What is a skin tag?
The type of skin growths, called skin tags or skin warts are common, acquired benign (non-cancerous) skin-colored growths that resemble a small, soft balloon suspended on a slender stalk.
Skin tags are harmless growths that can vary in number from one to hundreds. Males and females are equally prone to developing skin tags. Though obesity seems to be associated with skin tag development.
The medical name for skin tag is fibroepithelial polyp, acrochordon, cutaneous papilloma, and soft fibroma. Some people call them “skin tabs” or warts.
Warts tend to have a “warty” irregular surface, whereas skin tags are usually smooth. Warts tend to be flat, whereas tags are more like bumps hanging from thin stalk. While warts are almost entirely caused by human papilloma virus (HPV), tags are rarely associated with papilloma virus.
Other skin growths that may look similar to a skin tag but are not tags include moles (dermal nevus).
Mostly all mentioned skin growth are safe and successfully removable.
Early on, skin tags may be as small as a flattened pinhead-sized bump. While most tags typically are small (2 mm-5 mm in diameter), some skin tags may become as large as a big grape (1 cm in diameter) or a fig (5 cm in diameter).
Where do skin tags occur?
Skin tags can occur almost anywhere on the body covered by skin. However, the two most common areas for skin tags are the neck and armpits.
Other common body areas for the development of skin tags include the eyelids, upper chest (particularly under the female breasts), buttock folds, and groin folds.
Tags are typically thought to occur where skin rubs against itself or clothing.
Reason for skin tag removal.
Except for the cosmetic appearance, skin tags generally cause no physical pain or discomfort.
Cosmetic reasons are the most common reason for skin tag removal. Or when the skin growth or skin tags are repeatedly irritated, for example, by the collar or by shaving or in the groin, or sometimes, they may become snagged by clothing, jewelry, pets, or seat belts, causing pain, bleeding or discomfort.
Safe way to remove skin tags.
Please keep in mind, that there are no currently medically approved creams for the removal of skin tags.
Skin tags are typically removed by physical destructive methods like cutting off, freezing, strangulation with a ligature, snipping, and burning.
It is not advisable to use unapproved products or methods, which may cause irritation and possible secondary complications.
As well, as it is absolutely necessary to be removed by appropriate medical practitioner or doctor dermatologist!
In Lagos BioCell Clinic of Aesthetic Medicine our aesthetic doctor dermatologist uses the most common, safe and effective method to remove skin tags or warts or moles (dermal nevus), which called Electrocoagulation.
Electrocoagulation method is skin growth cauterization with high frequency current.
Those who are afraid of pain should still consider this quick and highly effective method as it is performed under the local anesthesia!
This method not only helps to get rid of the aesthetic defect on the skin but also kill the papilloma virus which is the cause of the skin warts.
Electrocoagulation procedure:
- The procedure of electrocoagulation always takes place under local anesthesia.
- The skin is pre-treated with antiseptic.
- Loop coagulator is applied to the skin growth and electric current is applied locally.
- There is happening a thermal damage of tags/warts tissues which leads to the death of the damaged skin cells.
- Due to the high temperature (80 C) cauterization is also happening to blood vessels, so there is no bleeding!
- After the procedure you will be left with the firm crust.
- Beneath this crust a process of tissue healing and cells regeneration happening and then this crust subsequently disappears without forming scars. It is very important to not scratch or try to remove that crust, before it falls by it self.
- Electrocoagulation prevents the re-occurrence of warts and their further spread through the body.
Patients who are at least once removed a skin growth using Electrocoagulation usually leave positive reviews. This is due to the quick procedure, no pain, minimal care measures, ease of wound healing, lack of scarring.
Thanks to such advantages, the procedure skin tag or wart removal by Electrocoagulation remains in demand and popular among all segments of the population.
Thanks to this procedure you can get rid of all types of benign (non-cancerous) skin growth.
Though remember, timely access to a doctor and diagnosis of the disease will allow you to avoid degeneration of warts to malignant tumor!
And make sure that you only should go to those clinics which are working in the field of medical aesthetic services and have a positive recommendation.
Does medical insurance cover skin tag removal?
Many if not all insurance carriers classify skin tags as cosmetic and therefore a self-pay treatment.
