Growths on the penis are a nuisance for almost every man. They either indicate pathology and health problems, or simply bring psychological discomfort by their appearance.
In any case, this phenomenon cannot be ignored. What types of growths are there? What diseases can they indicate? What are the possible causes? And how to get rid of them?
Causes and symptoms
If a growth appears on the penis, it means that the man has the papilloma virus in his body. The types of pathogens that are localized on the penis, and especially on its head, have a very high oncogenic nature. They are one of the most dangerous and can cause malignant tumors.
Provoking factors due to which the virus develops faster, resulting in growths appearing on the penis, are:
- Sexual infections.
- Neglect of contraception.
- The presence of microtraumas on the penis.
- Oral sex.
- Decreased immunity.
- Lack of vitamins.
- Frequent and prolonged stress.
- Failure to comply with personal hygiene rules.
If we talk about symptoms, a man cannot help but notice the appearance of warts. Many people don't care about them. But if a man feels pain, itching, and then also notices how the warts “grow,” he should see a doctor.
Causes of warts on the penis
Warts on the penis or perineal area, scrotum, and area around the anus are of viral origin
. Warts on the penis are a consequence of infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). Any growths on the body are caused by the activity of this virus. It changes the structure of the infected areas, causing excessive division of epithelial cells, from which a specific growth is formed.
The danger of the HPV virus is that it is highly contagious. According to statistics, about 70% of the population is infected with different strains of the virus. Some of these strains are potentially dangerous, primarily for women, as they cause cellular mutations and lead to the development of cervical cancer.
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The HPV virus is transmitted from person to person through sexual contact and household contact. You can become infected with papillomas through personal hygiene items, towels, shared utensils, even through touching door handles. Sexual transmission occurs through physiological fluids (sperm, vaginal secretions), in which the concentration of the virus reaches its maximum.
Thus, warts on the penis pose a serious danger to a man’s sexual partners.
Warts
These growths on the penis are hemispherical neoplasms. They feel like dense nodules to the touch. As a rule, they are located closer to the base of the penis shaft.
At the initial stage they do not pose a danger. If you consult a doctor in a timely manner, they can be treated quickly and easily.
But if you do not treat them, the warts will begin to bleed. Contact with underwear can often trigger an inflammatory process. And the virus that caused these growths will spread throughout the body. Possible damage to internal organs.
The final stage is fraught with mutation of epidermal cells. And a benign neoplasm will develop into a malignant one.
Also, warts formed in such an intimate place may indicate that a man has molluscum contagiosum, epidermal nevus or squamous cell carcinoma.
Preventive methods
In modern medicine, there are several vaccinations that can counteract viruses that cause cancer. There are 2 vaccines: Gardasil and Cervarix. But there are many contraindications to their use. Preventive measures include:
- Limitation of sexual partners.
- Using condoms during sex.
- Keeping the genitals clean.
- Use of personal items and hygiene products.
- Maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
As soon as you notice something unusual on your genitals, you should visit a doctor. You cannot engage in self-diagnosis and self-medication. You may lose valuable time for necessary treatment and experience complications.
In today's article we will look at what warts on intimate places in men are: symptoms, photos, treatment and prevention of this disease.
As you know, warts on the penis (condylomas) are a sign of an infectious lesion of the body by a virus from the papillomavirus . You can find out all the possible causes of warts on the genitals here.
Papillomas
In fact, these white growths on the penis are also warts. But they have a pathological origin.
They arise unnoticed, and the first period of the disease, which can last up to 9 months, is secretive and does not manifest itself in any way.
But then the tumors develop. First, growths appear on the head of the penis. Then they spread to the frenulum, can even be inside the foreskin, and sometimes penetrate the urethra. They can also be seen on the trunk and in the groin area.
There are no other symptoms. But if we talk about previous signs, the most common are two: poor personal hygiene and phimosis.
What to do if growths appear on the head of the penis
As a rule, the following types of warts appear on the penis:
- papillomas;
- condylomas;
- flat warts.
Papillomas, also known as warts vulgaris, are small balls of skin that rise above the healthy epidermis thanks to a small stalk. They are soft, their structure is homogeneous, pressure does not cause pain or discomfort. Such a wart can be highly pigmented, and hair often grows from papillomas. Papillomas do not occur on mucous membranes. They affect the skin of the penis, inguinal folds, and pubis.
Condylomas are growths of the papillary structure. They pose a serious danger both to the aesthetics of the genital organ and to health in general. Condylomas affect the skin and mucous membranes, depending on the strain of the virus with which the person is infected.
