A skin tag is a soft, flesh-coloured, painless & harmless growth on the skin. Skin tags are extremely common; they are likely the most common bump on adult skin. Adults over 50 years old are more prone to developing skin tags.
Do you have small growths hanging from your skin? This growth is usually small, soft, and skin-coloured. If yes, then you might have skin tags. Skin tags are harmless and could be removed if they bother you. Our surgeons have successful careers in plastic surgery as well as minor surgeries. They ensure patient satisfaction and deliver expected results.
Skin tags' sizes and colours may vary. A skin tag could be from a few millimeters up to 5cm wide. People typically develop skin tags on their necks, armpits, near groins, or under the breasts. Sometimes skin tags also occur on the eyelids or under the buttocks.
Appearance: Hangs off the skin by a small stalk known as a peduncle; soft to the touch; may be smooth & round or wrinkly & asymmetrical
Size: Most often less than 2 millimeters; can grow to several centimeters
Colour: Generally flesh coloured; may be darker than surrounding skin; can turn black if twisted to restrict blood flow
Location: Anywhere on the body; common areas are places where the skin folds, including: armpits, groin, thighs, eyelids, and neck
Additional symptoms: No physical pain or discomfort unless irritated by an external force
It is unclear to doctors exactly what causes skin tags. Skin tags are composed of collagen and blood vessels, with an outer layer of skin. Friction may be playing a role in their formation since they often occur in skin folds. HPV has also been correlated with the occurrence of skin tags, along with obesity, pregnancy, and insulin resistance.
As mentioned, skin tags are made of collagen fibers and blood vessels that are present on the skin. Collagen is found throughout the body and is a type of protein. Men and women can both develop skin tags. People who are obese, people with diabetes, and older people develop skin tags more than others. Skin tags also happen more in pregnant women as their hormone levels fluctuate a lot. But that is not all. Skin tags also develop without any reason or cause and often grow in the skin folds. That is why they affect overweight people more as they have excess skin.
At TMSC, skin tag removal is easy and quite common. They are surgically removed and stitches are not common. Local anesthetic is used to numb the area during the procedure, and after the initial sting of the injection, the procedure will be 100% painless. Regular activities can resume immediately after the procedure.
A tiny scab does form after the procedure, but it gradually lifts off; what’s remaining is a pink mark which eventually fades to a tiny white mark that is barely visible to the naked eye. The same is true for most large skin tags, due to their base being very narrow.
Our surgeons are highly trained and experienced professionals who care deeply about their patients. Rest assured all of our procedures are carried out with the utmost care, precision, regard for aesthetics, and in a safe environment.
When you come for your initial consultation for a skin tag removal surgery, our surgeon will take you through the entire process and explain everything in detail. They will also answer all your questions and put all your fears to rest. Skin tag removal surgery is a quick and painless process. Our surgeon usually performs this process in around 30 minutes. Sometimes, a skin tag is so small that it might not even need local anesthesia. If the skin tag is more significant or you have multiple skin tags, our surgeon might choose local anesthesia to ensure your comfort. They will inform you about the method he will use to remove your skin tags.
If the skin tag is tiny, it might not leave a perceptible scar. There is some scarring with larger skin tags, but our surgeon ensures to keep it to a minimum. They will also teach you aftercare procedures, so the scar dims with time and becomes unnoticeable. There is minimal downtime for skin tag removal surgery, and our surgeon might allow you to get back to your normal activities immediately. But that depends on the size, number, and location of the skin tags. Typically, our surgeons advise their patients to wait for around a week to heal correctly and inform them that they should keep the wound clean during this time. They will also prescribe medications for any pain or discomfort that you might feel. If the pain becomes unbearable or you notice any discharge or swelling, report to the surgeon immediately. Also, there is a chance of infection, but if you keep your wound clean, the chances of it occurring are minimal.
Once our surgeon completely removes the skin tags, the chances of them coming back are minimal. Although, they might develop in some other area of the body.
Typically skin tags do not cause any discomfort or pain. But if they affect your confidence, self-esteem, or if they get stuck on clothes and jewelry, then you could have them removed. Skin tag removal surgery is considered a purely cosmetic procedure. If the tissue twists and lacks blood supply, a skin tag might even fall off on its own.
Whatever you do, do not try to remove a skin tag on your own at home. If the skin tag is causing a problem, come and talk to one of our board-certified surgeons and get their expert advice. There are various methods of removing skin tags. They can be burnt off or frozen off. This method is the same as warts removal, but it causes temporary skin discoloration and irritation. Also, there is a chance that the skin tag might not fall off and need further treatment.
Our surgeons suggest surgically removing skin tags. They use local anesthesia to numb the area before performing the procedure. Surgical removal provides you with a lot of benefits. The primary one being the permanent removal of the skin tag.
A skin tag removal surgery usually takes no more than 30 minutes in most cases. Depending on the size of the skin tag, the scar could be minimal. Our surgeon informs you of all the aftercare procedures so that the scar becomes unnoticeable.
Do not attempt to remove a skin tag on your own. Although it may seem easy, some pieces of the skin tag could be left behind, which could cause infection, scarring, and recurrence.
Skin tags usually do not recur once permanently removed. They could occur in other parts of the body, or you might be prone to their occurrence in a specific area.
Our surgeons apply local anesthesia to ensure that the procedure is as comfortable as possible and doesn’t cause any pain. The only thing you feel is the pinch of the needle, and everything after that is easy.
