Neoplasms on the genitals are not that uncommon. They arise under the influence of the human papillomavirus (HPV), including warts on the penis. It is quite possible that quite a lot of time has passed since the infection, during which the virus was in an inactive state. Often, the first signs appear only several years after infection, which is facilitated by suppressed immunity.
What are condylomas on the penis
Condylomas are a type of warts localized in the anogenital area: anal folds, groin, testicles, penis. Pointed formations belong to the exophytic type - they grow upward and do not take root inside the tissues.
What do condylomas on the penis look like: they are small, soft, pink or flesh-colored formations that look like a cone. They appear in the form of single growths or their clusters. Below are several photos with different types of genital warts (condylomata acuminate), which differ from genital warts in the type of pathogen, their appearance and cellular structure. All photos are 18+, so they can be opened via the link.
- Keratolytic warts on the male penis - https://prntscr.com/vizvpe.
- Flat condyloma (growing inward) – https://prntscr.com/vizvst.
- Bowenoid papulosis on the penis - https://prntscr.com/vizvw3.
Condylomas in various places:
- Genital warts - https://prntscr.com/vizw6d.
- Condylomas on the coronal sulcus - https://prntscr.com/vizwac.
- Condylomas in the urethra - https://prntscr.com/vizwe2.
- Condylomas on the frenulum and foreskin - https://prntscr.com/vizwn2, https://prntscr.com/vizwra, https://prntscr.com/vizwuo, https://prntscr.com/vizwyb.
- Dark condylomas on the testicles and pubis - https://prntscr.com/vizx2x.
Why they are dangerous: condylomas can be precursors to malignant tumors - much depends on the type. Cancer of the penis and anus can be caused by human papillomavirus types 16, 31, 33, 18.
Most Commonly Detected HPV Types
Single genital condylomas, apart from aesthetic inconvenience, do not cause any other problems. Complications appear when they begin to grow. Symptoms: cracks, pain, bleeding, burning. Infections invade damaged tissues, causing secondary inflammation. In such cases, condylomas turn red, become covered with a whitish coating, and bleed. The formation of fistulas and the appearance of an unpleasant odor are possible.
Condylomas in the urethra interfere with normal urination, provoke the formation of strictures, and deformation of the bladder walls due to constant increased pressure. The virus can spread to the rectum. In such cases, inflammation, bleeding and pain during bowel movements are possible. Condylomas on the head and foreskin can cause phimosis.
Depending on the location, condylomas can interfere with sexual intercourse. They become injured and experience pain. An aesthetic defect provokes the development of an inferiority complex.
What can be confused with: condylomas are similar to pearlescent papules, but the latter are located around the coronary sulcus and are always in a chain. Overdeveloped sebaceous glands on the skin of the penis can also be mistaken for condylomas.
- Sebaceous glands – https://prntscr.com/vizyuu.
- Pearlescent papules - https://prntscr.com/vizz11.
Urologist-andrologist Evgeniy Aleksandrovich Volokhov tells how to distinguish condylomas from pearly papules
How are they transmitted? You can become infected through sexual contact through any type of contact. If a partner has condylomas in the vagina, on the labia, then upon skin-to-skin contact the pathogen will penetrate microcracks and abrasions. A condom does not always protect because it only covers the penis and not the whole thing. The pubis, perineum, and scrotum come into contact with the mucous membranes and vaginal secretions. It is theoretically possible to get the virus through household means, but it is unlikely. If you had sex with an infected partner once, then the probability of becoming infected is 60-75%.
A wart on an intimate place will not appear immediately. The virus will wait until the immune system weakens. The incubation period in men is 11-12 months.
Predisposing factors: smoking, a large number of sexual partners, vitamin deficiency, infectious diseases of the genital organs, chronic stress.
Characteristic symptoms
It is not enough to just figure out why warts appeared on the testicles or on the male organ; you also need to make sure that these are genital warts.
Their main features are:
- Flesh or pinkish color tint;
- Small growths are about 1 mm in diameter, but when they grow they can reach about 3 cm;
- In the absence of proper treatment, a wart on the scrotum visually becomes similar to cauliflower;
- Burning and itching appears;
- Redness of the skin;
- White discharge;
- Pain during sexual intercourse.