Such warts form on the head of the penis. They are small papillae with unclear contours. Condylomas are rarely pigmented and in the vast majority of cases do not differ in color from the skin or mucous membrane. These types of growths can merge into large neoplasms. Overgrown warts on the penis can take on bizarre shapes - “cauliflower”, “cockscomb”, “bunch of grapes”.
Condylomas can lead to the development of the following problems:
- penis deformation;
- keratinization of the skin around the growth;
- urethral damage;
- pain during sexual intercourse;
- burning when urinating.
In addition, genital warts are highly contagious. They can be injured during sexual intercourse, which leads to burning, pain and bleeding.
Flat warts cover the shaft of the genital organ. They are small growths, shaped like plaques. Such warts on the penis are not very noticeable because they are not pigmented. Flat warts form during adolescence. They are considered safe because they do not degenerate into cancer and are conditionally not contagious.
Small light nodules often appear on the skin of the penis. They are mistaken for warts. Such pimples are a physiological feature and are called pearlescent papules.
Sometimes men find peculiar growths on the head of their genitals, which may be a normal anatomical feature or a pathological deviation.
During puberty, pearly papules appear along the rim of the head in boys, which are small, pointed pinkish growths that are considered absolutely normal.
Pathological growths include growths on the glans penis that form as a result of human papillomavirus infection. They are genital warts, genital warts or papillomas.
Papillomas are round formations no more than a centimeter in diameter that are benign in nature. Typically, these growths are brown or flesh-colored and are attached to the skin through an elongated stalk.
Papillomas often have a tendency to spread throughout the body. Characteristic signs such as the uneven surface of the growth and its clear contours will help determine that a wart has formed on the head of the penis.
The color of a genital wart can vary, as can its shape.
Attention! If you find any growths on the head of the penis, do not take risks, contact a venereologist; in rare cases, the appearance of growths may be associated with a sexually transmitted disease.
Often the growths are genital warts - these are small (no more than 0.6 cm) formations characterized by rapid growth, up to several hours. In appearance, such growths look like cauliflower.
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Condyloma has a thin, elongated stalk that connects the top of the growth to the surface of the skin. If treatment is not started in a timely manner, condylomas can spread very quickly over a large area of the body.
Sometimes growths on the genital organ have the appearance of a chancre, which is the formation of a soft or dense structure.
Papillomas, condylomas and warts are painless formations and do not cause discomfort. If the growth begins to bleed, then the cause of this can only be trauma. If growths caused by HPV are not treated, then with a sharp decrease in immune defense, they begin to increase in number, appearing on the shaft of the penis, testicles and the entire groin area as a whole.
Since in most cases, formations on the head of the penis are caused by papillomavirus infection, the causes should be sought in the weakened immunity of the man, as well as in sexual contact with a partner infected with papillomavirus.
After infection, the virus can develop covertly for a long time; growths on the head of the penis begin to appear after exposure to certain factors, such as a sharp decrease in immunity.
If we are talking about chancre, then its causes are also associated with promiscuity without barrier contraception.
If, simultaneously with the formations on the head of the penis, a painful sensation and heaviness appeared in the groin and perineum, and the head and urethra themselves began to itch unbearably, then the causes should also be sought among sexually transmitted pathologies.
Men have a rule of shaking hands, during which the papillomavirus can pass from an infected person to a healthy one. When satisfying natural needs, a man will touch his genitals with his hands, which already have the virus.
This is how infection occurs.
Experts strongly recommend that men, when they detect formations, do not engage in self-diagnosis, but go to an appointment with a venereologist, since only he, using specialized diagnostic methods, will be able to accurately diagnose the nature of the disease and prescribe the necessary therapeutic course.
Treatment options
Therapy is individual and largely depends on the nature of the growths.
Usually the formations are removed, along with which immunotherapy with drugs such as Interferon, Isoprinosine or Imiquilod is indicated.
Today medicine is ready to offer a lot of ways to remove tumors. They are divided into destructive and chemical methods. Among destructive techniques, the most commonly used are:
- Surgical excision – used when malignancy is suspected. This method is used infrequently, since there is a risk of bleeding at the site of removal of the formation. The growth removed in this way must be sent for a biopsy.
- Cryodestruction means freezing the formation with liquid nitrogen.
- Laser treatment is the most commonly used method of treating formations of this kind. The formation evaporates under the influence of a laser beam and at the same time cauterizes the cut sites, thereby completely eliminating the possibility of complications.
Chemical therapeutic techniques are associated with the cauterization effect of formations with substances such as solcoderm, trichloroacetic or salicylic acid. To prevent the appearance of formations on the head of the penis, it is recommended to use condoms during casual or untrustworthy sexual relationships.
