereditary predisposition;
• contact with household chemicals and chemical irritants at work.

Treatment of dry eczema

The most effective method of treating the disease today is corticosteroid ointments, which promote rapid healing of excessively dry affected skin. But these drugs have side effects:

• Thinning of the epithelium.
• Decreased local immunity. As a rule, this leads to the addition of a bacterial and fungal infection. Antimycotics and antibiotics are used to treat mycotic (fungal) and bacterial eczema. Sedatives and antihistamines are indicated for allergic symptoms of eczema.

Dry eczema: treatment with drugs

Advantan cream . A highly effective product intended for dry, eczema-affected skin. The cream is applied to the inflamed areas of the skin in a thin layer once a day. The course of treatment is 1-2 months. For the same purpose, the drugs Elokom and Lokoid are prescribed, which are available in the form of creams and ointments. Thanks to them, you can forget about such a disease as dry eczema on the hands for a long time. Both products are applied daily for several weeks.

Pimecrolimus cream and Tacrolimus ointment significantly slow down inflammatory processes in the skin and help reduce unbearable itching. The course of treatment is determined by a dermatologist.

In case of severe wave-like course of the disease, immunosuppressants are used to suppress the functioning of the immune system. These drugs include general action hormones - diprospan, prednisolone (available in the form of injections and tablets). When treating with these drugs, you should strictly follow all doctor's prescriptions: dosage and duration of treatment. This will help avoid unwanted consequences associated with an excess of hormones in the body.

Dry eczema on the hands: treatment with folk remedies

The initial stage of dry eczema on the hands responds well to treatment with folk remedies.

• Walnuts. Bake 3-4 nuts in the oven and peel. Grind them in a blender and mix with fish oil (1 tbsp.). Apply the mixture to the affected areas and leave for 30 minutes.
• Salt baths. Dilute sea salt (6 tbsp) in boiling water (1 l). Cool the solution. Place your hands in the bath and hold for 15 minutes. Then wash your hands with running water and lubricate with hypoallergenic cream.
• Burdock root. Pour boiling water (2 tbsp) over burdock root (1 tbsp). Leave for 20 minutes and strain. Make baths for 20 minutes or lotions.
• Cucumber pickle. Brine baths easily relieve itching and soreness characteristic of dry eczema.
• Olive oil. Mix the oil with an infusion of chamomile flowers in equal proportions. Wipe the inflamed skin of your hands with the resulting mixture.
• Sea buckthorn oil. Rub into the skin or use as a lotion.
• Soda solution. Dilute baking soda (1 tbsp) with water (1 tbsp) and rinse the affected areas.
• Kalanchoe. Squeeze the juice of one leaf and soak a cotton pad with it. Apply to inflamed skin for 10-15 minutes.

If the diagnosis of dry eczema is confirmed, begin treatment immediately, otherwise the consequences can be very dire . Strictly follow all prescriptions and general recommendations of the doctor.

An ugly and troublesome wart on the elbow appears, like all other similar neoplasms, during the period of virus activation. Unfortunately, modern medicine cannot remove the virus. But it is possible to get rid of such formations. Only this should be done under the supervision of a dermatologist.

Types of warts on the elbow

Warts on the elbows are benign growths on the skin caused by the human papillomavirus.

There is a whole classification of warts that can form on the surface of the elbow under the influence of the HPV (human papillomavirus) virus infection. Neoplasms of different types differ from each other in appearance and cause of formation. The following types of growths on the elbows are diagnosed:

• Flat warts. They are also commonly called juvenile ones, since in most cases they appear on the upper extremities of children and adolescents. New growths are characterized by a fairly smooth surface. Out of ignorance, they can easily be confused with ordinary pimples, since they have a similar shade.

• Common, or vulgar, warts. This is the most common type of viral tumor. Vulgar growths can rise above the surface of the skin of the elbow by 2 mm or more. They can be recognized by their rough structure and a significant degree of keratinization of the upper layers. The growths are colored pink, yellow or light brown.
• Senile (keratomas). Such warts in the elbow area are not caused by papillomavirus, but by age-related changes in the structure of the human skin. Therefore, they usually appear on the body of elderly people. This type of neoplasm has a soft consistency and flaky surface. It is painted predominantly dark brown, brown, and black.

