Skin tags are small outgrowths that form where the skin rubs against itself, like the pits, groin area, and neck. They can irritate you and get caught on clothing or seatbelts.
There are many ways to remove a skin tag, but the safest and most effective method is at a dermatologist’s office. Contact Copper Mountain Surgical now!
Skin tags are typically harmless but can become a nuisance when they snag on jewelry or clothing. They can also be painful if they cause friction or become infected. Fortunately, several ways exist to remove them safely and quickly at home. Some of these methods involve drying out the growth until it shrinks and eventually falls off. Others involve burning, freezing or cutting off the skin tag. Although these treatments can be effective, they should never be used on the eyelid or around the face as they could cause severe scarring.
The most common DIY skin tag removal method involves using apple cider vinegar. The home remedies generally require soaking a cotton ball in the substance and affixing it to the skin tag with a bandage. The treatment is typically repeated a few times a day until the skin tag begins to darken or drops off. This is one of the safest home treatments for skin tag removal, but it may take weeks or months to see results.
Other homemade treatments include garlic, tea tree oil and wart remover. Some of these methods have little or no scientific support and can introduce unnecessary risks to skin health. For example, applying crushed garlic to skin tags can lead to burns and inflammation. Similarly, tying off skin tags using dental floss or thread (a process called ligation) can cut off blood flow and lead to the death of the lesion.
Another risk of home remedies for skin tag removal is that they can misdiagnose a mole or other abnormality as a skin condition. While this is rare, the condition should always be evaluated by a physician or dermatologist to rule out the presence of melanoma or other serious conditions.
Despite the wide availability of DIY skin tag removal treatments, these methods are not recommended by dermatologists. Most of these remedies are messy, ineffective and can potentially damage the skin or introduce infection. They also can be dangerous if used in sensitive areas such as the eyelid or the area around the neck. Instead, a dermatologist can offer a variety of safe, professional treatments to remove skin tags quickly and effectively.
Over-the-counter (OTC) treatments
There are some over-the-counter products that claim to remove skin tags, but these treatments aren’t well supported by scientific evidence. These OTC products usually involve rubbing, tying off or applying some kind of cream or solution to the area. While these remedies may help the tags shrink and fall off, they can also cause skin damage.
Skin tags are soft, noncancerous growths that grow in areas of friction or irritation on your body, such as the armpits, neck, eyelids or groin area. They are typically small and made of loose collagen fibers, fat cells and blood vessels. They can be any color and have a thin cylinder-like structure that connects them to the surrounding skin. They are most common in older adults and people who are overweight. They are also more common among those with diabetes, high cholesterol and insulin resistance.
The main ingredient in OTC skin tag removal creams is salicylic acid (SA), a chemical used to treat warts and other benign lesions. It may irritate skin and cause redness, itching or contact dermatitis. Some people may experience an allergic reaction to SA. Other ingredients found in some OTC skin tag removal products are apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil and vitamin E. Apple cider vinegar is acidic and can cause skin damage or chemical burns if you apply it to the skin. Tea tree oil can also irritate the skin and trigger a skin allergy. Vitamin E aids the health of your skin, but there is no evidence that it removes or reduces the appearance of skin tags.
If you have a large or painful skin tag, you should seek professional removal in a healthcare setting. A medical provider can use methods like excision, ligation or cryosurgery to remove your skin tags. The provider will also send the skin tag for testing to ensure that it’s not a malignant growth, such as a cancerous mole or neurofibroma. A healthcare professional may also recommend that you get regular checkups if you have a lot of skin tags, because these growths are more likely to change or develop into a cancerous mole or melanoma.
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is a safe, effective way of getting rid of skin tags. It uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the skin tag. The skin tag will then scab over and drop off within a few weeks. The procedure is quick and doesn’t require anaesthetic. There may be some stinging after the procedure, but it won’t last long. The area may also be red and swollen for a short time after the procedure, but it won’t leave a scar.
A skin tag (acrochordon) is a small, flesh-coloured or brown overgrowth of skin that can be found on the neck, armpits, groin and breasts. They are usually harmless, but they can become a nuisance when they hang off the skin and rub against clothing or other surfaces. There are several treatment methods for removing skin tags, but cryotherapy is usually the most effective option. Cryotherapy is also a good choice for removing moles, which are also considered a type of skin lesion.
The Pixie skin tag removal device is a pen-shaped medical device with a pressurized container of liquified nitrogen on the dispensing side and a reticulated foam nib on the application side that’s flat and flexible. The nitrogen induces temperatures of up to -50 degC on the application surface.
After a few seconds of contact, the skin tag is seized firmly with the cold forceps for 10 to 20 seconds. Then the forceps are dipped back in the nitrogen to cool off before continuing the process for up to 3 freeze-thaw cycles per skin tag. Multiple skin tags can be treated in a session depending on the patient’s tolerability of the procedure and the number of skin tags being removed.
In a clinical study of the Pixie skin tag removal device, the device was compared to Wortie, another medical device that uses nitric oxide and Liquid Nitrogen for the same purpose. The results indicated that the Pixie was more efficient than Wortie in removing skin tags. Throughout the investigation, the subjects kept a diary and self-assessed the devices’ efficacy. The majority of the study participants rated the Pixie as efficient.
Snipping
A skin tag is a small flap of flesh-colored tissue that hangs from your body by a thin stalk. They tend to develop where the skin rubs against itself or in folds, such as your neck, armpits, eyelids, and groin. People of all ages and body types can get them, but they’re more common in overweight people and those who have diabetes or are pregnant. Normally, they’re painless and harmless, but you may want to remove them if they become irritated or get caught on clothing, jewelry, or zippers.
While some people try to cut or tie their skin tags off at home, this is not a good idea and should only be done by a medical professional in a sterile environment. This method is risky because it can lead to bleeding and infection. In addition, it’s possible that you could mistakenly snip off a mole or other benign growth instead of a skin tag.
There are a number of methods that your doctor can use to remove skin tags, including snipping, freezing, and burning. For snipping, your doctor will numb the area and then use specialized scissors to cut off the skin tag. This is a quick and effective procedure, but it’s important that you choose a qualified dermatologist to perform this treatment.
Another option is to freeze the skin tag, which works by sending an electric current through the tissue to dry out it and cause it to fall off. This procedure is usually done by a dermatologist and takes about 10-14 days to take effect. Lastly, your doctor can also burn the skin tag using a specialized electrode. This is a painful process that can leave scars, so it’s best left to professionals.
In addition to removing skin tags, doctors can also treat warts and other growths with these same removal techniques. However, warts and moles should be evaluated by a doctor before being removed at home because they can indicate more serious conditions like diabetes or cancer. To learn more about skin tag removal, speak to a doctor or contact Healthdirect on 1800 022 222 for advice from a registered nurse.