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Papules symptoms, causes and treatment
Papules or nodules are skin rashes in which the skins or mucous membranes thicken like nodules. Papules are small, each measuring less than 5 mm. These are not independent diseases, but a symptom of various diseases.
contents
- Papules: definition and appearance
- Individually or in groups
- Diagnosis of papules
- Causes of skin nodules
- Basic diseases with Papelbildung
- treatment
- prevention
- Are papules dangerous?
Papules: definition and appearance
Depending on where the papules occur, physicians distinguish between three types of nodules:
Epidermal papules occur in the horny cell layer, the spiny cell layer or the epidermis. Typical nodules of this type are, for example, warts.
Cutaneous papules form in the dermis, they are a classic symptom of syphilis. Epidermal cutaneous papules appear in the dermis and epidermis.
The term "papules" describes small skin nodules. These can occur in very different variants. (Image: snesivan / fotolia.com) Many papules are just a nuisance. They look ugly, but spontaneously emerge and reemerge just as quickly without scarring. Papules are flat-oval, hemispherical or pointed-conical. They can be soft or firm.
Individually or in groups
There are both single papules as well as multiple nodules. This initial diagnosis can be made by the doctor with papules on the epidermis at a glance - it looks different with thickening in the deeper skin layers.
Multiple papules are mainly a partial symptom of a disease, for example in infections but also in response to medication.
Diagnosis of papules
To make an accurate diagnosis, the doctor examines the size, number and distribution of the nodules: Do they occur individually or are they many? If they concentrate in a certain place, they form nets?
Then follows the assignment to the functions that could cause the papules: Sitting the papules on sweat and sebaceous glands? Form in places covered by clothing?
Also important is the spatial allocation: Is the inguinal membrane affected? Or the face, the ear, the nose?
The form of the individual nodules also provides information about the underlying disease: Is it variable? With sharp edge? Blurred? jagged?
Which color do the papules have? Skin color, mat red, light red, blood red? Purple or bluish? What temperature do the nodules have: normal body temperature, over or under temperature? What consistency do you have??
As part of the diagnosis, skin lesions are closely examined and e.g. possible underlying diseases asked. (Image: ArTo / fotolia.com) Which symptoms show up on the papules? Are they painless, is it an itchy rash, or are the nodules even itching? Are they burning? Do they hurt otherwise? There are other symptoms, such as fever, nausea, fatigue?
The patient suffers from underlying diseases such as a metabolic disorder, weakness of the immune system or malignant tumors?
Are the papules static, do they pass by themselves or do they always come up again? Are there external triggers such as heat, cold, pressure or UV light? Are there any internal triggers such as bacteria, fungi, viruses or allergies?
Causes of skin nodules
In general, papules can form in the most diverse parts of the body when cells in the skin multiply in an uncontrolled manner, thus enlarging the corresponding skin tissue.
This is because the cells of the cornea also multiply, and we see them on the surface of the skin. One cause of these cell formations are skin diseases that cause eczema. A rare disease called "lichen planus" is characterized by papules, as well as the so-called Nävuszellnävus, a skin change of infants.
Basic diseases with Papelbildung
1.) Dermatitis
Papules are usually caused by skin inflammation, which in turn usually form in response to external substances.
Common triggers are rubber and latex, make-up, soaps, shampoos and gels, chemicals in clothing, toxins in plants, metals in body jewelry such as silver or nickel.
One possible cause of papules and blisters on the skin are chickenpox. The highly contagious infectious disease affects mainly children. (Image: Miroslav Beneda / fotolia.com) 2.) Chickenpox
Chickenpox is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, is highly contagious and manifests itself as a very itchy rash on the whole body. They are easily transmitted through body contact and saliva, including coughing or sneezing.
Pregnant women are at particular risk, as chicken pox can damage the fetus of the mother, for example, by making the child deaf and dumb.
3.) candidiasis
Candidiasis (also Candidosis or candidosis) is not a virus but a fungal disease. Most commonly, such a fungal infection in humans is triggered by the fungus Candida albicans.
4.) psoriasis refers to a skin condition in which the skin becomes red, flakes and also forms papules.
5.) Shingles is an infection with the herpes zoster virus, which shows up as a rash with Papelbildung. The painful area of the skin develops papules, which, however, turn into bubbles that are filled with fluid and stand together in small groups. Most of the trunk, arms, legs or neck are affected, as can the rash on the face occur.
6.) Insect bites are not a disease, but also lead to papules. Also normal reactions of the body show up as itching, pain and burning. It forms wheals, and the nodules are pinhead to lentil-sized.
Insect bites can also lead to small, itchy nodules and wheals on the skin. (Image: Jürgen Fälchle / fotolia.com) treatment
If there is a basic disease, the doctor fights above all these. Responsible is the dermatologist. In addition to medication, surgical intervention is often necessary, firstly for aesthetic reasons, but secondly to determine whether the papules indicate a tumor.
If it is small papules on invisible parts of the body, waiting is the best motto. Often they disappear by themselves.
However, as they multiply and cover larger areas of the body, those affected should consider surgery, as well as when individual papules enlarge and become inflamed.
prevention
At some point, every person in his life has papules somewhere on his body. That can not really be prevented. If nodules have already formed, those affected can at least control them.
Avoid pressure on the papules as well as friction or intense sunlight.
However, if the lesions indicate an underlying condition, patients should approach them.
If allergies are the trigger for the skin problems, it is advisable to abstain from the substances that trigger the allergy.
You should clean the skin surface on and around the papules regularly. Often, the papule then dissolves, but sometimes it develops into an eczema or becomes inflamed.
Under no circumstances should you try to express the nodules. It is not a pimple, or a pustule with pus. Do not rub the skin while washing.
If you do not know the cause of the papules, avoid body sprays, shampoos, etc. where you are not sure if your skin tolerates them.
Expose affected areas as often as possible to fresh air.
Are papules dangerous?
The cause of papules can be dangerous: Cancer or syphilis can cause serious and life-threatening changes. However, the lesions themselves are almost always harmless. (Dr. Utz Anhalt)
Specialist supervision: Barbara Schindewolf-Lensch (doctor)
Literature:
P. Altmeyer: Dermatological Differential Diagnosis. Heidelberg 2007.