What causes skin tags? How to remove them gently

Skin tags are noncancerous, soft growths, that usually form within the skin folds of the armpits, neck, eyelids, breasts, and groin area. These growths are nothing to worry about, as they are loose collagen fibres that become lodged inside thicker areas of the skin.

Moreover, skin tags are extremely common and affect a wide population. They are more common among older adults, people with diabetes, and people who are overweight. Skin tags usually develop when the skin rubs together, and there is no medical need to remove the same.

While these lesions are usually harmless, however, they can be painful when snagged by clothing or jewellery. If one finds these tags bothersome, relief is available in the form of medical as well as home remedies.

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Home remedies and over-the-counter treatments to remove skin tags gently

Skin tags usually don’t require a visit to the doctor and can be removed gently at home using home-made remedies. Most home remedies suggest drying out the tags, following which, they shrink in size and fall off.

However, it is important to remember that home remedies take time as compared to surgical procedures. Hence, one mustn’t take a shortcut by cutting off the skin tag themselves, as cutting the tags often results in bleeding and infection.

1) Tea Tree Oil: Tea tree oil has antifungal and antiviral properties, hence it is safe to use on the skin when diluted with a carrier oil. One must wash the affected area and swab the oil over the tag using a cotton swab or Q-tip. Place a bandage over the area overnight and repeat the process until the tag dries out and falls off.

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2) Banana Peel: Instead of tossing away the banana peels after eating the fruit, one can use them to dry the skin tag, as banana peels have antioxidant properties. Simply place the peel over the tag and cover it using a bandage.

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3) Apple cider vinegar: Soak a cotton swab in apple cider vinegar and place the swab on the skin tag. Wrap the same in a bandage for 15-30 minutes and wash the skin. The acidity of apple cider vinegar helps break down the tissue surrounding the skin tag, eventually causing it to fall off.

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4) Vitamin E: Ageing is one of the factors behind skin tags, and as vitamin E is an antioxidant that combats wrinkles, applying liquid vitamin E over the skin tag can cause it to vanish in a couple of days.

Over-the-counter treatments for gently removing skin tags include freezing kits that use cryotherapy to destroy unwanted tags on the skin. OTC wart removal kits that reach the lowest temperature of −4°F to −58°F are ideal to destroy skin tags.

Products like Dr. Scholl’s® Freeze Away® Skin Tag Remover ($22.99) use FDA-cleared technology to remove tags off the skin in the privacy of one’s own home. It is an easy-to-use 5-step product claiming that the tags will fall off the skin within two weeks of use. However, OTC treatments for skin tag removal must be used safely as they can cause contact dermatitis and irritation in some cases.

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It is important to know that skin conditions like moles and warts can resemble these tags. Since certain moles can be cancerous, it is ideal to have tags examined by a medical professional before they are removed.