Features of the appearance and methods of removing papilloma on the head

29.07.2017
Some people, when washing and combing their hair, find papillomas on the head and in the hair. They look like nodules of varying sizes. There are two types of growths, papillomas and keratomas. Papillomas can develop into cancerous tumors.

Keratomas appear in older people and do not pose a hidden threat. To determine the type of tumor, you should undergo medical tests. After examination and diagnosis, the doctor will be able to select a course of treatment.

In most cases, papillomas are benign flesh-colored or gray nodules on a thin stalk. In some, they may be in the form of bundles with numerous processes.

The occurrence of papillomas indicates a decrease in the body’s protective functions

Types of papillomas on the head

Medicine has openly and widely studied about 125 types of human papillomavirus infection, which provokes the appearance of various skin formations that differ in origin, diameter and shape.

The main types of papillomas include:

• Pointed;
• Singles;
• Squamous;
• Thread-like;
• Basalt cell.

Externally, papilloma may resemble flat growths or, on the contrary, papillae elongated on a stalk. Before you understand how to get rid of papilloma on your head, it is important to understand the reasons for the formation of unsightly growths.

How can you become infected with HPV?

Papilloma on the head is a sign that the body is affected by papillomavirus.

Virus infection can occur in the following ways:

In utero

A mother can transmit the virus to her fetus. Thus, people are becoming infected more and more often.

At birth

A child passing through the mother's birth canal can become infected.

HPV can be passed from mother to baby at birth

By everyday means

If personal hygiene rules are not followed, the risk of contracting the virus is high. It is not recommended to come into contact with other people's personal hygiene products.

If you bathe in public baths, make sure that sanitary standards are observed there. The virus can enter the body by scratching with a comb or nails.

Sexually

Avoid casual sex with unfamiliar partners. Latex does not protect against HPV.

Poor health

HPV affects about 90% of people. But it manifests itself in only a few. Of more than 150 species, only a few dozen are dangerous. But they cannot become active in a body with strong immunity.

Every person is vaccinated against such diseases in childhood and a strong body is able to fight the activation of HPV.

Causes

The key factor in the appearance of tumors on the scalp is considered to be the human papillomavirus (HPV), which enters the body in the following ways:

1. Contact, infection in which occurs due to close contact with an infected object. This can be banal handshakes, the use of cosmetics, as well as sex. Infection can occur only if the integrity of the skin is damaged, when there is an “entry gate” for infection.
2. Household, involving contact with contaminated surfaces in public places, transport, swimming pools.
3. Self-infection as a result of the random distribution of viral cells onto healthy tissues, which occurs against the background of traumatization of the wart during haircuts, combing, or unintentional tearing.

The key factor provoking the development of warts on the head is considered to be a decrease in the body’s immune forces. In addition, there are additional reasons leading to the activation of papillomatous infection:

• Chronic depression, stress;
• Frequent occurrence of infectious pathologies;
• Inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract;
• Toxic effects of nicotine, alcohol and various medications.

general information

Often papillomas are the result of failure to comply with basic hygiene rules, for example, using someone else's comb or items of clothing. But there are other reasons:

• frequent stressful situations;
• bad habits;
• diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• ignoring the rules of personal hygiene;
• the use of drugs that weaken the immune system in treatment;
• presence of infectious diseases;
• excessive physical stress on the body;
• hormonal imbalances, for example, during pregnancy;
• hereditary predisposition.

Externally, papilloma is a small compaction with keratinized skin. It is usually flat or plaque-shaped, brown or gray-yellow in color.

There are several types of such tumors.

1. Single. If such a papilloma is damaged, it begins to grow.
2. Squamous. The color does not differ from healthy skin. As the infection progresses, it begins to itch and become inflamed. Sometimes there is pain.
3. Thread-like. It has a dense structure and elongated shape. Prone to growth.
4. Basal cell. Usually flat or slightly convex. Contains melanin, which is why it begins to darken over time. The size ranges from 1 mm to 4 cm.

Why is papilloma dangerous? While it is small, a person experiences virtually no inconvenience. But under certain conditions, for example, with weakened immunity, the neoplasm grows and increases in size. In especially severe cases, it turns into a cancerous tumor. That is why, when it appears, you must immediately go to the hospital. Which doctor should you go to? A dermatologist will provide assistance in treatment.