The elbow warts listed above belong to the group of benign formations. Therefore, they are considered safe for human health. But one should not exclude the possibility of the growth degenerating into a cancerous tumor in the distant future. To prevent this process, it is necessary to carefully monitor the wart and, if obvious changes in its appearance appear, immediately contact a specialist.

Recipes

You can also remove warts using potatoes

Applying warts to an apple or potato (they must have a protrusion or tubercle resembling a wart in shape; only in this case can you get a 100% positive effect). Cut an apple or potato in half (it is recommended to do this using a strong thread). Use the half on which the protrusion is visible to rub the warts (in some cases it is recommended to rub with both halves). Then put the halves together and tie them with the thread you used to cut them. Bury the apple or potato in the ground, away from your home. When they rot, the warts will disappear.

They tie knots in the air over each wart on a silk thread, saying: “You can’t live here. You shouldn't be here. My word is firm and unyielding.” Hide the thread in a freshly cut potato and bury it in the ground so that no one knows. When the potatoes rot, the warts will disappear. In some cases, it is enough to bury only a thread.

Find a stem with roots from a cut ear of grain or a blade of grass. Using the tip of a straw, prick the warts several times while saying a spell or prayer. After this, immediately bury the straw in a damp place, root up. When the straw rots, the warts will disappear.

Vanga's advice. Pick spur grass (herb), dry it, grind it into powder and sprinkle on the wart.

One woman successfully removed her granddaughter's warts by applying mosquito repellent ointment (dimethyl phthalate) to her skin.

There is an ancient “summer” method for removing warts. You need to catch a grasshopper and, holding it by its hind legs, let it “bite” the wart. The grasshopper secretes a liquid similar to iodine from its mouth, which has wart-reducing properties. If you have several warts, then it is enough to remove only one. After about a week, other warts will completely disappear.

Fill a 30-40 ml bottle tightly with chopped onion peels and add 9% vinegar. Infuse for 10-15 days in a dark place, shaking occasionally. Soak gauze or cotton cloth in the resulting solution and apply to the wart, preferably overnight. They say that after this treatment, warts disappear in 3-5 days.

There is a simple old way to reduce warts using mushrooms. Any mushrooms in any form are suitable for this purpose: fresh, pickled, salted and dried (pre-soak). Apply the mushroom to the wart overnight and secure it, cover the top with cellophane or wax paper. After several treatments, the warts will disappear.

Warts can be removed if you moisten them daily with a strong infusion of Poland or its juice.

To remove warts on the face, make lotions from fresh urine in the morning and evening.

One of my readers drank 150 g of fresh urine every day at 4, 7, 13 and 18 o’clock, and cleaned the intestines using enemas with urine reduced to 14 times the original volume. During the first two weeks of using urine therapy, all the warts on the fingers and hands above the wrist disappeared.

Another reader of mine massaged his hands with urine for three months and removed 14 warts, 8 of which were very large and constantly bothered him.

Causes

Condylomas and other types of warts form on the body of a person who has been infected with HPV. Papilloma occurs in the most vulnerable place. It could very well be the elbow.

The main reason for the appearance of warts on the body is infection with papillomavirus. If the growths are localized in the elbow area, then this area has previously been injured. Through open microcracks in the skin, the pathogen was able to enter the body. Therefore, after activation, first of all, it strikes the most vulnerable spot.

Not every person has the presence of papillomavirus immediately manifested by the formation of warts on the body. The development of benign growths can be facilitated by certain factors that negatively affect the health of those infected, reducing the body's defenses.

These factors include:

• bad habits;
• excessive physical activity;
• stressful conditions;
• nervous exhaustion;
• diabetes mellitus, etc.

People exposed to these factors are most at risk of developing benign growths in the elbow area.

Diagnostics

The dermatologist will prescribe the necessary treatment based on the general diagnosis of the wart.

A patient who has a wart growing on his elbow is diagnosed based on the clinical manifestations of the tumor. In rare cases, a biopsy is required.

