What are Skin Tags and how to remove them

Skin tags are harmless small flesh-coloured or brown growths, which can be up to 5 cm wide. These growth hang off the skin, and have the appearance of a soft squidgy balloon on a thin stalk. Very small skin tags may not have a stalk. Occasionally, a skin tag may be mistaken for a wart, as they have many of the same characteristics.

 

How To Tell The Difference Between A Skin Tag And A Wart

-Skin tags are smooth and soft, warts are usually rougher and have an irregular surface.

-Skin tags normally hang off the skin whereas the majority of warts are flat.

-Skin tags are not caused by infection and are not contagious. Warts are contagious, and can spread very easily. Sudden outbreaks of tag like growths or clusters of growths are more likely to be warts.

-Skin tags can usually be found in characteristic locations such as: base of the neck, underarms, eyelids, groin folds, buttock folds and under the breasts. 

 

What Causes Skin Tags?

Over half of the population will develop a skin tag sometime during their lives. They tend to develop where the skin rubs against the clothes or against other skin. Although, skin tags are not directly related to a disease, they tend to be more prevalent in obese adults and children, who have more excess skin folds. 

Skin tags are also more prevalent in older people and people with diabetes, hormone levels during pregnancy can also cause skin tags to occur. However, often they will develop for no reason. 

 

HOW TO REMOVE SKIN TAGS

Although, skin tags are harmless and cause no pain and discomfort, you may want to have the skin tag removed for cosmetic reasons. Cryotherapy kills the tissue by using sub zero temperatures to freeze the skin tag. If the skin tag is particularly large or has no stalk, surgical removal would be a more appropriate choice. 

If the skin tag is very small and has a narrow base, it is also possible to remove it at home by tying dental floss or thread around the base of the skin tag. This will stop the blood supply to the tag and cause it to drop off. Alternatively, sterile scissors can be used to cut of the skin tag at the base. Large skin tags should not be removed at home as they could cause heavy bleeding. 

Once a skin tag has been removed it will not grow back. However, if you are prone to developing skin tags you may find that others will occur close to the same site. Skin tag removal does not cause skin tags to spread. 

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Understanding the Healing Process After Cryotherapy Blemish Removal
Understanding the Healing Process After Cryotherapy Blemish Removal

Cryotherapy is a widely used and effective treatment for removing benign skin lesions, which destroys the abnormal skin cells. After treatment, the healing process varies slightly depending on the size and location of the lesion, as well as individual skin sensitivity, but there are several common stages most patients experience.

Filliform warts versus skin tags
Filliform warts versus skin tags

The majority of warts have a very distinct appearance, looking like little rough bumps usually round in shape and less than one centimetre wide.

However, one type of wart which can often be confused with a skin tag is the filiform wart. The filiform wart is caused by a subtype of the HPV virus. More than 70 subtypes of the HPV virus are known, each causing different types of warts on different parts of the body.

What does cryotherapy do to the skin.
What does cryotherapy do to the skin.

The effects of applying low temperature to the skin gradually increases as the temperature drops. Initially proteins and lipids, as well as the metabolism of the cell is altered. As the temperature drops below 0°C, first the water outside the cell begins to crystallise, causing the cell to dehydrate. At temperatures below −20°C, the water inside the cell starts to crystallise, and at −40°C intracellular ice formation is certain.

How does skin heal after cryotherapy
How does skin heal after cryotherapy

At the clinic, the agent used for cryosurgery is N 20, a gas which has been adopted as an alternative to liquid nitrogen. Cryosurgery is a safe, non-invasive treatment for unwanted skin growths and blemishes. Immediately during and after the treatment, you may feel a stinging sensation as the tissue is frozen and thawed. Some may only notice this during the treatment, for other this sensation may linger for a few hours after, especially if multiple lesions were have been treated in the same area. A mild analgesic ointment can be applied to relieve the sensation.

The history of the use of cryosurgery in dermatology
The history of the use of cryosurgery in dermatology

Cryosurgery (meaning cold handiwork) is also known as cryotherapy, cryocautery, cryocongelation and cryogenic surgery. Cold therapy has a long history of being used for analgesia and anti-inflammatory purposes, going as far back as the ancient Egyptians. However, during the past 200 years, it has evolved into a more specific use, namely the destruction of tissue in dermatology.

6 types of hyper-pigmentation: causes and treatments
6 types of hyper-pigmentation: causes and treatments

Most individuals will experience some form of hyper-pigmentation during their lifetime. Hyper-pigmentation can take many forms, but is essentially an overproduction and an abnormal distribution of pigmentation, usually melanin. Thankfully, there are many treatments on offer to reduce and/or remove such pigmentation. At my clinic in East Finchley, I have successfully been removing sun, age and liver spots with cryotherapy for several years.

This articles has been put together to give you an overview of the different types of hyper-pigmentation and to help you make the right choice when it comes to treating this condition.

Common skin lesions and growths found in older skin
Common skin lesions and growths found in older skin

As skin becomes older changes start to happen. It is common for skin to become dryer, thinner and less elastic as well as for fine lines to appear. Sun exposure can speed up changes in the skin, and be a factor in age related changes such as unwanted dark patches, roughness and wrinkles. Here we take a look at the most common skin growths found on ageing skin.

Diagram side view of the common wart
Side view diagrams of the most common forms of warts.

Warts can take on many different appearances. Here is a slideshow of the most common types of warts as seen from a side view.

How to distinguish flat warts from other similar looking skin conditions.
How to distinguish flat warts from other similar looking skin conditions.

Recently a client visited the clinic with what appeared to be flat warts around the nose, forehead and eyes. However, after a closer inspection an alternative diagnosis was considered. Flat warts can easily be mistaken for other skin conditions. Here we take a look at flat warts and compare them to two other very common skin condition.

Cherry angiomas (red spots): Causes and treatment.
Cherry angiomas (red spots): Causes and treatment.

Cherry angiomas, as they are most commonly known, are little clusters of broken blood vessels on the skin. They usually look like domes ranging in colour from bright red to purple, however they can also appear flat. They usually start out very small, the size of a pinprick, and grow larger over time. Cherry angiomas are harmless, however some people go on to have them removed due to cosmetic reasons.
Research has yet to find a concrete cause of cherry angiomas. However, it has been linked to pregnancy, climate, toxins and ageing. Some people are also thought to have a genetic predisposition for developing these type of lesions. 

CryoTherapyBeaMoyal Therapiesskin tag removal, skin tags, Cryotherapy, Cryopen, skin imperfectios, skin imperfections1 Comment