What exactly are skin tags, and what is the best method for skin tag removal – natural or clinical? Skin tags are those odd little skin growths that may be shaped like a piece of cauliflower and can grow in the strangest parts of your body. Faces, necks, under arms, and for the ladies, these disgusting growths often show up under your breasts and around your pubic area.
If you have these growths on your body, chances are you'll want to get rid of them. Your dermatologist can easily and painlessly remove them – and he or she will remove a large amount of cash from your wallet, too. So, what is the best way to remove skin tags – natural at your home, or in your doctor's office? If you choose to see your doctor fort skin tag removal, he may remove them by either of three methods.
Cut Them Off
Cutting with a scalpel, or excision is a very popular method to remove most any growth. Your dermatologist (or his nisurse, as was my experience), will usually give you a shot of Novocaine, a deadening agent, to numb the tag and the area around it. Then, the doctor will slice it off with a scalpel, apply a stitch (if it was large enough) slap on a band-aid and you're home free!
Freeze Them Off
If the growth is reliably small, he (or she) may freeze them off with a shot of liquid nitrogen, a technique known as cryogenics. Liquid nitrogen is liquid at a temperature of minus 321 degrees Fahrenheit – extremely cold. The growth is frozen and the tissue dies immediately. A scab then forms, and smooth, new skin appears in a couple of weeks. Cryogenically removing them is painless and fast – I've had this done many times and have had absolutely no problems.
Burn Them Off
Cauterization is the method of burning off skin growths with what looks like an over-sized solder gun. Your doctor will place a grounding paddle on your body – then use the other end of the instrument to literally burn off any type of growth on your body – including skin tags. Cauterization does sting a bit – not terrible, but it does. The good news? There's no bleeding!
Natural (Home) Removal
If you decide not to see your physician, than there are a few easy and effective ways to remove tags – right in your home. But first, make absolutely sure that the growth you're contemplating removing is a skin tag – and not a skin cancer or mole. If you're not sure? Go see your dermatologist!
One of the easiest home remedies is to make a paste from baking soda and castor oil. Place this paste on your skin tags for about two weeks. This should dry out the growths, and they should fall off shortly after.
However you decide to remove your skin tags, be aware that while they alone are not dangerous and can be safely removed at home, other skin growths such as skin cancer should be treated by a doctor as soon as possible.