Important!
Not in all cases a man can notice the appearance of genital warts. For an accurate diagnosis, he needs to seek help from a doctor when the first symptoms of the disease appear.
Causes
The cause of anogenital warts is the penetration of the human papillomavirus (HPV) through the skin barrier into the basal layer. Once in a cell, it can be benign, that is, inactive, or malignant when it begins to integrate into the genome.
From the basal layer, the virus moves upward, synthesizing viral proteins along the way. The basal and spinous layers thicken. The cells of the upper layers of condylomas die and become a source of infection.
In a dormant state, the virus does not leave the captured cell and does not synthesize anything. The body's immune system does not allow it to become active. With strong immunity, the virus regresses six months after infection. Such a virus cannot be detected in a laboratory, and it is impossible to infect a partner.
Possible diseases
It is necessary to realize that a wart on the penis can hide other skin diseases. Such diseases include:
- a viral infection called molluscum contagiosum;
- a malformation of the skin, usually benign in nature - this is an epidermal nevus;
- The most dangerous disease is squamous cell carcinoma.
Some genital warts in men, the diagnostic process of which was not carried out on time, can develop from benign to malignant. In turn, damage to the skin of this type is nothing more than a cancerous tumor!
Source: brutal.guru
Diagnostics
Which doctor should I contact: first a urologist, then an immunologist.
A doctor can visually determine the type of anogenital wart, but to confirm the HPV type, it is necessary to take blood for PCR testing. To exclude the malignancy of the neoplasm cells, a sample is taken and the histological structure is determined. A non-invasive and painless analogue is cytology - the study of living tissues under a microscope.
Additional tests:
- Scraping from the urethra to test for sexually transmitted infections.
- Urethroscopy to exclude internal condylomas.
- Urine and blood analysis.
- Blood test for HIV, syphilis.
- Immunogram to determine the state of the immune system based on blood composition.
If necessary, the rectum is examined.
Indicators of a normal immunogram
Warts on the penis: methods and methods of treatment
An obligatory part of the treatment of warts is antiviral therapy . In its absence, all other measures will have only a temporary effect. The effectiveness of treatment is monitored using PCR - if the virus is not detected after three tests in a row , it means that it is completely cured. In addition, restorative and immunostimulating therapy is prescribed. Surgical treatment methods are used if there are large formations on the penis that cause serious discomfort, there is a risk of malignant degeneration, and also at the request of the patient. There are many removal methods, and each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages.
The choice of a specific method for treating formations on the penis depends on many factors, so it is best to consult a doctor.
Treatment of condylomas in men
It is impossible to guarantee a permanent cure for condylomatosis, since HPV, like herpes, is inside the cell and, in its dormant state, does not respond to antiviral and other drugs. But you can remove the tumors themselves and boost your immunity to prevent their recurrence.
A doctor can prescribe immunostimulants only after making sure that the patient does not suffer from cancer and finding out what immune complexes circulate in his blood. Medicines: “Realdiron”, “Altevir”, “Cycloferon”, “Amiksin”, suppositories “Genferon”. At the level of cellular immunity, Isiprinosin, Immunal, and Polyoxidonium work.
To stop the proliferation of condylomas and restore the affected tissue, oxolinic ointment, Aldara cream, Viferon ointment, Epigen spray or cream, and Panavir gel are prescribed.
An example of a course of drug treatment for viral condylomas:
- "Inosine pranobex" 500 mg three times a day for 20 days.
- After removal of formations: injections of interferon-gamma 500 thousand units. once a day for 5 days according to the “every other day” scheme. Viferon ointment or Genferon suppositories once a day.
- Imiquimod cream (analogue of Aldara) can be used for more than a month.
The course of treatment may take more than a month. The dynamics are monitored using an immunogram.
Cytotoxic agents
After examination and diagnosis, the doctor may prescribe Condilin solution for self-treatment of condyloma. This drug inhibits the growth of viral cells and promotes their necrosis. The first application is made by a doctor, then the patient treats the formations at home according to the prescribed scheme. This treatment may take more than 5 weeks.
