So have you been looking for some effective ways to help get rid of your skin tags? Do you find yourself frustrated and embarrassed by these overgrowths? Would you like to learn some effective home remedies that you can use to help get rid of these tags? If yes, pay close attention here.
Skin tags or achrocordon (as they are called clinically) are small overgrowths of the skin that are completely harmless. They usually vary from 2mm to 1cm in length.
The main cause of these tags is believed to be friction caused when clothing or other layers of the skin rub against each other. About 46% of the global population suffers from these tags at any point during their lifetime.
Skin tags come in various shapes, sizes and types. They can be classified based on the locations they appear in. They are mainly known to occur in areas of the skin where there are creases and folds. They can also occur in areas where the clothing comes in close contact with the skin thereby causing friction.
Skin tags may appear in locations such as:
- Armpits
- Eyelids
- Neck
- Vaginal tags
- Penile tags
- Groin tags
Depending on the individual’s body type, there are other areas where skin tags may occur too. Obese individuals have more creases in areas such as their abdomen, face and so on. And therefore, they are likely to suffer from skin tags in such locations as well.
Since most of these tags are harmless, treatment is not required. However, if you find that these overgrowths are affecting the quality of your life, you can try some simple home remedies out to see if they work for you.
These home remedies will take time to produce results (a week or two). However, the cure is lasting.
With that said, here are some of the best home remedies for skin tags…
1. Use of nail polish
Nail polish can be used to remove certain types of skin tags although the method could be painful for some individuals. Look at your skin tag and closely observe the extra skin on the top.
Use a nail clipper to cut out the extra skin. This could be painful but when done in the right way, the overgrowth will come off quickly without causing much pain.
There are chances of you bleeding when you do this. But don’t worry about that. It’ll stop in a while.
On the area where the overgrowth was present, apply some nail polish. Let the area dry for a day. After a day or two, wiggle it and pull out the skin. It will come out very quickly.
The overgrowth will be replaced by a red spot or a pigmented spot for a couple of days. But it’ll vanish in a couple of days if you apply a soothing gel such as Neosporin.
2. Liquid Nitrogen Kits
There are so many home based liquid nitrogen kits that you can use to help get rid of these skin tags. Cryosurgery is a form of surgery where liquid nitrogen is used to help remove skin tags. While cryosurgery is quite effective, it can be expensive. That’s where these home based kits come in handy.
Liquid nitrogen kits can be used to freeze the tags. The freezing cuts of the blood supply to these overgrowths and the skin tends to fall off naturally after a couple of days. Applying tea tree oil on the affected area daily can help make the tag come off faster.
While home based liquid nitrogen kits are quite effective, they are not ideal for all kinds of skin tags. Skin tags in the genital areas and other sensitive locations are best removed through clinical procedures such as cryosurgery or laser therapy.
3. Tea Tree Oil
Tea Tree Oil is powerful natural healing oil that is used to treat a wide range of conditions such as nail fungus, pigmentation, moles, etc. They are also quite effective for skin tags as well. Many creams and lotions on the market that promise to help you remove skin tags have tea tree oil as their main ingredient.
Using tea tree oil in conjunction with either of the above mentioned methods will help ensure that the skin heals faster. Apply the tea tree oil on the affected overgrowth multiple times each day. The oil will seep into your skin and nourish the new skin cells while bleaching away the dead ones.
The only problem with this type of remedy is that it takes time. You need to be willing to wait for a minimum of three weeks before you can see results. It’s safe to use the oil on all areas of your skin. Even if you have a genital or groin skin tag, you’ll find them easy to heal with tea tree oil.
Well… these are the three best home remedies for skin tags. Most types of skin tags will vanish naturally after you try either of these remedies. However, there are chances of certain types of skin tags that may remain stubborn and almost impossible to remove. In that case, you have no option but to consult a doctor.
There are other forms of therapies apart from the above mentioned remedies that can be used to get rid of skin tags. Clinical procedures are safer and a lot quicker than these home remedies.
The only problem is that they can be expensive. Insurance providers do not offer cover for treatment of skin tags as the surgeries are considered cosmetic and non-life threatening.
If you find that your skin tags haven’t been removed despite of application of substances such as tea tree oil, we strongly recommend that you consider treatment methods such as laser surgery or cryosurgery. Both of these methods are known to work on all types of skin tags including the ones in the genital area, the neck, armpits, groin and so on.
Depending on the intensity of the overgrowth, some tags can be healed in a single session and there are others that may require 2 – 3 visits for a complete healing.