Condylomas
These growths on the penis (photo not included for ethical reasons) indicate pathology in the body. They come in various shades. As a rule, the color of condylomas varies from pink to flesh-colored.
They usually appear 1 to 3 months after infection. At first they are small and smooth, less often they are rough. But over time, condylomas “grow.” Outwardly, they begin to resemble cauliflower or thorns.
Condylomas can be pointed or flat. The latter rise slightly above the place where they are formed. For the most part they are immersed inside the organ. And the first ones have pointed tops. More often they are transparent, vessels can even be traced in them, especially if the wart is injured.
Warts on the genitals - why they appear and what they look like
Genital warts are a sexually transmitted infection. Genital warts, or genital warts, are caused by infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV).
These skin growths can cause pain, discomfort and itching. They are especially dangerous for women because some types of papillomavirus can also cause cervical and vulvar cancer.
It should be noted that sexually transmitted papillomaviruses (mainly types 6,8 and 11) are different from those that cause warts on other parts of the human body.
Other types of viruses that are transmitted through sexual contact (particularly types 16 and 18) are thought to be responsible for the development of cervical cancer, although condylomas are usually absent.
Up to 90% of all people infected with the human papillomavirus do not have any clinical manifestations, so asymptomatic carriage of the virus and its transmission to sexual partners can last many months and even years. If symptoms appear, this occurs within 6–9 months after infection.
Genital condylomas of the genital area are practically no different in appearance from warts of any other location. The growths can be either rough and hard to the touch or soft and loose; eruptive elements can be protruding above the surface of the skin (exophytic) or not protruding (flat).
Genital warts are not even always visible to the human eye. They may be very small and skin-colored or slightly darker. The top of the wart may resemble a cauliflower and may be smooth or slightly raised to the touch.
Typically, warts do not exceed a few millimeters in diameter, but sometimes there are formations that reach 1 cm or more in size. They can be found on any part of the skin of the anogenital area, and their number can vary from 1-2 to 20 or more elements.
An infected person may have a group of warts or just one wart.
The most common locations (locations) for warts are the shaft of the penis, the vulva, and the area around the anus. Less commonly, they are detected on the mucous membrane of the vagina, cervix in women and urethra in men.
Genital warts on men can appear most often in the following places:
- penis
- scrotum
- groin
- hips
- in or around the anus
Genital warts in women may appear:
- inside the vagina or anus
- outside the vagina or anus
- Cervix
Here are some photos of warts on the genitals as an example.
Photo - Warts on the genitals
Warts on the genitals
Warts on the male genital organs
Warts on the female genital organs
Warts on the penis
Warts on the labia
Genital warts can also appear on the lips, mouth, tongue, or even throat of a person who has had sexual contact with someone who is infected.
Most warts at the beginning do not cause any discomfort to their owner, do not cause itching, and are rather discovered by chance.
Very extensive growths may indicate a serious dysfunction of the immune system, such as with HIV infection; a similar picture can also be observed during pregnancy.
Even if you don't notice genital warts visually, they can still cause symptoms as they grow, such as:
- vaginal discharge
- itching
- bleeding
- burning
If genital warts spread or begin to grow, the condition may be uncomfortable or even painful.
The presence of warty growths in the genital area can seriously bother the patient. The specialist will explain what causes them and how to avoid infection.
There are no specific tests for identifying viruses; diagnosis is based on assessing the appearance of the rash.
Gynecologists quite often encounter various types of warty growths during regular screening examinations of the cervix in women.
We suggest you read: How to treat white spots on the penis
Once an infection with the human papillomavirus has already occurred, it is almost impossible to get rid of it. Although modern medicine makes it possible to eliminate any skin manifestations, there are currently no effective ways to destroy the virus itself.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer and can also cause precancerous changes in cervical cells or dysplasia.
Other types of HPV can also cause vulvar, genital or anal cancer.
After removal, genital warts may reappear, and the carrier of the virus will be a source of infection for the partner during unprotected sexual intercourse for many months and years.
If existing warts are not removed, they can live for months or years, sometimes growing larger.
Currently, there are many known methods for treating genital warts, including the local use of podophyllin (podophyllotoxin). To remove genital warts, in particular, cryocoagulation technology is used, which involves applying liquid nitrogen to the pathological tissue, freezing it and subsequently destroying it.
These procedures are usually performed in specialized clinics, but can sometimes be performed by the patient independently.
In more serious cases, voluminous warts are burned out using an electric current (electrocautery) or a laser under local anesthesia.
Since infection with the human papillomavirus occurs primarily through sexual contact, it is recommended that both partners undergo a control test.