Price of the “Kondilin” solution from 4500 rubles
An effective remedy is 5-fluorouracil cream. It is applied once a day at night for a week. The effectiveness reaches 90%, but the formation of weeping erosions and contact dermatitis is possible.
Chemical destruction
The active drug against condylomas is Solcoderm ointment. This is a mixture of acids that is applied by a doctor. The drug may cause severe burning and pain. After a few hours, the discomfort subsides, and within 3-4 days the condyloma mummifies and falls off. If necessary, repeat the treatment.
An effective drug is Mardil Zinc Max. It is safe and well tolerated by patients. Suitable for treating formations with a diameter of more than 0.5 cm.
Dermatovenerologist Sergey Gennadievich Lenkin talks about methods for removing condylomas on the penis
For the chemical destruction of condylomas, the Feresol solution is also used. It needs to be applied 1-2 times a week.
You cannot cauterize or smear condylomas without a doctor’s prescription and supervision. Celandine, onion, garlic and other folk methods are also dangerous to use. Neoplasms may begin to grow uncontrollably.
Surgical removal methods
The following methods are used to remove condylomas:
- Electrocoagulation. The technique is inexpensive, quite effective, but painful and traumatic, and therefore outdated. The condyloma dies under the influence of current, leaving a scar. Price from 300 rubles for one education.
- Cryodestruction. The neoplasm is frozen with liquid nitrogen, it swells and after 12-14 days falls off without a trace. Price from 300 to 650 rubles.
Advantages and disadvantages of genital wart removal using cryodestruction
- Cauterization with nitric or acetic acid. The method is unpopular due to the complexity of the targeted effect on condyloma. Often the solution gets on the surrounding tissues and corrodes them. Price from 350 rubles.
- Laser removal. The laser beam burns out the base of the wart, and the scar heals in about a week. Price from 300 rubles for education.
- Radio wave removal, which is often confused with laser. This is the most expensive, but at the same time the most painless and effective method. The price is from 600 to 1500 rubles per education, depending on its size.
Read more about radio wave removal of small condylomas
To remove large tumors, surgical methods are used: groups of condylomas are excised with a conventional, argon or plasma scalpel. The procedure is painful. Anesthesia and suturing are required. The rehabilitation period lasts about a month.
Subject to an integrated approach - ointments + immunomodulators + local removal - the effectiveness of treatment is 80%. After treatment, it is important to use barrier contraception methods for six months.
Circumcision (circumcision) is not a treatment, but it reduces the risk of recurrence of condylomas. Below is the opinion of a doctor from the site https://uro-forum.ru/viewtopic.php?t=3299:
The result of the combined treatment (the scabs will disappear) – https://prntscr.com/vj0e99.
Summary table of treatment methods for perineal and genital warts
Why do they appear?
The reason for the appearance of papillomas on the penis is the penetration of a virus of the corresponding type into the blood. A person may never know about its presence if the immune system copes.
Factors that provoke the appearance of growths:
- Physical fatigue, exhaustion of the body.
- Frequent and chronic stress.
- Poor nutrition.
- Bad habits.
- Hormonal imbalances.
- Surgical operations.
- Long-term treatment with antibiotics.
Papillomas will appear as soon as the body’s immune defense weakens. The mechanism for triggering HPV activity is the same as that of herpes.
Prevention
There is a vaccine against oncogenic strains - Gardasil, but it is effective only for uninfected men under the age of 26 years. The Gardasil-9 vaccine protects against non-oncogenic strains. Vaccination is carried out in 3 stages. Efficiency is 97%.
Other preventive measures:
- Monogamous sexual relationships.
- The use of barrier contraceptives, treatment of the groin area with antiseptics after questionable intimate contacts.
- Refusal to have sex if there is damage to the skin of the anogenital area.
- Strengthening the immune system: a course of taking natural vitamins, tinctures of echinacea or eleutherococcus, a balanced diet, quitting smoking and alcohol abuse.
Strong immunity will not allow the virus to penetrate the DNA of cells.