A dermatologist recognizes a wart by its characteristic features, namely the absence of a skin pattern, the presence of black spots and the development of bleeding if the upper layer of the tumor is injured.

If necessary, the patient is sent for PCR analysis.

In most clinics, consultation with a doctor and diagnostics are paid. A visit to a dermatologist costs an average patient 300 rubles. Research is paid separately. Traditional PCR analysis usually costs 700 rubles or more.

How to get rid of warts on elbow?

The use of folk remedies is recommended to be applied strictly to the affected area so as not to injure healthy skin

People who encounter benign tumors for the first time do not always know how to get rid of a wart that has grown on the elbow. A competent dermatologist who diagnoses and removes unpleasant growths on the surface of the body can choose an effective treatment method.

Children and adults are offered a medicinal course of treatment. It helps eliminate warty growths. Warts on a child's elbows can also be removed using modern surgical procedures. This method of therapy is recommended not only for small but also for adult patients.

You can remove a wart at home using traditional methods of treatment. The patient must be aware that such therapy cannot completely replace medical or surgical removal of the tumor. Therefore, it makes sense to use folk remedies only as an auxiliary way to combat papilloma.

For decades, people have been getting rid of benign growths on their elbows using the following traditional medicine:

1. Fresh garlic. You only need a few cloves of the spicy plant. They are cleaned and thoroughly crushed. It is advisable to dilute the finished pulp with a small portion of oil. In this form, garlic is applied to the wart. It is fixed on top with a plaster or bandage. After applying the composition, a slight burning or tingling sensation may be felt. This is a normal reaction that should not be alarmed.
2. Fresh onions. A small onion must be peeled and finely chopped. It is transferred to a clean container and filled with apple cider vinegar. The onion needs to be marinated in it for 3 hours. During this time, the vegetable will be well saturated with acetic acid. When softened, the onion is applied to problematic growths on the elbow. The compress must be kept for no more than 2 hours. Afterwards it is removed and the skin is thoroughly washed with warm water.
3. Laundry soap. The main ingredient must be grated and then mixed with apple cider vinegar. You need to take enough vinegar to cover the soap shavings. This mixture needs to be simmered over low heat for a couple of minutes until it boils. Once the remedy has cooled, it can be applied to the wart. The mass is fixed on top with a bandage. It is left on the skin for 5 hours.

It is recommended to carry out such procedures using folk remedies daily. It is best to continue the course of treatment until the wart in the elbow area falls off on its own.

When treating with folk remedies, you need to avoid getting them on healthy areas of the skin, since aggressive components can lead to severe injury.

Elbow warts can be treated using conservative methods. Adults and children are treated this way. The goal of the medication course is not only to eliminate the tumor, but also to suppress the active spread of the viral infection throughout the body. To achieve this result, use:

1. General strengthening agents.
2. Immunomodulatory drugs.
3. Antiviral drugs.
4. Antibiotics.
5. Vitamin complexes.
6. Ointments and gels.
7. Solutions based on salicylic acid.
8. Pencils.
9. Plasters.

For each patient, the dermatologist individually selects the most optimal treatment package.

Doctors recommend removing a wart if it is subject to frequent injury.

Small and large warts that have grown on the elbow can be removed using surgical treatments. Their essence lies in the radical removal of viral formation. A doctor may recommend to his patient the following options for removing papillomas on the elbow:

• laser cauterization (700 rubles);
• treatment with liquid nitrogen (230 rubles);
• electrocoagulation (500 rubles);
• radio wave therapy (500 rubles);
• removal in the traditional way (using a scalpel). It is used rarely, in complicated cases.

Above is the approximate cost of a medical procedure in domestic clinics. Each type of operation has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is worth familiarizing yourself with them in the process of choosing a suitable technique. If a person does not know what will suit him best, he can always ask his doctor this question.

Papillomas on the elbows are skin formations, the growth of which can only be provoked by the human papilloma virus. This type of growth is characterized as benign, but if handled carelessly, the cells can become malignant. Due to their localization in an open area, papillomas are often subject to injury, so if they appear, you should consult a doctor and determine a set of therapeutic measures.