As already mentioned, genital warts and cervical cancer are caused by different types of papillomavirus, so there is no need for a woman to undergo additional cervical screening after genital wart removal.
Read about other causes of rashes and itching in the genital area here.
Diagnostics
First of all, the urologist interviews the patient and listens to complaints. Then a visual examination of the genital organ is performed.
After this, the man’s epidermal cells from the lesion will be analyzed using PCR diagnostics. This is necessary to confirm the presence of the papilloma virus in his body.
The next step is to examine the perianal opening.
After all of the above procedures, a man must donate blood and urine for analysis, which will help determine the presence or absence of an STD. It is also possible that you will need to consult a proctologist and dermatovenerologist.
Symptoms and diagnosis
The clinical picture of growths that appear on the male genital organ may look different. It all depends on the etiology. All symptoms can be collected into a single whole, but they can intersect in different ways:
- Itching and burning separately or simultaneously.
- Swelling.
- Hyperemia of the skin.
- Formation of microcracks.
- Painful sensations during sex.
- When traumatized, bloody discharge may appear, and when the injured formation becomes infected, pus may appear.
In all cases, diagnosis is almost the same. The specialist collects anamnesis and conducts a general survey of the patient. Only after this does he examine the patient. After this, a smear examination of the microflora of the genital organ is prescribed and appendage tissue is taken for histological examination. Additionally, tests for syphilis and HIV are taken. If there is a suspicion of venereological pathology, then a bacteriological and microscopic examination of the discharge from the urethra is carried out.
If a pathology has been diagnosed and treatment prescribed, then it is necessary to visit a urologist and venereologist . Only by working together will they make the correct diagnosis and select the necessary course of therapy to cure growths on the surface of the penis.
Clinical removal methods
Growths that appear on the penis can be removed in several ways. Here are the most popular:
It is important to note that any surgical intervention is carried out using local anesthesia, so the procedure will be painless, even on such a delicate area as the penis.
Treatment methods
Drug therapy
You can eliminate this unpleasant disease with the help of ointments, creams and medications. A man with small growths on the organ is advised to use the following remedies:
- drugs that eliminate the virus (tablets, ointments, creams, spray);
- immunity enhancing agents;
- drugs that have a necrotic effect;
- cauterizing agents “Condilin” or “Solcoderm”.
Surgical removal
Surgical removal is carried out exclusively in medical conditions as prescribed by a doctor. There are several methods of surgical removal:
- The use of cryodestruction, in which the formation is affected by liquid nitrogen at sub-zero temperatures. This method is painless, but often leads to relapse.
- Removal of a genital wart using a laser that cauterizes the formation. The method is more effective because it eliminates the problem layer by layer and is capable of affecting a depth sufficient for complete removal.
- The radio wave method of combating growths involves influencing the pathological formation of destructive radio waves. There is no bleeding during the procedure and the risk of infection is minimal.
Even if you decide to independently treat a growth on the penis with folk remedies, do not neglect consulting a doctor.
Treatment with ointments
Most likely, there are not many men who will want to remove growths that have arisen on the head of the penis or its shaft using the listed methods. They are effective, but they frighten many people.
Therefore, if the stage is not advanced, you can try pharmaceutical products. They help reduce the spread of the virus in the body. Here are the most popular:
How to get rid of an appendage
Due to the high risk of malignant degeneration of warts on the frenulum and head of the penis, they must be urgently removed. For this purpose, physical and chemical methods are used to extract tumors on the male genital organ.
Chemical removal method
If a formation occurs on the head, you can treat the genital organ with celandine juice. To do this, perform the following manipulations:
- Take a large stem of celandine.
- Make a fresh cut on it.
- Treat the polyps with the orange juice released. Do not allow liquid to come into contact with healthy areas.
The procedure is carried out until the warts completely disappear, once a day.
Medicines with a burning effect:
- Trichloroacetic acid - 80% solution.
- Solcoderm is a solution consisting of copper nitrate, lactic, oxalic, nitric and acetic acids.
- Super celandine balm - potassium and sodium oxide.
Instructions for use:
- Before applying the burning composition, it is necessary to apply zinc ointment or cream to healthy areas.
- The medicine is applied with a brush or a special applicator to the surface of each neoplasm.
- The product is kept for 20 minutes.
- Before each subsequent application, it is necessary to remove the varnish film that has formed from the surface of the polyp.
- The scab will fall off on its own over time. It cannot be removed mechanically.
The use of necrotic medications on the head of the penis is permitted only after consultation with a specialist. Side effects may occur in the form of pain, burning, itching, as well as the formation of scars and ulcers.
