Skin tags are pretty harmless growths on the skin and most of the times treatment is not necessary unless they cause irritation.
However, most of the doctors do not advise removing skin tags at home as it can cause various other side effects. However, these home remedies are simple and cause no side effects whatsoever.
Almost half of the adult population have moles or skin tags. I totally agree that they can be bothersome even though they have no medical complications related to them.
While there is no need to go for any treatment to remove these annoying skin tags and they may even fall on their own. A doctor may sometimes recommend a very simple medical procedure to remove those skin tags that may cause irritation or pain.
Some people may also want to remove skin tags for the sole reason that they look ugly and are visible on those areas of your bodies that are visible such as the face.
In this article, we will be going through some of the home remedies, surgical options to how to get rid of these annoying skin lesions.
Removal creams
Most of the time these removal creams to remove skin tags can be highly effective. But it is advised to avoid using those kinds of products that contain salicylic acid or tea tree oil as these ingredients can react and start irritating the skin and may result in various skin diseases such as contact dermatitis.
It is also recommended to take all the necessary precautions and first clean the skin with an alcohol wipe. Make sure that the skin fully absorbs the cream.
According to what the labels on these removal creams say, the skin tag should fall within 2-3 weeks after the procedure.
Skin tag removal bands and patches
With the help of a skin tag removal band, what it does is that it cuts off the supply of the blood to the base of the skin tag. A lack of blood flow causes the cells to die, resulting in the tag falling off. Ligation is the medical term that is used for this process.
Many of these bands simply do not work at majority of the cases. Medications are contained in the removal patches. Tags can come off after several days or weeks when a patch is left on them.
It is strongly advised to go for surgical methods to remove the skin tags if they are causing any irritation or problem.
Tea tree oil
While there is no such reliable evidence that tea tree oil removes skin tags, it is widely believed that tea tree oil which is an essential oil helps in treating majority of the skin conditions.
Apply a few drops of the tea tree oil to a small cotton ball and apply that cotton ball to your skin. Leave the particular cotton ball on your skin for a few minutes. Repeat the same process three times a day. It may take some time such as several days or weeks for the tag to fall off.
Nevertheless, before using tea tree oil it is essential to know your skin and whether your skin reacts to tea tree oil or not. It causes adverse side effects when used on sensitive skin. Also, you need to be precautious and avoid using this essential oil on certain tags that are located anywhere near your eye area.
Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is acidic in nature. There is no such medical research that proves that apple cider vinegar actually works in removing skin tags.
What you need to do is soak a cotton ball in the vinegar and apply it to your skin where the tag is. Repeat this process three times a day as long as it tags for the skin tag to fall away on its own.
You also need to take precautions as because of its acidic nature it may cause skin burns and chemical irritation. Avoid using it anywhere near the eye area as it is a sensitive area and may result in even many adverse side effects.
Iodine
According to anecdotal reports, people can remove skin tags with the help of liquid iodine. Despite this, there is little scientific evidence to support this theory.
Protect the skin around the tag with petroleum jelly or any other safe moisturizer or coconut oil before attempting to remove it. Use an iodine-soaked Q-tip to apply the fluid to the tag. Place a bandage over the affected area to keep it moist until the iodine has dried.
Repeat this process once a day until the tag falls off on its own.
Freezing kits
Liquid nitrogen is used by medical professionals to tear down unwanted skin tissue in clinical settings. Cryotherapy is a term used to describe this type of treatment.
Cryotherapy can involve freezing temperatures as low as -320.8°F (-195°C). Temperatures of 4°F to 58°F are required for benign lesions such as skin tags.
It is always advised to follow the instructions that are provided on the label. You may also need to apply the product numerous times to see the final and the desired results.
Keep the spray away from your skin when using home freezing kits. The skin can be protected by applying petroleum jelly to the area around the tag before removing it.
Cutting or Clipping
In some cases, it may be tempting to cut or clip the skin tag off with a sharp blade. To avoid any type of infection, only do this with the permission of a healthcare professional and wash your hands and the tool well before using.
Even though this process may provide immediate results, it is indeed painful. People who have bleeding disorders should not try this method to remove skin tags at home.
Don’t cut off medium-sized tags either, as this can cause bleeding. As a rule of thumb, tags range in width from a few millimeters to two inches.
You should try to also avoid using it to remove eye or genital tattoos.
Attempting to remove a mole or skin tag at home can lead to a serious infection, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Another risk is accidentally cutting a blood vessel or vein, resulting in severe bleeding. That is why it is always advised to seek the help of a healthcare professional before doing anything at home that may cause you harm.
When are home methods not appropriate?
It is advised not to try any home removal techniques on skin tags that are supposed:
- Located in the eye area
- Located anywhere around your genitals
- Skin tags that are too big in size
- Painful, excessively bleeding or causing irritation
You need to urgently seek medical treatments in the following cases:
1: Excision
A scalpel or surgical blade scissors can be used to effectively remove skin tags with a stalk or stem, widely recognized as pedunculated skin tags. Because these scissors are much sharper than the ones you have at home, they are also sterile. Prior to removal, the healthcare provider may apply a chemical compound to reduce bleeding.
2: Cryotherapy (freezing)
This process involves actually freezing the skin tag with the help of liquid nitrogen which results in falling off. Usually within a period of 10 days. You may feel a burning sensation as a side effect of liquid nitrogen.
3: Cauterization
A current of electricity is used to cauterize or electro cauterize the skin tag at its very base. As a result, the skin tag is removed and the wound is sealed to prevent any kind of infection and bleeding.
4: Litigation
One way to do this is to tie a surgical thread around the tag so that it can’t recieve any type of blood flow, causing it to fall off on itself.
When It Is Advisable To See a Doctor?
Healthcare professionals always advise that t is better to seek consultation from a dermatologist before trying to make any attempts to remove skin tags yourself.
Most tags should be removed by an experienced medical professional, especially when they’re large, painful, or located in a sensitive area of the body.
If a skin tag or mole changes, seek immediate medical attention. This can sometimes indicate and be a sign of skin cancer.
Conclusion
Skin tags are harmless.
It does not cause or indicate the growth of any type of problem.
So, seeking medical health as long as it does not cause any irritation is not necessary.
In most cases, skin tags do not require medical attention. Once a doctor verifies that perhaps the growth is benign, there is generally no need to take any further action on it.
Even though in many cases it is not advisable, some people use a home removal remedy for small skin tags that are not located in sensitive areas. For removal in a medical setting, it’s best to consult with a healthcare provider.
Any skin tag that changes or starts to cause problems, such as pain and bleeding should be evaluated by a physician.