Treatment of elbow warts

Warts in these places are treated in the same way as other growths. Nowadays, medical centers and clinics offer patients several effective methods that help remove nodules from the roots, which will eliminate relapses.

For these purposes the following is used:

• A liquid nitrogen;
• Laser cauterization;
• Electrocoagulation:
• Radio wave exposure;
• Surgical excision.

All these methods are quite effective. Removal procedures are carried out quickly and painlessly. Note that such exposure is rarely applied to children, since their skin is more delicate, unlike adults, as a result of which scars and burns can occur.

There are many medications available in pharmacies that can help cure warts. Among them, the most popular are such products as Cryopharma (cold freezing of tissue), Feresol, Verrukacid and others. The lapis pencil has proven itself to be excellent. as well as the Salipod patch.

Please note that all these medications have their contraindications, so before starting treatment, be sure to consult a dermatologist.

Causes of papillomas on the elbows

Papilloma on the elbow or on any other part of the body is evidence of the presence of the human papillomavirus in the body and its increased activity. It is noteworthy that without HPV infection such growths do not appear. Therefore, if this pathogen is not detected in the blood, then the cause of the growth of skin formations must continue to be sought.

You can become infected with HPV, which causes the formation of papillomas on the elbow, in several ways, namely:

• Congenital. No, we are not talking about direct genetic inheritance. In this context, infection of the fetus should be understood at the developmental stage in the womb or during the passage of the birth canal.
• Contact. Any contact with the skin or mucous membranes of an infected person - a kiss, a hug, a handshake - can lead to infection, especially if there is even the slightest damage to the integrity of the integument on the body. Most often, infection occurs during intimacy without using condoms.
• Domestic. You can also become infected from sick household members if you share hygiene items or things with them, as a result of which papillomas appear on the elbows and other parts of the body.
• Self-infection. Most often, in the initial stages, the virus manifests itself in one area, but over time a person can transfer the microorganism from the affected areas to healthy tissue.

Once on the skin, the virus penetrates into skin cells and may not manifest itself for a long time. It may take months or even several years before the first papilloma appears. This depends on the health status of the carrier. An increase in pathogen activity is almost always associated with a weakening of the human body and a decrease in its protective mechanisms. Based on this, the reason for the growth of benign skin formations is all those situations that provoke a decrease in immunity.

Common reasons for the growth of papillomas in the elbow and other parts of the body are as follows:

• Unfavorable environmental conditions. The constantly occurring deterioration of the environmental situation affects the health of every person. Air pollution and water pollution provoke the accumulation of harmful substances in the cells of the body. A dangerous consequence is the development of various diseases, disruption of the functioning of individual organs and systems, including disruption of immune defense.
• Bad habits. Despite the fact that everyone knows about the dangers of smoking, drinking alcohol and drugs, many still consciously harm their own body. Bad habits gradually provoke a lack of important vitamins and minerals, and subsequently cause serious diseases. In many ways, it is tobacco, alcohol and drugs that are responsible for the decrease in immunity.
• Poor nutrition. It's no secret that not everything tasty is healthy. Despite the widespread promotion of a healthy lifestyle and nutrition, a large number of people are in no hurry to exclude from their diet their favorite, but very harmful foods, which not only do not supply useful substances, but also provoke disruption of the functioning of the entire body. Eating unhealthy foods leads to the development of gastrointestinal pathologies, diabetes mellitus, pancreatitis, cardiovascular diseases and, of course, decreased immunity, which leads to the formation of papillomas on the elbows, which look very unattractive in the photo.
• Stress factor. Currently, not only the adult population, but also children are exposed to stress. There are many negative external factors - these include various conflict situations, a busy work schedule, lack of sleep, the use of gadgets, psychological and physical trauma, and domestic quarrels.
• Long-term treatment with medications. Uncontrolled use of medications, self-medication with the wrong medications, excess dosage - all this causes disturbances in the functioning of the body. Among other things, potent drugs, and not only those belonging to the group of immunosuppressants, can significantly weaken the immune system, opening the way to various infections, including HPV, which results in the appearance of papillomas on the elbows.
• Various diseases. Here you can note any emerging pathology that can weaken the body, create a deficiency of nutrients, and disrupt the microflora. These can be chronic diseases, for example, diabetes, hepatitis, and acute colds, and much more. HIV plays a major role in the activation of the virus.

