How to get rid of Skin Tag

How To Get Rid of Skin Tags

Blog, Skin Treatments

Skin tags are small skin-coloured growths that often appear around the armpits, groin, neck, breasts, buttocks, and eyelids. They are like soft, smooth, and stretchy warts, and they can be just as irritating and unsightly.

It has been estimated that as many as 60% of adults will have at least 1 skin tag during their lifetime. If you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance you’re in that demographic and want to know how to get rid of skin tags.

We’ll show you how to do just that in the following guide. We’ll also tell you:

What causes skin tags.
How to remove skin tags safely.
How to prevent skin tags.
Why you have skin tags on your neck.

And more…

How To Remove Skin Tags

At Pulse Light Clinic, we specialise in skin tag removal and have dealt with many of these growths in the past. If you have skin tags that you want to get rid of, call our Liverpool St. Clinic and book a free appointment.

It’s important to seek help from a specialist when you need your skin tags removed. It might feel like you can just cut or clip them like a stubborn toenail, but that wouldn’t be a wise move.

Our specialist practitioners will safely remove your skin tags using advanced electrolysis techniques. A test patch is not required and there is very little downtime, so you can pop in, get the treatment, and then leave without those pesky tags clinging to your skin.

Attempting to remove skin tags yourself could lead to bleeding, scarring, and even infection.

As is usually the case, there are some “home remedies” available online, but they are either dangerous, ineffective, or both.

What Are Skin Tags?

Let’s get technical for a moment.

The medical name for skin tags is “acrochordons”. It comes from the Greek words “acro” meaning “summit” (as in “acropolis”, which is literally a city on the summit) and “chordon” meaning “string”.

Your dermatologist may also refer to your skin tag as a cutaneous papilloma or a fibroepithelial polyp.

These non-cancerous growths are usually between 2 and 5mm in diameter, but they can be much bigger.

Some skin tags fall off naturally (usually as a result of damaged tissue cutting off the blood supply), but others are stubborn and will remain until they are removed by a specialist.

What Causes Skin Tags?

Skin tags appear as a result of extra cell growth in the top layer of the skin. Chafing is thought to be the primary cause of this cell growth. The reason they are more common under the armpits, near the groin, and in folds of skin is that the skin is more likely to rub against itself in these areas.

If you’re carrying a few extra pounds, you’re more likely to notice skin tags. If you play sports, you may notice them underneath your armpits or the tops of your thighs, as these areas can chafe when you run or move your arms a lot.

It’s not just skin, either. Your clothes and jewellery can also rub against your skin and cause skin tags.

It should be noted that skin tags are benign and generally not indicative of any serious underlying condition.

If you find that you are getting more of them than you have in the past, it could be the result of a lifestyle change or weight gain. Skin tags are also more common in older individuals so that age could be the cause.

Skin Tags on the Neck

Skin tags around the neck can be caused by necklaces, scarves, and shirt collars. If you have something that constantly rubs your neck and aggravates your skin, it might leave its mark after a while.

To avoid any further issues, remove your jewellery and wear collar-less shirts until you’ve had your skin tag removed. Chains from necklaces can cut and irritate growth.

Skin Tag Removal

If you type “how to get rid of skin tags” into Google, “how to get rid of skin tags on eyelids” is the top result. It’s not necessarily the most common area for these growths to appear, but it’s clearly the one that most people are concerned about.

You can dismiss a skin tag near your groin or on your arm. If you can’t feel it or see it, it’s not really a problem. But it’s hard to be dismissive when that growth is on your eyelid and sending you a reminder every time you rub your eyes, look at yourself in the mirror, and even blink.

Fortunately, a specialist can remove that eyelid skin tag just as easily as a skin tag on your neck or in your armpits. It’s a quick and safe procedure that removes the growth and frees you from the frustration it has caused.

So, put the nail clippers down, close all those questionable home remedy tabs you found after Googling “how to get rid of skin tags”, and contact the expert practitioners at Pulse Light Clinic Liverpool St. today.

FAQs

Can you safely remove skin tags yourself?

There are methods that you can use, but none of them are 100% safe and guaranteed. Skin tag removal is a medical procedure performed by a trained professional using specialist equipment. It’s not something that you can replicate using a simple online tutorial and the tools found in your garage or kitchen.

How can I remove a skin tag quickly?

To avoid any messy mistakes that might result in bleeding and infection, you should always get your skin tags removed by a professional. It’s a very brief and simple procedure, so you will be relieved of those troublesome skin tags before you know it.

Contact us today to book a free consultation and discover how we can help.

Can I cut off a skin tag with nail clippers?

It’s tempting to snip off your skin tags with nail clippers, but it’s not advisable. Skin tags might feel soft, pliable, and relatively resilient, but they can bleed more than you might realise and they can also cause irritation. If you’re removing them because they are rubbing against your clothes/skin and causing irritation, you might find that it only exacerbates the issue.

What are skin tags made of?

Skin tags are composed of collagen fibres (a type of protein), blood vessels, and skin.

Can skin tags be a sign of something serious?

In very rare cases, the development of multiple skin tags could be a sign of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or a condition known as acromegaly, but they are far from the only symptom of these conditions.

Furthermore, as noted in the above guide, skin tags will appear in more than half of all adults during their lifetime, whereas these conditions only present in a fraction of the population.

If you’re concerned about the recent appearance of multiple skin tags, contact your doctor.

What kills a skin tag?

Extreme cold can be used to “kill” a skin tag, which is why some treatments use liquid nitrogen to freeze the growth. However, we use advanced electrolysis, as we believe it is the simplest, fastest, and safest method. It works by using a small electric probe to cauterise the skin tag.

It destroys the growth and creates minimal discomfort.