Warts on the penis: causes, symptoms, treatment

26 November 2020

Penis warts are small formations found on the foreskin, frenum, glans or shaft of the penis. These are also called genital warts. It provokes the pathology of the papilloma virus of certain strains, which are prone to recurrent symptoms and are never completely eliminated from the body.

Causes of warts on the penis in men

Warts are viral growths caused by the human papilloma virus. HPV is a large group of pathogenic microorganisms. There are about 100 strains of this pathogen studied. In addition, these viruses are divided into different categories according to their oncogenicity level.

According to rough estimates, about 90% of the world's population is infected with one or more papilloma viruses. Pathogens live very little in the external environment and die quickly. They are most often transmitted through sexual contact, less frequently in everyday life or from mother to child. Viral agents are localized in the surface layer of the mucous membrane and in the epidermis.

Causes strains 6 and 11 related to penis warts in men. These viruses are responsible for genital warts. These are conditionally non-oncogenic species and can cause malignancy of neoplasms quite rarely.

For the virus to enter the body, infected skin or mucous membranes must be in direct contact with healthy skin. This usually happens during unprotected sex. If there are micro-traumas on the surface of the body - abrasions, cracks, scratches - the risk of infection increases. The virus penetrates these damages particularly easily and quickly.

HPV replication occurs in the deep skin layers inside human epidermis cells. As the disease progresses, epithelial cells move upward with viral agents. Thus, the papilloma virus reaches the skin surface and causes a rapid chaotic growth of epidermal cells. This leads to warts on the penis.

A distinctive feature of the

Papilloma virus is that it can remain dormant for a long time in the deep layers of the dermis. Various factors can trigger its progression. For example, weakening of the immune system, hypothermia, antibiotic use, stress, overwork, malnutrition, vitamin deficiency, hormonal imbalance and more.

However, even when the virus is latent, a person is potentially dangerous in terms of the transmission of HPV to partners. Knowing the causes of warts on the penis, we can conclude that these formations can occur both in beginner adolescents and in the elderly.

Symptoms and types of warts on the penis

Warts on the penis in most male patients, as a rule, do not manifest themselves at all. Most often, they occur in places prone to injury during intercourse. Therefore, neoplasms can be found on the head, frenulum, foreskin. They occur less frequently in the body of the penis and scrotum.

Warts on the penis usually look like small growths of a pinkish, beige, whitish shade 2-30mm in size. They may be single or grouped, forming neoplasms similar to rooster combs.

In the active growth phase, when the immune system fails, warts on the penis can cause itching and burning in the affected area. Also, sometimes neoplasms are palpable during intercourse. In the normal state, these growths are painless and do not bring significant discomfort.

Condylomas usually affect large areas, not a limited area of the genitals. For this reason, warts on the head of the penis gradually spread to the groin area, affecting the anus.

The types of warts on the penis depend on the type of virus transmitted to the male and where they are located.

Consider the main types:

In the area of the foreskin, neoplasms appear to be tubercles lighter than the skin. Sometimes they have thin legs. Initially, single warts appear, over time groups of genital warts may form.
Warts on the frenulum look like small whitish bumps in a chaotic sequence.
Warts on the head of the penis look like pale pink finger-like bumps. Usually they form clusters similar to broccoli inflorescences.
Giant Buschke-Levenschein tumors can sometimes occur on the body of the penis. It is several warts that grow together. This is a rare but dangerous pathology fraught with malignant transformation, as the cells of the neoplasm are prone to rapid mutation.

If suspicious growths are found on the penis, a man should immediately consult a specialist. The urologist examines and discusses the patient. In addition to the penis, the urologist should examine the scrotum, perianal area, and groin. Visual examination is usually sufficient to make a diagnosis. In some cases, the doctor may refer the man for additional tests.

To determine the type of pathogen and the risk of oncogenicity, the patient must donate blood for a PCR test. Also, if the frenum is damaged, a meatoscopy procedure may be required to determine the presence of warts in the urethra.

It should be kept in mind that warts on the head of the penis and scrotum can look like neoplasms of different structures. For example, papullosis in the second stage of syphilis is also characterized by the appearance of small neoplasms. To rule out other sexually transmitted diseases, it also needs to be tested for common sexual infections - syphilis, HIV, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, etc.

The danger of warts on the penis in men

Initially warts on the penis represent an aesthetic defect rather than a serious pathology that threatens a man's health. However, this does not mean that they do not need to be treated. If you let the disease run its course, it could lead to more serious problems in the future.

The danger of these neoplasms is as follows:

Phimosis development.In this case, the foreskin grows along with the head of the penis. For this reason, problems may arise with normal ejaculation of sperm, pathogens may accumulate in the space under the foreskin, and inflammatory processes may occur.
Inflammation of the head, body of the penis.This pathology is a complication of the above condition, with bacteria getting under the foreskin and spreading further.
Erosions in genitals.Often they develop as a result of systematic trauma to warts on the penis. This happens during intercourse, when shaving, while wearing tight underwear.
The transformation of neoplasms into cancerous tumors.This is rare, but there is a potential danger, especially if warts on the penis are often damaged.

