You’re putting on your favorite shirt, and it accidentally gets snagged on a little rogue skin tag, popped up under your arms. Sound familiar?
DIY projects often give you a great deal of pride when you renovate your garden. However, the opposite side of the coin is that it costs you more than you anticipated, especially when it’s about your health. Online tutorials about “how to remove skin tags at home” cannot only be tempting but costly too. There’s a greater chance of converting a benign problem into a big problem.
In most cases, common skin flaws such as skin tags or skin cysts can be nothing more than annoying and unsightly. However, they can cause medical complications too if dealt with carelessly. Thus, it’s crucial to know when you should let a professional handle some matters, especially if it’s related to your health.
Our Care Dermatologists in Florida aims to help your skin be in the pink of health. That’s why we offer comprehensive services coupled while educating our patients about proper skin care.
So, can a dermatologist remove skin tags? Yes. Though skin tags can be treated easily at a dermatologist’s office, trying to do it on your own can involve many risk factors. Let’s find out why it is not a good idea to remove skin tags yourself.
The skin on the loose
Before we jump straight into what the right tool for skin tag remover is and why you should not do it yourself, let’s look at what skin tags are exactly.
Skin growths are called acrochordon. Skin tags grow on the part of the skin where friction often occurs, such as underarms, neck, on eyelids, around the bra line, and genitals area. They don’t discriminate and can affect anyone regardless of their age or gender. Yes, skin tags strike people over the age of 50 at a faster rate than others. Overweight people are also more susceptible to skin tags as more areas of their skin rub together. However, nobody is immune to developing the condition.
Skins tags aren’t cancerous or harmful. They’re simply a combination of extra cells on top of a smooth skin surface, attached to a thin piece of tissue called a stalk. However, they can be annoying, especially when they snag or rub on clothes. So if you were planning to cut off skin tags with nail clippers, we recommend you to read on to find out why you shouldn’t treat skin tags’ stalk so carelessly.
Don’t play tag
As said earlier, there is plenty of incorrect advice on the internet about how to remove skin tags with apple cider vinegar or wart remover. Be cautious about such practices because of several reasons. First, some people think it’s no harm to clip off skin tags as they don’t have nerves. However, they often forget that the tiny stalk tissue attached to skin tags has small nerves.
Second, you’re likely to damage your skin’s surface if you remove the tag incorrectly. This will leave a scar, which is far more troublesome to remove than a skin tag.
Third, skin tags bleed as you cut or remove them at home. As your skin opens, it welcomes the risk of infection. This often results in various skin conditions that you don’t want to trade your skin tags with.
So, can you use a wart remover on skin tags? No, skin tags bleed when you cut them. Your wound can become infected if you use a non-sterile tool to remove them. Wart remover and nail clippers are designed for hard surfaces and shouldn’t be used to remove skin tags.
Many people often ask how apple cider vinegar removes skin tags or how to remove skin tags with apple cider vinegar. It’s essential to know that ACV has the potential to corrode your beautiful face. It contains high acidic levels. So, you shouldn’t use vinegar to treat wounds or leave it on your skin due to its high causticity. Also, there’s no evidence about how effective skin tags removing toothpaste is. The American Academy of Dermatologists recommends consulting a doctor for skin tag removal.
Some people also consider using a piece of banana peel, tea tree oil, or garlic for skin tag removal. But instead of treating your skin tags with a fruit salad, try consulting your doctor for effective and complication-free skin tags removal. Let’s find out they do it.
The right tool for the job
Some skin tags wear off on their own, while others stay attached to your skin. Generally, skin tags are not dangerous, so some people prefer leaving them as they are. But they can also be aggravating. Whether you have skin tags on your eyelid, genital area, or any other part of your skin, visit a dermatologist’s office. You should consult your doctor before trying to remove them yourself. Your doctor may remove your skin tags by the following treatments:
Cryotherapy: freezing works best to remove skin tags as your doctor applies liquid nitrogen. This freezes away the skin tags and helps remove them in no time.
Surgical removal: this process involves clipping the skin tag with a removal kit, like scissors or a scalpel. For larger or multiple skin tags, your doctor may use local anesthetics to numb the area. Your doctor will then disinfect the wound, helping you get rid of skin tags before leaving.
Electrosurgery: your doctor may use high-frequency electrical energy to burn the skin tags and help them remove quickly.
Ligation: in this procedure, your doctor may cut away skin tags with surgical thread and block its blood flow.
Small skin tags usually don’t need anesthesia. Your doctor will likely use local anesthetics while removing large or multiple skin tags.
So, if you’d like to clear your skin tags with no risk involved, give us a call so we can set up an appointment and get your skin in pristine condition.