Symptoms

The incubation period of human papillomavirus infection is on average about 90 days. The exception is cases of infection of extremely weakened and elderly patients - the incubation period can be reduced significantly.

Papillomas of the scalp externally resemble ordinary warts, single or multiple. As a rule, the primary formation is larger in size than the papillomas that grow after it.

Often, warts located on the head do not show themselves, creating discomfort solely in cosmetic terms, when they cannot be covered with enough hair. But an accidental violation of the integrity of a neoplasm can lead to its subsequent transformation into oncology.

In case of injury, swelling and redness appear at the site of the growth, and ichor may be discharged. Such symptoms are a “bell” to contact specialists as soon as possible, since consultation will help prevent the oncological process.

Therefore, it is important to avoid accidentally picking off growths on the head or attempting self-medication, since such manipulations can become the starting point for the development of irreversible processes in the body.

Treatment of papillomavirus infection

Papillomas are only a symptom, not a disease.

These symptoms are caused by the papilloma virus.

To prevent formations from reappearing after removal, treatment for papillomavirus infection is required.

It is carried out using:

• immunomodulators
• nonspecific (general action) antiviral agents

The drugs are used both locally and systemically.

They can be injected into the area where papillomas are located.

Systemic immunocorrection is also required.

It is usually performed by an immunologist under the supervision of an immunogram.

After normalization of immunity, the papillomavirus usually leaves the body within several months.

Diagnostics

A competent dermatologist will be able to carry out the necessary diagnostics and prescribe treatment for growths on the scalp. Diagnostic studies are carried out using the following methods:

1. PCR diagnostics, with the help of which it becomes possible to determine the viral strains that provoked the development of the disease.
2. Dermatoscopy, providing a multiple increase in skin growth on the scalp.
3. A biopsy involves examining a fragment of a tumor under a microscope in order to identify or refute the presence of atypical (cancerous) cells.

Based on the results of the examinations, the doctor will recommend various procedures or the use of medications that will allow the patient to get rid of the unpleasant dermatological problem. It is important that without a preliminary conversation with a doctor, it is highly undesirable to remove warts on the head at home.

Medical intervention

After examining the growth, the doctor will ask the patient to take some tests. Based on their results, he will determine the appropriate treatment method. There are several ways to get rid of papilloma on the head:

• laser therapy;
• electrocoagulation;
• cryofreezing;
• radio wave therapy.

The laser destroys HPV and removes damaged cells from the skin. One procedure is enough to completely eliminate the formations, but the cost of such treatment is quite high. Treatment with electrical impulses involves the use of local anesthesia. In the papilloma, blood circulation is disrupted, due to which it gradually dries out and disappears. If residues are formed, they are removed surgically.

To eliminate growths collected in groups, cryotherapy is used. They are frozen with liquid nitrogen, which causes them to die. You will have to carry out several procedures, this is the only way to achieve the complete disappearance of papillomas. The advantages of this type of therapy include low cost and lack of discomfort during surgery. But the hair follicles are also damaged, so a small bald spot will remain where the warts grow.

Very rarely, radio waves are used to remove papillomas on the head and hair. The method is absolutely painless; adjacent areas of skin and hair follicles are not damaged during the procedure. Radio wave therapy is suitable for cleansing hard-to-reach places - the epithelium behind the ears, neck, eyelids. In children and patients under 40 years of age, these treatments kill the virus; in older people, it persists for the rest of their lives.

After removal of the papillomas, treatment with medications begins. The doctor must prescribe three types of medications:

• antiviral;
• anti-inflammatory;
• strengthening.

The first group is drugs that contain substances that kill viruses and restore damaged tissue. If inflammation occurs, then it is necessary to use the second type of medication. The remedy is chosen individually depending on the cause that caused the pathology. Strengthening tablets and mixtures contain many vitamins. They help the body get stronger after surgery and cope with chronic diseases.

Medicines are effective only if the papilloma is small. They will not cope with groups of growths.

Treatment of papilloma on the head

Modern dermatovenereology has developed enough methods for treating papillomas of the scalp. If a virus is detected in the patient’s blood and there are no skin manifestations, treatment involves suppressing viral activity. It is not possible to completely destroy the infection, however, it is quite possible to prevent the development of papillomas.

