Papillomas Under The Arms: Causes Of Appearance, Treatment, Photo

2024 Author: Rachel Wainwright | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-15 19:51

Papillomas under the armpits

The content of the article:

1. Causes of papillomas under the armpits

   1. Papillomavirus
   2. Causes of infection
   3. Predisposing factors
   4. External manifestations

2. Treatment

   1. Local remedies
   2. Physical removal options
3. Video

Armpit papillomas are benign neoplasms of a viral nature. Their development is caused by the papillomavirus, which also causes warts and anogenital warts (these concepts are synonymous and the difference lies in the peculiarities of localization).

The growth of papillomas under the armpits is caused by infection with papillomavirus

Features of the disease:

1. The virus is conditionally pathogenic and is found, according to various sources, in 90% of people on the planet, but for the most part the infection has a subclinical or latent form (occasionally appearing single formations or simple carriage).
2. There are no early signs of illness.
3. It occurs more often in the adult population over 20 (in men, somewhat less often than in women), but it can also occur in children (in particular, a group of frequently ill children with reduced immunity).
4. In this zone, a filamentous form of papillomas often appears, however, other variants of formations may appear, such as vulgar and flat warts.
5. The defeat of this area has a rather high risk of malignancy. The reason is constant injury due to increased sweating and friction.

Causes of papillomas under the armpits

The main reason for the appearance of skin formations of this type is infection with the DNA-containing virus Papillomaviridae (papillomavirus, human papillomavirus, HPV).

Papillomavirus

The virus is small, has a protein coat, is thermostable, resistant to the external environment, as well as to the action of a number of disinfectants.

Sign	Description
Tropism	It has a tropism for the epithelium and mucous membranes, which means the localization of papillomas on the neck and armpits, on other surfaces of the body, as well as in the upper respiratory tract, esophagus, anorectal zone (sometimes even causes polyps in the intestine).
Reproduction	The multiplication of the virus occurs in the basal layer of the skin, which causes a pronounced deformation of the affected area.
Infection path	Sexual, contact and less often vertical (from mother to child). There are known cases of self-infection, that is, the transfer of the virus to areas of the body with a similar cellular structure (from the neck to the armpits, for example). It is impossible to establish the exact moment of infection and, therefore, the course of treatment is prescribed much later, usually at the height of the disease.
Strains	Formations that affect the stratum corneum and mucous membranes are caused by different strains, which means that it is impossible to become infected, for example, with genital warts after contact with warts or papillomas on the neck, armpits, trunk or limbs.
Immunity	Immunity is formed only in relation to a specific strain and does not protect against infection with other HPV strains.

Classification of HPV by birth:

Genus	Characteristic
Alpha	Damages the mucous membranes of the anogenital area (additionally divided depending on the high or low risk of degeneration into a malignant tumor).
Beta and gamma	They have an affinity for the keratinizing epithelium (beta is often asymptomatic and manifests itself only in persons suffering from immunodeficiency). Have a low probability of degeneration into malignant forms.

Causes of infection

1. Damage to the skin (when shaving the armpits, for example). For the transmission of the pathogen, a large wound surface is not required, a slight violation of the integrity of the epidermis is sufficient.
2. Lack of immune response in immunocompromised people.
3. Long-term infectious and inflammatory processes in the body, which lead to the depletion of the immune system.
4. Taking medications that are indirectly or directly capable of affecting the immune system (antibiotics, cytostatics, glucocorticosteroids).
5. Increased sweating due to disruption of the endocrine system.

Predisposing factors

Factors contributing to infection and disease development include the following conditions:

1. The influence of the external environment (hypothermia, for example), which can indirectly affect the work of the immune system. For example, frequent hypothermia or overheating.
2. Synthetic clothing. It causes disruption of normal sweating and irritates the skin, contributing to the appearance of microcracks, skin maceration, and the development of allergic reactions.
3. Failure to comply with hygiene rules. In particular, the use of common hygiene products such as towels, razors, slippers with a potentially infected person.
4. Malnutrition - an inadequate, unbalanced diet.
5. Violation of lifestyle, in particular, regular non-observance of circadian rhythms (sleep / wake cycle) - as well as poor nutrition, has an indirect effect on the protective functions of the body.
6. Chronic stress and overwork lead to a decrease in the immune response due to total exhaustion.

External manifestations

The appearance of papillomas in the armpit area has the following features (see photo ):

1. In most cases, it looks like a neoplasm on a thin pedicle hanging over the unchanged surface of the skin (hanging formations). The growths in this area have a wide base in 10% of cases.
2. The color often does not differ from the color of the surrounding skin. Rarely, with the redistribution of pigment cells, it can acquire a darker or lighter shade.
3. The surface is smooth or bumpy with connective-woven constrictions.
4. They are rarely single, usually located chaotically on the entire surface of the armpit with the capture of nearby anatomical areas (neck, chest).
5. Boundaries are important only for formations that are on a wide base, they are usually clear and even.

