Keratoma is a collective name for different types of benign neoplasms, in the formation of the structures of which cells of the upper layer of the skin (epidermis) participate. It does not display the specific morphological characteristics of each type of disease, but explains the etiology of the pathological process. When defining a pathology, the name is always specified. For example, seborrheic keratoma is a term that is used to refer to a formation that forms when excess sebum is produced.
Mechanism of keratoma formation
The epidermis consists of several layers of keratinocytes - skin epithelial cells. The layers lie on top of each other. The cells of the uppermost layer, the one that is constantly in contact with the external environment, gradually die off and turn into keratinized scales. Normally, they peel off and are removed from the surface of the skin during bathing.
The place of exfoliated scales is occupied by cells of deeper layers. In the absence of pathology, this process is balanced. If it is disturbed, various skin diseases develop. It is due to such dysfunctions that keratomas are formed. The tumor is formed from unchanged cells of the keratinized epithelium. At its core, it is a collection of keratinocytes. There are no atypical elements in it, therefore all keratomas are benign formations.
However, the described skin tumor can transform into cancer. According to statistics, this happens in 20% of cases. Because of such high rates, experts classify keratomas as precancerous conditions. The risks of malignancy increase if:
- the tumor began to grow rapidly;
- its surface is constantly injured and bleeds;
- the growth process is accompanied by severe itching or pain;
- there are signs of inflammation.
If one or more of these symptoms appear, you should immediately seek help from an oncologist.
The danger of keratoma also lies in the fact that it can look similar to various forms of skin cancer. Even an experienced doctor is sometimes unable to distinguish them from each other, which is why it is so important to undergo examinations on time and identify existing risks.
How does baking soda work on papillomas?
Papillomas are small benign neoplasms that look like balls or drops on a stalk, from almost colorless to grayish-brown. Most often, papillomas form on the skin (neck, face, limbs, areas near the genitals) and mucous membranes (nose, paranasal sinuses, vocal cords, pharynx, mouth). Almost always (in more than 80 percent of cases) this is the result of the activity of the papillomavirus, or, as it is otherwise called, the human papillomavirus. Congenital papillomas are much less common - less than 20 percent.
You can get rid of papillomas using regular soda. Its drying, disinfecting and antifungal effect helps to cope with papillomas without much difficulty. It is also important to know what hepatic steatosis is and how to treat it. After treatment with sodium bicarbonate, the legs of the papillomas begin to dry out, due to which the growth due to the interrupted blood supply soon disappears painlessly. The development of the virus itself also stops, which has a beneficial effect on the general condition of the skin.
Localization of keratomas
In principle, formations whose structure consists of keratinized epidermal cells can appear on any part of the body. But most often they form on the neck, face, chest, décolleté, arms and where the skin is constantly exposed to sunlight. Keratomas can grow in breadth, but never grow in depth. This feature is a diagnostic criterion.
Senile (senile, seborrheic) keratoma
Types of keratomas
Experts take the causative factor as the basis for systematizing the disease. On its basis, the following types of keratomas are distinguished.
| Name | Reasons for formation | Clinical features |
| Senile (senile, seborrheic) | Excessive sebum production | It is localized mainly in open areas of the body, where the skin is constantly exposed to sunlight. At the initial stage, a rounded brown or dark brown spot appears on the surface of the skin, the surface of which slightly rises above areas of healthy skin. At the onset of the pathology, it is the size of a lentil, then gradually grows and rises significantly. When the keratoma is finally formed, it darkens and looks like some kind of foreign object glued to the skin. Scales are clearly visible on its surface. Since they are constantly mixed with the product of the sebaceous glands, they quickly turn into a crust. It comes off easily from the skin and feels greasy to the touch. Beneath it, protrusions similar to papillae are visible. Their color is slightly lighter than the color of the formation itself. Seborrheic keratoma grows slowly. In people aged 40 to 50 years, it is most often single; in people over 50 years, multiple elements are almost always detected. Moreover, they grow not only on open areas of the body, but also on the back, stomach, and legs. Seborrheic keratoma never disappears on its own; over time it becomes larger, its edges rise more strongly from the skin. If such a formation appears near the physiological openings (in the eyes, in the vagina in women, near the entrance to the urethra in men), it is constantly injured. And this leads to malignancy in 20% of cases. |
| Solar (actinic) | Dose of solar radiation received over a lifetime | Multiple round-shaped formations of a red or gray-black hue appear immediately on open areas of the body. When you touch them, you feel a rough surface. There are different forms of actinic keratomas. The development of erythematous leads to the formation of foci of peeling. They are delimited from healthy areas of the skin by a red rim. When the surface of such a formation thickens due to more intense keratinization of the epidermis, a keratotic form is diagnosed. In such keratomas, the redness located at the edges of the borders disappears. The surface of the lesion itself turns yellow and becomes covered with a hard crust. If you try to peel it off with your hands, you will find thin, red, cracked skin underneath. When the solar keratoma grows and becomes similar in shape to a head of cauliflower, the verrucous type is diagnosed. The surface of such a formation is covered with dirty gray scales with a yellow tint. With the development of the horny form of solar keratosis, a dense horn-like growth appears on the skin (mainly on the forehead or ears). It happens that under the influence of solar radiation, rough brown spots appear on the back or on the back of the hands, covered with scales of the stratum corneum. In this case, the pigmented form of actinic keratosis develops. |
