Skin Tags

Acrochordons are small, brown, white/clear or flesh-colored skin growths. They usually narrow at their base. Skin tags are small flaps of skin in varying sizes and do not cause pain unless they become twisted, are constantly touched by clothing, irritated, or inflamed. They are more likely to grow on skin surfaces that are hot, moist, or rubbed frequently.

The most common places to find skin tags are around the neck, under the arms, under the breasts, in groin creases, and on the inside of the upper thigh area. It is unknown why skin tags form.

Home Remedies for Skin Tags:

Extraction:

Lidocaine is injected into the area of the skin-tag in order to numb it. The procedure is very painful, and the skin tag is removed by cutting out the area, which usually leaves a scar. If the doctor feels the need, a biopsy is performed on the skin tag to check for cancer.

Suture:

A suture is wrapped around the skin tag in order to cut off the blood supply. In about two weeks, the skin tag will fall off on its own. Unfortunately, with this procedure the root of the skin tag remains, giving it an opportunity to grow back or leave a raised bump in its place. The procedure can also be quite painful.

Electro-cauterization:

With this procedure, a heated electric wire is applied to the skin tag in order to destroy it.

Cryosurgery:

This procedure requires freezing the skin-tag with liquid nitrogen; however, it will require several visits to the doctor’s office. In order to freeze the growth and destroy its tissue, liquid nitrogen is applied directly to the skin-tag. This procedure is far from painless, and in some cases, the patient must be given an injection of Lidocaine for numbing before the procedure starts. Sometimes the numbing hurts just as badly as the freezing, and this procedure often leaves scarring.

Black Salve:

Black salve is a compound comprised of herbs including red clover, graviola, burdock root, chaparral, bloodroot, and zinc mineral salts. Apply the cream to the skin-tag. It should be gone with only one or two applications.

Dermisil W:

Dermasil is a topical medication made of natural plant extracts. In order to use it to remove skin-tags, wash the affected area for several minutes with soap and water and dry thoroughly. Apply Dermasil W with a clean cotton ball or a q-tip. Dermisil may burn a little when you put it on, but that’s normal. Repeat procedure three or more times a day until the skin-tag is destroyed. At night, tape a cotton ball that has been soaked in the liquid to the area. The skin-tag should start to dry up and flake away in about two to six weeks. Continue to follow the treatment plan until the skin-tag is completely gone, and be careful not to miss any treatments as this could prolong the length of time required to get rid of the skin-tag.