Do you have an unappealing growth like a tag on your neck or underarm? These growths could be skin tags, a benign growth of skin that is mostly cosmetic and painless. At Dermatology & Skin Care Associates in Mason, OH we provide our patients with safe and effective skin tag removal treatments. Do not risk an ineffective or dangerous home removal: seek help from our professional team.
Should You Remove Skin Tags?
Skin tags are mostly harmless, but if they are noticeable they may affect your self-confidence. The growth is benign, soft, and painless. In ideal circumstances, the skin tag will eventually fall off, but if they do not fall off on their own, or if you want to remove them quickly, you should seek a removal method. Patients may opt to remove skin tags if they are particularly large or somewhere that is visible.
Why You Should Visit a Professional?
There are several methods to remove skin tags at home. A quick search will turn up a variety of DIY options, but these methods are often unsafe and unhygienic. When you want to have a skin tag removed, it is best to visit a professional who can provide a safe and effective removal method.
Dermatologists can also use a painless removal method or apply the necessary anesthetic. Removal carried out by a dermatologist will ensure that the removal is properly completed using a hygienic method so there is no risk of infection.
How Does Skin Tag Removal Work?
Skin tags can be removed with clean surgical scissors or a surgical scalpel. These methods require prepping the area to avoid infection. The area is first cleaned and then a mild anesthetic may be applied. A professional will ensure the cut is not too deep and does not cause excessive bleeding. A liquid nitrogen freezing treatment is effective for removing skin tags by freezing and killing the skin cells in the growth and allowing the skin tag to fall off over time. Dermatologists may also recommend burning the skin tag with an electrical current to remove the skin tag.
Small and Large Skin Tags
Small skin tags have a minor effect on your appearance and can be less irritating. They are usually removed simply and painlessly by freezing or burning the growth. Larger skin tags will require physical removal with scissors or a scalpel due to their larger stem connecting to the skin. Large tags can have blood vessels and may bleed when they are cut, but a doctor will minimize bleeding and apply an anesthetic to ensure you feel no discomfort.
Who Is at Risk of Skin Tags?
Skin tags commonly occur on the neck, under the breast, in the underarm, on the eyelids, and in the folds of the groin. Skin tags are generally the result of continuous friction, such as a necklace causing skin tags on the neck. Some people have a greater risk of skin tags due to high blood sugar levels and unhealthy dieting. Those who are pregnant, obese, or diabetic have the greatest risk of skin tags.
What Are the Benefits of Removing Skin Tags?
The greatest benefit of removing skin tags and the most common reason that people opt to remove skin tags is to improve appearance. Some other benefits of professional removal are:
- Reduced risk of irritation
- Improved vision and blinking with eyelid skin tag removal
- Professional evaluation to identify the underlying cause of skin tags
How Long Does the Treatment Take?
Skin tag removal is quick, taking less than 15 minutes to perform in many instances. Freezing and burning skin tags will not leave any scars and can be quickly performed without bleeding. The burned skin tag dries out and falls off promptly, but the frozen skin tag may take up to two weeks to fall off. Cutting the skin tag with surgical scissors or a scalpel may cause bleeding, but doctors can generally minimize bleeding so it only lasts minutes and perform the procedure safely and cleanly.
Is Removal Permanent?
Removal of the immediate skin tag or skin tags is generally permanent. Skin tags can grow back in the same general area as the removed skin tag, and skin tags may grow on other parts of the body. The best method to prevent skin tags permanently is to avoid skin irritation that causes skin tags and practice healthy eating and lifestyle choices. A professional evaluation after skin tags are discovered can help you improve your lifestyle to prevent future skin tags. Losing weight may reduce the risk of skin tags by reducing excess rubbing of the skin.
Who Is an Ideal Candidate?
Professional skin tag removal is the safest and most effective way to remove skin tags. Patients of all ages, gender, and skin types can be affected by skin tags. Generally, those patients with prior health conditions have a greater risk of skin tags, but skin tags can occur on healthy patients as well. If you have skin tags that you want to remove, an evaluation from a dermatologist is the first step in removing and preventing skin tags.
Get Professional Help Today
If you want to have your skin tag examined and treated properly, schedule your appointment with Dermatology & Skin Care Associates in Mason, OH today. We offer painless and hygienic methods of skin tag removal to remove the offending growth, and we can help you prevent future skin tags by identifying possible causes.
