Any growths on open areas are a skin defect, which causes stiffness in communication. They usually do not cause discomfort and rarely cause serious complications. But growths in the groin area are more dangerous and require careful attention.
Papillomas in the groin area are very unsafe for both men and women
Often, papillomas in the groin in men and women appear as a result of contracting an infection through sexual contact with a carrier. But this is not the only route of infection, and therefore inguinal papillomas can manifest themselves as acrochords or genital warts, which differ in appearance and location.
What do warts in the groin look like in men?
Unlike neoplasms that appear in other places on the human body, a wart in the groin in men has the appearance of a papillary-shaped growth. Doctors gave them the name condylomas. In addition to these, inguinal growths can appear as papules or spots. Condylomas often appear in whole groups, shaped like a miniature rooster comb.
Genital warts typically have a human skin tone and may be white, yellowish, or have a reddish tone.
Medical practice shows that these neoplasms practically do not transform into cancer, only certain strains of HPV provoke the appearance of cancer. It is necessary to get rid of condylomas - this will protect your sexual partner from infection. In addition, such skin formations cause trouble for the wearer, because they can easily be rubbed with clothing or torn off, resulting in a bleeding wound. There have been cases where the growths affect neighboring areas of the skin and grow into a whole crust, which looks repulsive.
Localization of inguinal papillomas
Warts of various types can appear on all parts of the human body. But condylomas in the groin area, as a rule, occur at the site of virus entry. It can be:
- directly groin;
- scrotal skin;
- head of the penis;
- foreskin area;
- pubis;
- surface of the penis.
In addition to genital tumors, the anus area is also attacked by the virus. Warts in the groin area can make sexual intercourse quite painful.
Condylomas on the penis and its surrounding areas are also cosmetic and psychological problems. The unaesthetic appearance of the groin area, inconvenience when wearing underwear and during intimacy force men to resort to self-medication, which should not be done. Only a specialist dermatovenerologist or urologist can determine the type of wart on the pubis and prescribe appropriate treatment.
How does infection occur?
To understand how the infection spreads, you should know the characteristics of the virus:
- The pathogen is unable to exist for a long time outside the host, but in a humid and warm environment it remains active longer, so in public saunas, baths and swimming pools the risk of infection is higher.
- When it enters the body, the virus invades epithelial cells, where it awaits favorable conditions for further development. This wait can last for several years - it all depends on the body’s immune system.
- Having settled in the cells, the pathogen disrupts their work and over time completely replaces it with itself.
- During the activity of the virus, rapid division of transformed cells occurs and formations appear on the skin, the varieties of which depend on the HPV strain.
Some types of papillomavirus increase the risk of developing cancer. This is especially true for papillomas in the groin area.
A public swimming pool, one of the virus's habitats
Causes and mechanism of infection
A wart in the groin in men appears due to the fact that the papilloma virus has entered the body. It penetrates into the deep layers of the epithelium and contributes to the appearance of various types of growths and spots on the skin.
In most cases, the virus is transmitted through sexual contact. However, with a weakened immune system, even using the same things, for example, bath accessories, is a very real way of transmitting the virus.
Practice shows that there are a number of factors that lead to deterioration of immunity and the formation of warts. For example, to activate the human papilloma virus, if it is present in the body, vitamin deficiency, stress, and insufficient adherence to hygiene rules are sufficient.
The causes of HPV (human papillomavirus) may include the following:
- sexual infections;
- skin microtraumas;
- disordered sex life;
- insufficient hygiene of intimate toys.
The lion's share of the causes of such infections is the indiscriminate change of sexual partners. Through microtraumas to the mucous membrane of the genitals or the skin of the groin area during sexual intercourse, the papilloma virus easily enters the body. He can wait for months and even years in the wings. As soon as the body gives up, the infection will manifest itself as condylomas and other types of skin growths.
Characteristics of growths
Papillomas in the groin most often appear after infection with HPV through sexual contact with a carrier of the infection. In this case, the growths can have different shapes and structures. So in men and women the following types of inguinal growths are distinguished:
- Filamentous, or acrochords;
- Pointed, or condylomas.
Each of these types of growths appears with persistent disturbances in the functioning of the immune system.
Important!
External papillomas in the groin almost always signal the presence of pathological formations on the walls of the rectum.
Acrochords
Acrochords are elongated filiform papillomas of gray-yellow color. The texture of pathological formations is soft and smooth. Moreover, growths of this type are distinguished by a conical shape and a thin stalk.
At the beginning of the activation of the HPV virus, several separate formations appear between the legs. In the absence of treatment, in a short time, pathological neoplasms grow and unite into groups. The height of each of these growths can reach 0.5 cm.
Papillomas of this type appear more often in women, especially during menopausal hormonal imbalances in the body. The appearance of such growths in young girls often indicates serious malfunctions in the functioning of the ovaries. In men, acrochords are often accompanied by the growth of polyps in the intestines.
Most often, thread-like growths appear in the groin, concentrating on the pubic area. They grow most quickly in areas with dry and sagging skin. However, such growths never form directly on the genitals.
Important!
Even with microtraumas, the acrochords begin to bleed and quickly become inflamed. Such papillomas do not go away on their own and require mandatory removal.