| Follicular | Reaction of mature skin to excessive ultraviolet irradiation. In the development of this type of keratoma, an important role is played not by a single exposure, but by the total value of the dose received. | It looks like a dense tumor the size of a pea. The gray or pink nodule has a regular round shape. It is formed from epithelial cells that line the bottom of the hair follicle. As it progresses, it constantly grows and increases in size up to 2 cm. |
| Horny | Transformation of solar or senile keratoma, provoked by external factors. This can be permanent injury, sunburn, chronic infections. | A dense keratoma appears on the surface of the skin, which constantly grows in length and turns into a formation that looks like a horn. Its surface can be rough or smooth to the touch, covered with numerous grooves. There is always a rim of inflammation around the base. Typically, such a formation is localized on the face, ears, and scalp. Such a keratoma also often becomes malignant, so it is classified as a precancerous condition. |
Horny keratoma
With iodine
This recipe can also be used on the face. The procedure is carried out pointwise with a cotton swab. The iodine wears off overnight.
Required:
- iodine;
- soda;
- water.
Application:
- Cover the wart or papilloma with a band-aid or lubricate it with a thick cream.
- Mix sodium bicarbonate with water in a 1:1 ratio.
- Apply iodine to the affected area with a cotton swab.
- Then treat with soda solution.
- Repeat the action 5 times alternately, ending with iodine.
Recommended for you:
How to treat gout with soda: preparation of solution, ointment, baths, application
Cauterize the desired area every day for two weeks. No need to cover.
Symptoms and signs of keratoma
The disease has characteristic clinical manifestations. It is diagnosed by the following symptoms:
- At the initial stage, any keratoma looks like a spot that protrudes slightly above the skin.
- It is painted in coffee colors.
- The surface of the affected area peels off (this is due to the development of the active process of keratinization of the epidermis).
- Over time, the area of the keratoma constantly increases.
- The spot protrudes more strongly above the surface of the skin.
- Large keratomas become crusty and can be easily peeled off accidentally or intentionally.
- Any injury causes bleeding and pain.
In the absence of injury, keratomas grow without causing any physical discomfort.
General principles of treatment for keratomas
Tumors of this type can only be treated with radical methods, but this is not always necessary. Seborrheic keratoma, the follicular form, degenerates into skin cancer extremely rarely. Their development does not cause physical discomfort, so there is no need to treat them.
For patients who have such formations, doctors recommend visiting a dermatologist once or twice a year and together with him monitor the dynamics of the pathology. When the first signs of malignancy appear, it is better to remove the keratoma immediately.
Doctors can use radical treatment at the request of the patient. It occurs when the formation of a tumor creates a visible cosmetic effect that causes psychological discomfort.
Internal use of soda solution
Unfortunately, the human papillomavirus is not as harmless a disease as it might seem at first. Sometimes benign neoplasms, which are papillomas, degenerate into malignant ones, and then it won’t be long before disaster occurs. A soda solution intended for internal use helps to avoid the degeneration of benign tumors.
To prepare an antitumor “cocktail,” heat low-fat milk (250 ml), add sodium bicarbonate (1 level teaspoon, no need to compact the powder), mix thoroughly and drink immediately. Drink the product as you wish: quickly or slowly, depending on your tolerance to the taste of soda.
Take soda with milk according to the following scheme: 3 days of intake (three times a day) - 3 days of break. Start the next three-day period with one and a half tablespoons of soda for the same amount of milk. So, each time increase the concentration of soda until you reach 1 tablespoon of powder per 250 ml of milk.
Attention! If you have protein intolerance, using this product is strictly contraindicated.
Keratoma removal methods
Removal of keratomas can be done in different ways:
- laser;
- liquid nitrogen;
- electrocoagulation;
- radio wave method;
- traditionally with a scalpel.
The choice of method is made strictly on an individual basis. The patient’s age, size and shape of the keratoma, and available technical capabilities are taken into account.
If there are signs of malignancy, the patient will be offered laser or traditional surgical treatment. Only in this case is it possible to obtain biological material suitable for histology. This is the most informative analysis that allows you to determine the stage of development of a malignant tumor and find out how far the process of metastasis has gone.
Removal with a scalpel
Traditional surgery is performed under local anesthesia. The surgeon uses a scalpel to cut out the keratoma itself and the tissue adjacent to it. Then the wound is sutured, the seams are treated with an antiseptic solution, and a sterile bandage is applied over them. The recovery process lasts two weeks. In the first seven days, the wound is treated and bandaged three times a day. The patient is undergoing a course of antibiotics. They help prevent bacterial infection of the surgical site.