Medication

Treatment with medications is considered very effective and the most cost-effective, despite its long-term nature. Papilloma of the scalp can be destroyed by the following means:

• “Super Celandine”, which is an alkaline water-based solution and is capable of destroying the structure of the neoplasm. When using the drug, an important aspect is its local application in order not to damage healthy scalp tissue.
• Verrucacid is an ethanol-based product containing metacresol and phenol, which provides a cauterizing effect.

Medications with similar effects include Solcoderm, Ferozol and Collomac.

When treating scalp warts, you can use antiviral ointments, for example, oxolinic or salicylic, or Cryopharm gel, which has the property of freezing the tumor.

It is allowed to take drugs such as Viferon, Genferon, Panavir, Isoprinosine and others as immunomodulators.

Traditional methods

Often, in the case of unsuccessful treatment with medications, a person looks for other ways of recovery and asks the question: how to treat papilloma on the head in the hair using traditional medicine?

To stimulate immune processes in the body, it is recommended to prepare a herbal infusion, for which you will need to take:

• Violet leaves – 1 tsp.
• Wormwood stem – 1 tsp.
• St. John's wort and clover leaves - 2 tsp.
• Calamus root – 1.5 tsp.
• Plantain leaves – 3 tsp.
• Fennel seeds – 1 tsp.

Pour the collection with 1 liter of boiling water, let it brew for 12 hours and strain. Consume 1-2 tablespoons before each meal for 5-7 days.

As a solution for external treatment of the neoplasm, a tincture should be prepared from the following components:

• Young potato shoots – 2 cups;
• Celandine – 1 glass;
• Thuja shoots - 1.5 cups;
• Ethyl alcohol 96% - 500 ml.

Fill the glass container with the ingredients in the listed sequence and fill with ethyl alcohol. Leave the mixture in a dark place for 10 days. The resulting composition must be used to treat the growth on the head 3 times a day for two weeks.

Removal

There are more radical ways to get rid of warts. Surgical removal of papilloma on the head is possible using methods such as laser therapy, cryodestruction, electrocoagulation and radio wave exposure.

1. Laser therapy involves a kind of “drying” of the cellular structure of the skin growth. After exposure to the laser, a crust forms at the site of the wart, which spontaneously sloughs off after a few days. This method is suitable for patients with single formations on the scalp that are small in size. After using the laser, the patient is not left with any scars, and the technique itself is distinguished by its simplicity and relative pain.
2. Cryodestruction is based on the principles of deep freezing of a separate area of ​​skin on which the growth is located. Under the influence of liquid nitrogen vapor, the vessels supplying the papilloma collapse. As a result of this effect, natural rejection of the pathological neoplasm occurs. If a patient is diagnosed with papillomatous nodes with a deep structure, excision using cryotherapy will require several procedures.
3. Electrocoagulation, the essence of which is the effect of electric current on the papilloma, under the influence of which the vascular bundle is destroyed with the subsequent formation of a blood clot. After the manipulation to remove the wart, fragments of the tumor should be sent to the laboratory for histological examination. Histology will allow you to establish an accurate diagnosis and confirm or exclude the presence of an oncological process.
4. Radio wave therapy is the most expensive compared to the above methods. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis with a doctor and requires the use of anesthesia. Tissue restoration occurs with minimal pain and without post-traumatic swelling of the skin.

Regardless of which method the attending physician recommends, it is important to understand that any intervention has its own disadvantages and advantages, as well as contraindications for use and adverse reactions.

Methods for removing formations on the scalp

Is it possible to remove papilloma on the head yourself? It is possible, but you should not undertake this, as there is a high risk of tissue infection. Besides, it's just inconvenient!

Methods for removing papillomas on the head in the hair:

1. Chemical treatment of neoplasms with aggressive compounds.
2. Photodestruction is the effect on neoplasm tissue of a beam of light with a certain wavelength.
3. Cryotreatment – ​​liquid nitrogen is used as a tissue destroying agent. The procedure is painless, but with cryotherapy it is impossible to control the depth of the cold burn. Therefore, sometimes the tumor has to be treated several times.
4. Electrocoagulation is the removal of warts using electric current. A loop electrode is placed on the growth and a high frequency current is passed through. The wart disappears. The technique requires anesthesia, but allows you to preserve the body of the wart for histological examination if the malignant nature of the neoplasm is suspected.
5. Laser and radio destruction are similar techniques. In both the first and second cases, the tumor tissues are evaporated. But the radiation carriers are different - a laser beam and a radio wave. The disadvantage of this method is the evaporation of papilloma, so it is impossible to send tissue samples for histological examination to exclude the malignant nature of the neoplasm.

