Skin Tags, Should I be Worried?

Author: James Moore | July 28th, 2017

Skin tags are small, soft, wart like growths that are the same color as your skin. They are very common and are harmless. Skin tags can be found on the neck, armpits, eyelids, buttocks, breasts or around the groin.

Both men and women can develop skin tags and tend to occur in older people, pregnant women, overweight people or people who have type 2 diabetes. However, some people develop them for no reason at all too. 

Skin tags are small, soft, wart like growths that are the same color as your skin. They are very common and are harmless. Skin tags can be found on the neck, armpits, eyelids, buttocks, breasts or around the groin.

Both men and women can develop skin tags and tend to occur in older people, pregnant women, overweight people or people who have type 2 diabetes. However, some people develop them for no reason at all too. 

Skin tags don’t appear to be caused by a virus or an infection. There isn’t enough evidence to suggest that skin tags can be passed on person to person and some people get skin tags confused with warts and STDs too. So rest assured, you don’t have to stay away from someone with a skin tag! 

We don’t know for certain why we develop skin tags but we do know some factors that might make them occur. Skin tags are really common in people who are older than 50. They are also most commonly caused by friction so when your skin rubs against something it creates friction and the constant rubbing is what causes a skin tag to form. This is why you’ll tend to find skin tags on places like the armpit or buttocks. About one in four people will grow skin tags at some point.

Can Skin tabs be Cancerous?

Skin tags are nothing more than small folds of skin that don’t look very nice. They aren’t cancerous at all! They can grow in some size though and this is why people tend to worry.

How long does it take for tree oil to remove skin tags?

It does work but can lead to irritation. You can see signs of improvement from 3-6 weeks so it's a lengthy process.

Do skin tags need to be sent for biopsy?

Most small skin tags might be removed without the need for a biopsy. However, there are some larger growths that might need to be removed and sent for examination just o be on the safe side. Sometimes skin tags can look like benign lesions like common moles and neurofibromas.

My skin tag has turned black

A thrombosed or clotted skin tag may suddenly change colors and  become purple or black  These skin tags will fall off on their own in three to ten days. Sometimes your GP might recommend you to try cut the blood flow off yourself using dental floss.

How do you get rid of a skin tag?

There are a lot of home remedies you can try to get rid of skin tags but I personally recommend visiting a professional likeSnowberry Lane.

Tea Tree Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar, Onion Juice, Baking Soda and Castor Oil, Pineapple Juice, Garlic, Nail Polish, Aloe Vera, Lemon Juice, Banana Peel and even Duct tape are all ways of removing your skin tag.

However, you might find better luck in looking for some specialist products that freeze skin tags. This is especially better for larger skin tags.

When removing larger skin tags you should take into consideration that there is more to remove so they might take longer to work. Many people expect these treatments to work instantly but that’s an unrealistic expectation really. 

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