On the seventh day, the sutures are removed, and any wound-healing ointment is applied to the surface of the inflamed skin. The patient is discharged from the hospital when the wound heals and becomes scarred.
Laser therapy
Laser treatment of keratoma is a less traumatic procedure. It is performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia. During the operation, the doctor influences the keratoma using a carbon dioxide laser. It evaporates fluid from pathological cells, causing them to die. Blood vessels and nerve receptors are sealed, therefore reducing the risk of postoperative bleeding.
Removal of keratoma with diode laser
The laser beam simultaneously disinfects the wound surface. After the session is completed, a black crust remains at the site of the keratoma. It prevents infection. Natural healing processes occur underneath it, so when the scab falls off, it reveals a new layer of epidermis. Laser treatment has a number of advantages over traditional surgical removal:
- it is less painful;
- it has a shorter recovery period;
- very low risk of relapse;
Laser therapy can be used to remove single keratomas whose diameter does not exceed one centimeter.
Cryodestruction
Multiple keratomas are easier to treat with liquid nitrogen. Exposure to low temperatures causes necrosis of pathological tissues; after their rejection, an area of renewed skin remains on the surface. The operation is performed without pain relief; the patient feels a slight tingling or burning sensation during the session.
This removal method could be called the best, if not for one “but”. During the session, the doctor is not able to control the depth of penetration of the cold. Because of this, a deep wound often forms after surgery, which heals very slowly with the formation of an unsightly scar. It often happens that keratoma cells remain “at the bottom” of the formation after removal. This causes relapses.
Electrocoagulation
If keratoma removal occurs for aesthetic reasons, preference is given to electrocoagulation. During its implementation, the formation is exposed to high-frequency current. It helps to burn out keratoma cells, while at the same time sealing blood vessels and nerve endings. In terms of its therapeutic effect, electrocoagulation is similar to laser treatment, but current treatment is a more painful procedure, so it is not suitable for older people.
Radio wave surgery
The use of radio wave surgery is the most innovative way to treat all skin lesions. The procedure is the same as traditional surgery. The only difference is that the surgeon is holding not a scalpel, but a radio knife. It allows you to make precise, bloodless incisions and remove the tumor layer by layer. Both seborrheic keratoma and follicular type of formation can be treated in this way. Radio wave surgery does not have the same contraindications as laser therapy and electrocoagulation, but it has advantages similar to those of all the radical methods of treating keratomas listed above. The operation is inexpensive. For example, in a clinic on Baltiyskaya Street in Moscow, a similar service is provided from 350 rubles.
Conservative treatment
When, for health reasons, any surgical intervention is contraindicated, preference is given to a conservative, medicinal method of treatment. When it is performed, the keratoma is treated with creams, solutions and emulsions, which contain components that can kill tumor cells. Most often used by doctors:
- trichloroacetic or glycolic acid;
- cytostatics "Podofiddin";
- ointments containing 5-fluorouracil.
Treatment of kerat with acids should be carried out by the attending physician. Only he will be able to select and apply a dosage that cannot lead to the formation of chemical burns. Other remedies can help get rid of keratoma at home. The formation must be treated with a cytostatic solution once a day for ten days. Four hours after applying the product, it must be washed off the skin with warm water and soap. The ointments are applied in a thin layer twice a day for a month. Their use leads to the appearance of ulcers, but such a complication is considered normal. Corticosteroids (Lokoid or Dexamethasone ointment) are added to the treatment regimen at this stage of treatment. Hormonal agents promote rapid healing of the affected area.
Treatment with folk remedies
Unfortunately, it is impossible to cure keratoma with folk remedies, but you can stop its growth and prevent the process of malignancy. Best suited for these purposes:
- Applications with sea buckthorn or fir oil (it must first be calcined).
- Rubbing with a balm made from unripe walnuts. It is prepared as follows: the fruits must first be cut into quarters. A glass of raw materials is loaded into a thermos, any vegetable oil is heated to a temperature of 45 degrees, after which it is also poured into the thermos. The mixture is infused for 24 hours, after which it is filtered twice through gauze folded in several layers. Keratomas are lubricated with balm several times a day. Duration of the course is until complete recovery.
- Compresses with ointment prepared from celandine leaves. They are first turned into a paste, lard is melted over a fire, the ingredients are mixed in equal proportions, infused for twelve hours, after which the finished ointment is used for its intended purpose twice a day.
If symptoms of malignancy are present, you cannot experiment with traditional medicine recipes. You need to seek help from an oncologist and together with him try to fight for your own life.
Knowing what a keratoma is, you can try to prevent the development of the disease. For these purposes, it is useful to protect the body from the rays of the active sun throughout your life, to prevent sunburn, and not to abuse visits to the solarium.