Also be aware that active neoplasms are dangerous for infected partners. Moreover, even condoms cannot always protect a person from infection.

Treatment methods for penis warts

The treatment of this pathology must be complex and combined, as the appearance of warts on the penis is directly related to a general decrease in immunity. Basically, various destruction methods are used in relation to neoplasms. Medications are used to boost immunity and suppress the virus.

Ways to remove warts on the penis

Instrumental and chemical exposure methods are used to eliminate warts on the penis. It is worth remembering that these growths in themselves are extremely rare, and therefore, if a man tries to minimize the risk of complications, they will have to be removed.

There are several ways to get rid of warts on the penis:

Laser destruction.The laser beam evaporates the accumulated liquid, dries, becomes covered with a crust and falls off after a few days. As a rule, there are no scars left in the treatment area. The procedure is painless and rarely leads to relapses and complications.
Cryo removal.Liquid nitrogen, which has a low temperature, is applied pointwise to the neoplasm causing it to freeze and then die. After the procedure, a crust forms at the accumulation site, which disappears after a few days along with the rest of the formation.
Radiosurgical removal.Neoplasm is affected by radio waves that destroy growth tissue. This is one of the most accurate, effective and safe ways to remove warts on the penis. After the radio wave is removed, there is no scar on the skin.
Electrocoagulation.At a certain frequency, a current is applied to the electrode that distorts the formation. This procedure to remove warts on the penis can cause burns and subsequent scars. Therefore it is prescribed with caution.
Surgical excision.If the wart on the penis is too large, the scalpel cutting technique can be used in extreme cases. However, they rarely resort to such an operation as there is a risk of severe bleeding and infection spreading. Also, a complete circular excision of the foreskin is indicated for large lesions with warts.

Also, the doctor may recommend chemical cleaning. The procedure is carried out using cauterizing drugs.

Before treating warts on the penis with chemicals, it is imperative to consult a doctor, since these funds have a number of contraindications and their improper use threatens complications.

Remedies for penis warts

In order to eliminate the risk of recurrence of warts on the head of the penis or other parts of the genital organs, it is necessary to take care to increase immunity as well as suppress the virus in the body. For this purpose, various groups of drugs are used - antiviral and immunomodulatory.

It is also important with HPV to stimulate the body's defenses that are depressed for whatever reason. Immunity will actively fight the pathogen and reduce the risk of recurrence of warts on the penis.

It should be understood that drug treatment cannot completely solve the problem of wart on the penis. To get rid of them, it is necessary to resort to instrumental techniques to eliminate growths.

Folk remedies for warts on the penis

If you're thinking about how to treat penis warts, help can be found in traditional medicine. However, remember that you should only use these techniques after consulting your doctor. Self-medication can be at least in vain and, in the worst case, lead to serious complications.

The following tools are popular:

Tea tree oil.Powerful herbal antiviral agent that helps suppress pathogen activity. It is necessary to apply the substance to the warts on the head of the penis several times a day until the growth disappears completely.
Propolis.Another natural remedy that helps cope with viruses. Apply the substance to the growths before going to bed every day for 10-14 days to remove warts on the penis.
Egg white.You need to take crude protein and lubricate the neoplasm several times a day.
Table vinegar.Acid actively erodes pathological tissues, so you need to be careful with it so as not to damage neighboring healthy areas. You need to lubricate carefully and point by point.
Rowan juice.Acidic substance, contains phytoncides that have antiviral effects. Lubricate with freshly squeezed liquid warts on the penis daily.

The above recipes are only suitable if you are sure you are dealing with HPV and the neoplasm is small and single. Otherwise, you cannot do without special therapy.

Prevention of warts on the penis

Timely treatment of penis warts significantly reduces the risk of future complications and recurrence. It is also a way to avoid transmitting the virus to your sexual partner.

One of the most effective methods of protection is vaccination with special multivalent vaccines. They act against pathogens of types 6, 11, 16 and 18 - precisely those that cause genital warts to appear.

Although

Condoms cannot guarantee 100% protection against HPV, they should be used because it reduces the risk of infection by 20-30%. It protects against other sexually transmitted infections, including

If a man is already infected with HPV, it is necessary to follow the rules of a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risk of warts on the penis. It is important to suppress exacerbations of chronic conditions in a timely manner, eat right, do physical activity and maintain immunity in a "ready-to-fight" state.

If you are thinking about how to get warts on the penis, see a doctor immediately. Self-medication in this case can only harm. The procedure for removing neoplasms is quick and almost painless. It is also important to strengthen the body's protective functions to prevent future relapses.