Usually the lesion is small (within 0.3 mm) and grows very slowly, reaching 2-3 mm in diameter. The only exceptions are the bases of the type of vulgar and flat warts up to 1 cm in diameter. Rapid growth is a potentially dangerous sign and requires medical attention.

Due to constant trauma and poor fixation, the formations can accidentally peel off with subsequent inflammation. In most cases, such skin defects self-heal with the formation of a slight normotrophic scar.

Subjective symptoms such as itching and burning are rare and are usually associated with trauma to the formation.

Treatment

You can get rid of papillomas under the armpits both conservatively and surgically.

Conservative methods of treatment include the following techniques:

• local therapy using cauterizing, keratolytic drugs;
• general strengthening therapy aimed at stabilizing the immune system and reducing the risk of clinical manifestations of the disease (transition from the latent stage to the clinical or subclinical stage);
• methods of non-surgical destruction - removal of neoplasms.

Local remedies

List of some topical medicines:

1. Super cleaners. Available in bottles of 1, 2 ml and contains potassium and sodium hydroxide. It is applied pointwise to the skin formation until its color changes. In each case, a different time is required for the complete removal of the formation, usually 2-3 treatments with an interval of several days are sufficient for a given zone.
2. Viferon. The drug belongs to the group of immunomodulators, contains interferon alpha. It has a pronounced antiviral and antiproliferative effect. Available in the form of ointments or gel. It is applied in a thin layer 2 times a day (due to the peculiarities of this anatomical region, after application, you can apply gauze or glue a smeared formation with a sticky bandage). The course lasts 7-14 days.
3. Cryopharma. A special type of drug, the action of which is associated with the destruction of papillomas by a refrigerant whose temperature is below -190 ° C. They are cauterized pointwise, without affecting the adjacent tissues. Treatment of lesions in the armpit takes 30-40 seconds. As a rule, the formations disappear within 10-14 days from the moment of application.
4. Feresol. The agent has a cauterizing and mummifying effect due to protein denaturation. Available in bottles with an applicator. The drug is not used if the papilloma has pronounced pigmentation (it may turn out to be a pigmented nevus, its cauterization is associated with the risk of malignancy). If the formation does not exceed 2 mm, then a single use is sufficient. More voluminous foci need to be lubricated 2-3 times (breaks are made during drying).

Physical removal options

Method	Procedure time	The essence
Electrocoagulation	15-20 s for filamentous formations and up to 1 min for flat formations on a wide leg	The affected area is cauterized with an electrode. To remove the filamentous growths, it is enough to cut off the focus at the very base (with a cytological examination of the distant formation if there is suspicion). For papillomas with a wide base, a deeper excision down to the deeper layers of the skin may be required (formation of an ulcer that heals within 14 days). It is performed under local anesthesia.
Cryodestruction	On average, it takes 20 seconds for a thread-like shape, and 40 seconds for other shapes.	Use liquid nitrogen which has a temperature below 180 ° C. Under its influence, the growth tissues die off and then are rejected (independently removed), with the formation of a rapidly healing ulcer on the site of the former focus. Often, when processing formations, the surrounding tissues are slightly captured, so use requires caution.
Laser removal	The time is set individually depending on the skin type according to Fitzpatrick (10-120 s)	The most effective of all the methods presented, which allows you to quickly remove growths. Based on exposure to concentrated light so targeted that the risk of affecting surrounding tissue is less than 1%. It has practically no contraindications and leaves no traces (the exception is large formations with a diameter of more than 2 cm).
Radiosurgical destruction	10 s to 1-2 min	Allows you to immediately cover a large area of skin (combined damage to the armpits and chest, for example). The action of an electromagnetic wave in the range from 100 kHz to 105 MHz leads to tissue heating and destruction.

You can remove papillomas under the armpits using electrocoagulation

To remove formations at home, you can follow the recipes:

1. Break off a few stalks of celandine, press or grind them until juice appears. Lubricate papillomas with it 2-5 times a day.
2. Grind 1-2 cloves of garlic into gruel, apply pointwise to the affected area (it is permissible to use a plaster for fixation). The time is 10-15 minutes 3-4 times a day for 10-15 days.
3. Take 1 raw potato and grate it. Then separate the juice and lubricate the affected area 5-7 times a day for 20 days.

Before using home treatment methods, consultation with a specialist and establishment of an accurate diagnosis is required.

Video

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Anna Kozlova Medical journalist About the author

Education: Rostov State Medical University, specialty "General Medicine".

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