Condillomas acuminata
Papillomas of this type appear in women and men with equal probability. However, the infection can even be transmitted to children at birth or during breastfeeding.
The danger of warts in the groin
Warts in the groin are not just a harmless growth. Not only can they cause pain during intimacy. Due to the ease of scratching and rubbing, a person receives an open channel for pathogenic microbes to enter, which is why infectious processes easily develop.
Since new growths on the skin are a consequence of unsatisfactory functioning of the immune system, it is necessary to increase and maintain the body’s defenses in good shape.
What is most dangerous is that a wart in the groin in men can degenerate. Such cases are rare, but it is better to completely eliminate this possibility by removing the growth.
Main methods of treatment
Today, methods of getting rid of condylomas are quite numerous. These include:
- medicinal;
- surgical;
- destructive;
- folk
The surgical method is used only for small sizes and a small number of tumors. But hardware medicine is an effective and less painful way to treat warts in the groin.
Drug therapy
Applying an acid lotion to the affected area helps get rid of warts in the groin. This can be done at home. The groin wart under the influence of an aggressive chemical will turn into an ordinary scab.
You cannot do without antiviral and immunostimulating treatment. If you do not improve your immune system, the return of condyloma after some time is inevitable.
In addition, pharmacology has developed many medications designed to remove condylomas. Such substances can be presented in the form:
- gels and ointments;
- oils;
- solutions;
- plasters.
Only the doctor decides which medicine to use.
Destructive ways
Cryotherapy, or nitrogen cauterization, has been used for a long time. The procedure has proven itself over decades of use, is easy to use, and not very traumatic. The procedure is performed in a clinic. Condyloma is frozen with nitrogen. In this case, the tissues that make up the body of the wart are destroyed. After cauterization, the neoplasm dies. It will take about ten days to say goodbye to the annoying warts.
Diagnosis and removal should be carried out by qualified personnel. Only an experienced medical professional can correctly determine how much nitrogen is needed and to what depth the wart should be cauterized so that it does not appear again. When using nitrogen, the specifics of the procedure require taking these factors into account.
Laser wart removal is gaining popularity. The operating principle is as follows:
- the laser strongly heats the wart;
- the moisture contained in its tissues evaporates;
- tissues die;
- after seven days the scab falls off.
The procedure is performed under local anesthesia, so no pain is observed.
Thermocoagulation and electrocoagulation have a similar effect on the tumor. The wart is excised with a special knife (electrode), its body is dehydrated, and it dies. The healing process also takes about a week.
Folk remedies
You can treat warts in the groin in men at home using herbal remedies:
- An ordinary apple will help. Its cut is used to lubricate growths in the groin. The acid contained in the fruit acts on the wart, and it gradually decreases and then disappears altogether.
- A simple way is to lubricate the condylomas with the juice of raw potatoes or make a lotion from a piece of aloe leaf.
- It is also known to use iodine for drying and subsequent death of growths.
- Garlic ointment works well against warts in the initial stages of their appearance. The preparation is simple: mix a finely chopped slice with any inexpensive cream and apply it as a compress for a couple of hours.
- The common yard plant celandine is very effective in combating growths, but it is not advisable to use it in the area of mucous membranes and on delicate skin. There is a risk of burns and scars.
Using folk remedies, treatment will not be quick. You will have to regularly lubricate the wart for about a month, avoiding getting the drug on healthy areas of the skin. The skin in the groin is much thinner than on exposed areas of the body, so it gets burned easily.
Nuances of treatment during pregnancy
Women are very worried about the appearance of warts during pregnancy. Doctors advise not to resort to methods of combating them, but to wait until the birth of the child. But this is only if the growths do not cause concern or discomfort.
Doctors explain the appearance of warts during pregnancy for the following reasons:
- hormonal changes in the body;
- immunosuppression.
Typically, such growths go away on their own after the baby is born.
If condylomas bothered a woman even before conception, then when planning a pregnancy it is imperative to get rid of them.
If warts appear during pregnancy, you should undergo certain tests to identify virus patterns. If they correspond to the numbers 16 or 18, then treatment is mandatory, since this type of HPV is classified as oncogenic. But therapy will be carried out in the third trimester.
Prevention
The appearance of condylomas in intimate places in men is most often associated with unprotected sexual intercourse with casual partners. According to statistics, 80% of patients with HPV infection become infected this way.
To avoid infection with the papilloma virus, you should adhere to the rules of sexual and personal hygiene, and from time to time independently examine visible areas of the groin area and genitals. Of course, in no case should the rules of protection be neglected during an intimate act.
Since new growths on the skin are a consequence of unsatisfactory functioning of the immune system, it is necessary to increase and maintain the body’s defenses in good shape.
Diagnosis of pathology
First, a man goes with his problem to a dermatoneurologist or urologist, who will prescribe the necessary studies and instrumental diagnostics:
- Donating blood for the presence of TORCH infections. In this case, it is possible to identify the virus and determine whether there are sexually transmitted diseases.
- The polymerase chain reaction detects HPV and its stamps.
- To exclude oncology, a biopsy is performed with examination of the patient’s biological material, urethroscopy, colposcopy. Even after the warts have been removed, parts of them are sent for histology.
