Irritating and unsightly, skin tags can be a real nuisance. But here’s the thing – if you have skin tags that are causing you distress, you don’t have to live with them! There are a variety of methods that qualified medical professionals employ to remove these growths. Before delving into the remedies, it is important to understand exactly what skin tags are and what causes them.
What is a skin tag?
While most of us know these small pieces of soft, hanging skin as skin tags, they are also known by many other names including acrochordon, cutaneous papilloma, cutaneous tag, fibroepithelial polyp, fibroma molluscum, fibroma pendulum, papilloma collis, soft fibroma, and Templeton skin tags. They are connected to the skin by a small, thin stalk called a peduncle, occur in both men and women, and often develop in mid-life.
Skin tags are not cancerous, are harmless, and typically painless, but if you have them, you know how annoying they can be. If the appearance upsets you or if they are in a location on your body that causes snagging or rubbing on jewelry or clothing, you should consider having them removed.
What causes skin tags and how can you decrease your likelihood of developing them?
It’s not clear what causes skin tags, but medical professionals believe that they occur when clusters of collagen or blood vessels become trapped inside thicker pieces of skin. We do know that they typically appear in locations on your body where there are skin folds, such as the neck, armpits, under breasts, or groin. Because of this, they tend to affect overweight people who have excess skin folds, which cause chafing. Other risk factors for developing skin tags are heredity and type 2 diabetes. Pregnant women are also more likely to develop them because of hormone changes.
While you may not be able to prevent skin tags from forming, the good news is, there are simple, healthy things you can do to decrease your likelihood of developing them, including maintaining a healthy weight and eating a balanced diet to keep your blood sugar low. To minimize friction on your skin, avoid tight-fitting clothes and jewelry which rub against your skin. Friction-reducing powders or powder deodorants may also minimize the skin irritation that can cause them to grow under your arms.
Skin tag removal
You don’t have to live with troublesome skin tags! Medical professionals employ a variety of methods to remove these benign growths including:
· Cryotherapy – freezing the skin tag with liquid nitrogen
· Surgical Removal – removing the skin tag with scissors or a scalpel
· Electrosurgery – burning off the skin tag using high-frequency electrical energy
· Ligation – removing the skin tag by tying it off with thread to cut off the blood flow
All of these procedures can result in very minor, temporary skin irritation, but there is no downtime.
Ready to say goodbye to bothersome skin tags?
Staffed by highly-trained nurses, Alazzo Med Spa in Frederick, MD can help you regain the smooth skin you desire. We offer a variety of medical-grade skin care treatments to address your concerns, including skin tag removal. Although health insurance doesn’t cover skin tag removal, Alazzo accepts CareCredit, a credit card that provides no-interest financing options for out-of-pocket medical and cosmetic procedures. Contact us today for a free consultation!