In general, these techniques are bloodless, since there is no contact of the instrument with the skin. The risk of infection and bleeding is minimal.

After papilloma on the head is treated, you should follow the rules for caring for the wound surface.

What cosmetologists recommend:

• maximum accuracy when combing and styling hair;
• During the healing period, you should avoid coloring your hair, perms, and other hairdressing and cosmetic procedures on your head;
• do not touch the wound or wash it for 24 hours after the procedure;
• if a scab has formed on the surface, do not rip it off, as young skin will form underneath it;
• carefully rinse the wound with a solution of potassium permanganate, chlorhexidine or miramistin;
• lubricate the surface with wound-healing and anti-inflammatory creams as recommended by a doctor;
• do not sunbathe for 1 month after the destruction of papilloma;
• do not use a washcloth, forget about scrubs, peelings and other procedures that can injure the skin for 1 month.

Prevention

Papilloma of the scalp has a tendency to recur. To prevent recurrent skin formations, it is recommended to give up bad habits, adhere to a healthy lifestyle and proper nutrition, and promptly treat viral infectious diseases. An important aspect of prevention is regular self-diagnosis at home - you should carefully feel and examine the skin of the scalp.

You should not resort to self-medication of papillomas on the head, including removing them yourself. In the case of primary or secondary formation of a papillomatous node, you should immediately make an appointment with a specialist to make an accurate diagnosis and carry out the necessary therapeutic measures.

What is the danger of scalp papillomas in children and adults?

Papilloma on the scalp is mainly caused by low-oncogenic strains of HPV. But the main danger of these growths is that they are located under the hair. They are invisible.

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3. Warts on the face

Therefore, when combing hair, cutting hair, or coloring the tumor, it is easy to damage and injure it. The use of hair dye is already the action of an aggressive agent on the tumor.

Microtraumas are an open door for various infectious agents. In addition, damage to the integrity of a wart on the scalp is difficult to properly treat with antiseptic solutions.

A papilloma on a child’s head becomes the object of increased attention of a little person. You cannot explain to him that it is forbidden to touch the growth again. And having damaged the growth, the baby will remain silent about it, knowing that he has violated the ban. The risk of skin infection is enormous.

Although papillomas on the face and hair are caused by a low-oncogenic strain of HPV, under unfavorable conditions the neoplasm can degenerate into a malignant tumor.

Folk remedies

Elimination of large groups of nodules often provokes hair follicle loss. After the procedures, scars and cicatrices remain . Therefore, traditional medicine is used:

• Castor oil;
• onion and garlic;
• tea tree oil;
• celandine;
• chestnut leaves;
• herbal preparations.

Castor oil causes papillomas to dry out and fall off. It also strengthens hair, helping it grow faster. After therapy, the patient will not only get rid of growths, but will also make his hair thicker and more voluminous. The oil is applied to the hair and left for at least an hour, then thoroughly washed off with warm water and shampoo. The duration of therapy should be at least a month.

Garlic and onions contain substances that can kill the papilloma virus. Vegetables are crushed to a paste, applied to the scalp and kept for about 20-30 minutes. If the pungent smell makes your eyes water, then grated raw potatoes are also used. The juice of celandine is used to lubricate the growths, and the hair is washed with a decoction of it. The plant removes nodules and copes with dandruff.

No patient likes the unpleasant smell of tea tree oil. But the liquid has an antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect on the body. Wash completely with a decoction of chestnut leaves. Fill the bucket halfway with vegetation, add water and boil. The mixture is infused overnight, then heated, poured into the bath and bathed in it. To completely cure papillomas, it is enough to carry out ten such procedures.

Herbal teas and herbs also help get rid of the disease. To prepare an alcohol tincture, fill half a liter jar with potato tops, add celandine and young thuja shoots. The plants are poured with alcohol and infused for two weeks. Then rub the liquid into the papillomas every eight hours for ten days.

The immune system will be strengthened if you take the herbal mixture orally. Mix plantain leaves, clover, dill seeds, St. John's wort, wormwood and tricolor violet in equal proportions. Fill the collection with seven parts of water and let it sit for 24 hours. Then take 1 tablespoon three times a day.