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Before considering removing your skin tags by yourself, it is advised to first speak to your doctor or a dermatologist. This is because, if not carefully done, they can bleed heavily, become infected and create unpleasant results if not carried out in a sterilized environment. Your doctor might convince you not to touch them because they are benign. If you insist on getting rid of them, he might first recommend over-the-counter products and home remedies before considering surgery, cryosurgery or cauterization.
Do Skin Tags come off on their own?
There are few cases of skin tags coming off on their own without any external intervention or remedies, but the chances of that happening are very minimal. Because skin tags are tiny growth that is supplied by tiny blood vessels, if this blood vessels degenerate or are occluded, the tags lose their nutrient and fall off.
HPV (Human Papillomavirus) is one of the causes of warts and skin tags. There are different strains and serotypes of HPV, and almost every person on earth is infected with a strain. Treating HPV can cause the skin tags to disappear and prevent them from reoccurring.
What are skin tags?
Skin tags, also known as acrochordon, fibroepithelial polyp, soft fibroma, and cutaneous papilloma are soft, tiny, painless, harmless growth that is formed within the crease of your neck, armpit, inner thigh, the base of the neck, buttock folds, under the breast and on the eyelid. How they are exactly formed is unknown. Few studies have shown a connection with infections such as HPV and also hormonal changes as seen in pregnant women.
Skin tags might be easily mistaken for a wart. Warts can occur on any area of the body, they are usually raised or flat, rough and irregular, and most importantly, highly contagious.
What is the best product to remove skin tags?
There are many skin care brands, over-the-counter drugs and home remedies that have been proven to rid of skin tags. But, there is no guarantee that it will work for all individuals or better still, prevent them from reappearing.
Examples of home remedies that have shown success includes,
- Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps to prevent wrinkling and keep the skin healthy and young. By simply applying the oil form on the skin overnight for a couple of days can cause your tag to disappear.
- Garlic: Beside the strong smell which can be repugnant to most people, garlic is another home staple that can be used to skin tags due to its anti-aging, antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties. Apply the juice of a crushed garlic over the tag and leave over-night. Rinse off in the morning and repeat until the tag comes off.
- Banana peel: Surprisingly, the peel of banana can also be to dry out a skin tag. Cover the tag with a banana peel, leave it overnight. Repeat every night until you see a result.
- Apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is a popular vinegar in the health community with a strong biological property. The acetic acid found in vinegar helps to break down the collagen tissue around the skin tag. Place a cotton swab soaked in vinegar over the surface of the skin tag, leave for a few minutes, and then wash the skin. Repeat this procedure for a few more weeks until it falls off.
- Oregano oil: Made from leaves and flowers of oregano, it is well known for its antimicrobial, antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. Apply the oil to the tags every day until it comes off. It is safe with no side effects.
Over-the-counter products include TagBand and SkinProv. TagBand is a skin tag removal device that works by applying a small band tight to the shoot of the skin tag, significantly cutting off its blood supply. By cutting off the blood supply, the skin tag will die, leaving a little spot. It comes in different sizes depending on the size of your skin tag. SkinProv is another skincare brand that has proven to be successful in curing skin tags. They are applied topically over the tag until it falls off. They are also used to treat skin moles
Will my skin Tags grow back?
Because skin tags occur in areas of the body with constant friction and skin rub, one way of preventing this is by avoiding tight fitted dresses. Tight fittings generate friction between the cloth and your body, causing the tags to spur out.
Studies have also shown that skin tags may offer an external sign to an underlying medical condition. Such conditions include insulin resistance, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, obesity acanthosis nigricans, and diabetes. Unless these diseases are treated, your tags may keep returning.
How will my doctor remove skin tags?
Skin tags are harmless growth on the skin, but if they give you so much concern due to their location on your bodies such as the face or neck, you might need to see a doctor or dermatologist, who will help you get rid of them.
For very small skin tag, your doctor will use a shrapnel under a sterilize environment to remove them. For larger ones with blood vessels in them, he might use cryosurgery, a procedure that uses extreme cold from nitrogen to freeze the cells. Another procedure your doctor might recommend is cauterization. This uses heat to burn off the tissue without any damage to the skin itself. These procedures are totally safe without any side effects.
There is no guarantee that your skin tags will not grow back after it is being removed by your doctor. But there is an assurance that they will not become infected and create even bigger problems for you in the future.
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References
How Long Does It Take for a Skin Tag to Fall Off? – Skintagsgone.com. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.skintagsgone.com/how-long-for-skin-tag-to-fall-off/
Leonard, J. (2018). 8 Home Remedies To Remove Skin Tags That Really Work. Retrieved from http://www.naturallivingideas.com/home-remedies-to-remove-skin-tags/
Skin Tag Removal: Home Remedies, OTC Options, and More. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/skin-tag-removal
Skin tags. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/skin-tags/
