Fibroids or papillomas - what is the difference and how to remove them?

SKIN LINE | May 2024

Every person carries different skin growths on his body. Some of them are small and harmless, while others need more attention for aesthetic or medical reasons. The lesions can vary in size, as well as in colour, shape and surface area and occur in different areas.

The variety of types of skin growths is the reason why some of them are often confused, such as fibromas and papillomas, because of the visual similarity between their manifestations. Although both are benign and rise above the skin, hanging on a so-called ‘foot’, they also have specific characteristics.

How do fibroids and papillomas differ?

The appearance of papillomas is associated with the activity of HPV – the human papillomavirus. It has about 100 strains, each of which can cause different types of warts, including papillomas. The appearance of fibroids is often mistakenly associated with viral infection, but there is no medical evidence for such a link.

The differences between fibroids and papillomas can be observed in several ways:

Size and shape of the formation

Fibromas are pale pink in colour or darker and clearly distinguishable from the rest of the skin. They can range in size from the size of a sunflower seed to a pea or bean. Their surface is more often uneven, but may also be smooth. They are usually round, soft to the touch to moderately firm in texture. The harder ones have in most cases a larger contact surface.

Papillomas are small in size (rarely exceeding 1 cm in height), pale pink to light brown, and are often visible only when the area is scratched or scratched. Unlike fibromas, their base is firm and resembles a stalk. They have an uneven surface that is fine- or coarse-grained and hair-like.

In which areas of the body most often occur

In the majority of cases, fibroids occur mainly in adult women, but also in the period of pregnancy. According to scientists, their growth may be related to the production of sex hormones in the body. They are mostly localised in the neck, groin, underarm folds, breasts and folds under the mammary glands.

Cutaneous papillomas occur in both sexes, en masse after the age of 50. Their appearance is seen all over the body, but mainly in the folds of the armpits, the area under the breasts and on the neck. Unlike fibromas, they can also appear on the eyelids and mucous membranes of the body.

Number and grouping of entities

In most cases, fibromas occur singly to several in number. Papillomas are rather multiple and it is not excluded that in a given area they reach more than 10. This mainly concerns the neck area, where they can spread from wearing a necklace or a bracelet.

Apart from the human papillomavirus, a tendency for more papillomas to form is seen with obesity, type 2 diabetes, less commonly they are a sign of hormonal imbalance or endocrine system problem. Familial predisposition is also a risk factor.

Family history, hormonal or endocrine disorders and obesity are also considered as predisposing factors for fibroid formation. Their occurrence during pregnancy or menopause is common.

With formations such as papillomas, irritation may occur if rubbed into jewelry, clothing, other skin or when sweating. There is a potential risk of oncogenicity if they become injured or damaged.

Fibromas have no tendency to transform into malignant growths, are not contagious and are only a cosmetic defect.

Modern aesthetic dermatology is constantly developing new and more perfect methods and today has various effective ways to remove such formations.

Ways to remove fibromas and papillomas?

Although fibroids and papillomas are not painful, they can be an aesthetic problem and, if frequently irritated and inflamed, cause discomfort. In such cases, it is advisable to seek the help of a specialist dermatologist.

In order to examine benign lesions and monitor their development, the screening method of dermatoscopy is used. With the help of the dermatoscope device, the skin formations are examined in depth and, after their diagnosis, an appropriate method of their removal is selected.

Among the most used ways to remove papillomas and fibromas are:

Electrocoagulation

In this method, electrical energy is concentrated over a small area using an electrocoagulator. The high temperature reached causes coagulation (clotting, cutting off access to blood) and killing of the skin growths follows. They are permanently removed without the need for re-treatment. The procedure is accompanied by only a slight burning sensation.

Laser removal

The removal of papillomas and fibroids with laser is a completely painless modern method. Its advantage is that after the treatment with thermal energy no thermal trauma occurs and, accordingly, there is no risk of complications after the procedure.

Since the thermal effect is limited, redness and discomfort after treatment are minimal. The number of treatments is from one to several according to the type of formation and its size.

Cryotherapy

The cryotherapy method is commonly used for skin problems such as fibromas and papillomas. It uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the growth. Subsequently, it falls off on its own, without external intervention, as coagulation of the blood vessels feeding it occurs.

With medication

Papillomas can be removed with medications applied externally or internally. Drug therapy is prescribed by a specialist and consists in taking antiviral agents in order to improve the functions of the immune system. The dosage and timing of administration are individual. In more frequently traumatised and pronounced skin growths, surgical removal may be necessary.

Can it prevent fibroids and papillomas?

Like all skin growths, fibromas and papillomas occur as a result of cells being modified by external and internal factors. In order not to provoke the appearance of fibromas and papillomas, it is good to carry out regular prophylaxis.

Among the things that can be done is to prevent the weakening of immunity, especially after a severe illness.

It is also important to maintain good personal hygiene by using individual items to prevent HPV infection. One should not touch another person’s growths, and people with excessive sweating should treat it because moist skin creates conditions for HPV and therefore papillomas to develop.

Whatever growths you have on your body, only an experienced dermatologist can determine whether they are fibroids or papillomas. Although they are benign growths and usually do not need treatment, their removal may still be necessary at least from an aesthetic point of view or when there is discomfort from rubbing in the affected area.

The best time to remove fibroids and papillomas is considered to be the autumn-winter period and also early spring, especially if they are on exposed parts of the body. Removing them does not stimulate the growth of others, but as some people are predisposed to their occurrence, new ones may appear periodically, so timely removal is recommended.

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