The development of growths on the surface of the elbow is observed quite rarely, in contrast to localization on the neck, face, genitals, anus, palms and soles of the feet. However, this does not mean that the area is untouchable for infection. Yes, the skin here is rougher, denser, and drier. There is practically no soft tissue underneath. But the surface is often subject to injuries and microcracks through which the virus penetrates. In this regard, the most common direct cause of the appearance of papilloma on the elbow is direct infection of this particular area.

How does the virus manifest itself?

An important circumstance is that clinical manifestations of HPV are not detected for quite a long time. Focusing on a long asymptomatic period, one should not underestimate the danger of human papillomavirus infection. Already today in the United States, infection caused by HPV is the most common viral disease, predominantly sexually transmitted (in our country, large-scale studies in this direction have not yet been conducted). Plus, HPV damage to the cervix, even in the presence of clinical manifestations, often goes undetected for a long time.

Infection with the human papillomavirus usually occurs through close contact with the source of infection. HPV can be transmitted with scales peeled off with papillomas during sexual play with hands, during sexual intercourse, and when women use hygienic tampons, it can be carried from the external genitalia into the vagina, onto the cervix. Infection of newborns during childbirth is possible.

Each wart, papilloma or condyloma (these are just different names for the same disease, differing only in the place of manifestation of the tumors) is a reservoir for the human papillomavirus. This virus also accumulates in the tissues surrounding the tumor, which can cause changes in the DNA of epithelial cells of the skin or mucous membranes of the genital organs, resulting in the development of precancerous conditions.

Papillomas manifest themselves as papillary growths protruding above the surface of the skin or mucous membrane, most often have a thin stalk, and sometimes a wide base. They can take on bizarre shapes that look like hairs, cauliflower or a cockscomb.

What do papillomas on the elbows look like?

Photo of papillomas on the elbows

There are several types of skin lesions caused by the papilloma virus. They all differ from each other in appearance and size. Yes, this or that species has favorite places, and the surface of the skin covering the elbow joint is not included in these lists, however, the photographs of papilloma on the elbow directly prove that, albeit with the lowest frequency, but various types of benign formations caused by HPV, arise here too.

Damage to the integument begins with the formation of single small compactions, invisible during visual inspection. Over time, they increase in size and often grow together. It is noteworthy that the stronger the virus, the higher the viral load and the weaker the body, the larger areas of the skin are covered with these formations.

The color of the growths is flesh-colored from the beginning, but over time it can become pink, burgundy, brown or grayish.

The most common types of papillomas on the elbows:

• Flat papillomas. They have a round shape. They practically do not protrude beyond the surface of the skin. They cannot always be identified by touch. Their structure is dense and the surface is smooth. The color is beige, yellowish or light brown. Flat growths very often form in groups. Their presence can cause itching, burning, pain, and the development of an inflammatory process in the surrounding tissues.
• Hanging papillomas. People over the age of 50 are more susceptible to them, although such growths are also observed at an earlier age. Growth begins with the formation of a small compaction. At the next stage, an elongated process appears, resembling a papilla, attached to a thin stalk. Gradually it becomes rougher to the touch, but retains its mobility. Possible shades are flesh, pink, burgundy, brown. The dimensions are small - usually no more than 5 mm. Hanging papillomas are more common on the inside of the arm in the elbow area, because... there the skin is more delicate. If there is a significant deterioration in health, the growths become numerous.
• Vulgar papillomas. These are dense nodules of benign tissue with a bumpy surface and clear outlines. They rise slightly above the skin level. Often form extensive lesions. The color can be pink, gray, brownish.

The described species are characterized by a low degree of risk of developing an oncological process. However, everything is possible if you ignore the alarming symptoms or damage the growth. The difference between cancer cells is their rapid growth. In this regard, it is necessary to consult a doctor in a timely manner if the papilloma on the elbow is damaged and bleeding begins, if it changes in color or begins to rapidly increase in size, if signs of an inflammatory process appear (swelling, redness, pain, itching).