Physical remedies
In addition to the chemical method, there are several physical ones. They are used for excision or rapid destruction of multiple condylomas. Physical methods include:
- Thermal radiation (laser therapy). With its help, the skin process is painlessly burned out with a low probability of relapse and side effects.
- Electrical current (electrocautery) is used for low recurrence with local anesthesia.
- Radiotherapy is a fairly popular method of excision of genital warts using radio waves. This method is considered less traumatic and the safest.
- Surgical excision is the mechanical removal of polyps using special devices and instruments. Local anesthesia should be used during this procedure. Severe bleeding is possible at the cut sites.
- Liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy) is rarely used to treat pathologies on the penis. This is due to the possible occurrence of side effects in the form of ulcers and extensive wounds.
Which of these methods to use is decided by the specialist depending on the patient’s age and the degree of skin damage.
Treatment options
The growth of condylomas is prevented by cytotoxic medications . These include:
- Podophyllin - "Condilox" gel 0.5%.
- Podophyllotoxin - “Condilin” solution.
Before applying the solution to the polyp, it is necessary to treat healthy areas with cream. After this, you should apply the gel or solution to the entire surface of the condyloma using an applicator or brush.
Such manipulations must be carried out for 3 days, twice a day . After this, a break of 4 days is taken, after which the procedure is resumed. The general course of therapy lasts 5 weeks.
When carrying out the procedure, you must consult a specialist, as complications are possible.
Immunomodulatory drugs include Aldara cream. It is rubbed with light movements onto the affected skin in a thin layer. After about 10 hours, wash off the cream with soap and water.
A course of applying the cream three times a week for no more than 4 months.
Immunomodulators (“Immunal” and “Neovir”) are prescribed by a specialist in case of severe damage to the skin surface by warts. The duration of therapy depends on the patient's age and the severity of the disease.
Interferon is injected into each genital wart or intramuscularly. This procedure is performed in a medical facility.
Antiviral drugs: Aplokin-alpha injections, Groprinosin tablets. They are prescribed by a specialist.
Reviews
Of course, every patient who is about to have candylomas removed wants to know the opinion of those who have already undergone the procedure and what they feel like.
Most clinics practice laser removal. This is a modern, inexpensive and fairly simple method.
The patient is placed on the surgical table and anesthesia is given. Most men claim that the procedure is painless. Mild discomfort can be felt only in those places where the painkiller has had little effect. This is faced by those who have quite a lot of condylomas, so anesthesia is used over the entire area of the genital organ.
The process does not take much time. The only unpleasant things are the smell of fried flesh and rising smoke, which can be seen by the patient who decides to observe the process.
But that's all. Men who had growths almost all over their penis say that the procedure took 15 to 20 minutes.
At the end of the operation, the doctor treats the wounds, prescribes ointments and medications necessary for use during the rehabilitation period.
Men who have gone through this warn that the organ will be swollen for a few days, but this will pass. You also need to be prepared for discomfort that occurs after the anesthesia wears off. But it lasts only 1 - 2 hours.
Symptoms of growths on the penis
The appearance of genital warts is felt almost immediately. The course of the disease is accompanied by itching and pain.
When neoplasms come into contact with underwear, inflammatory processes and the area affected by the virus will begin to bleed.
The formations themselves are interpreted as numerous growths that look like cauliflower. At the same time, they have a pale pink hue and a soft structure.
The diameter of the wart can vary from a few mm to 1 cm .
If the lesion occupies a large area, then, as a rule, the stage of the disease is considered advanced .
The favorite location for the virus is the frenulum of the male genital organ, the foreskin along with the inner surface and the corolla of the glans. Warts in the groin occur less frequently in men.
Medicines
Removing the growth that has formed on the frenulum of the penis (or anywhere else) is effective. But a person also needs competent drug therapy. The use of drugs helps reduce the activity of viruses and stabilize the immune system. As a result, the man is completely cured.
The following drugs are considered the most effective:
Folk remedies
Doctors are skeptical about the use of natural products. It is believed that they are ineffective and are more suitable for prevention. Despite this, many choose them.
Treatment of growths on the penis with potatoes is popular. This is the simplest method - you just need to squeeze the juice out of the peeled tuber and treat the warts with it. Do this twice a day for 1 month.
You can also try the following:
Consequences
Unfortunately, many people ignore growths on a man’s penis. Letting the process take its course can lead to many problems in the future.
Here's what a negligent attitude towards warts and other growths can lead to:
To avoid consequences, you should immediately contact a urologist. Papillomas do not take long to grow and spread.
