Skin Tags
This small flap of flesh-colored or slightly darker tissue hangs off your skin by a stalk. They’re usually found on the neck, chest, back, armpits, under the breasts, or in the groin area. Skin tags appear most often on women and elderly people. They aren’t dangerous and usually don’t cause pain unless they become irritated when clothing or nearby skin rubs against them. A doctor can cut, freeze, or burn them off.
Home Remedies for Skin Tags
Before taking a swing at home remedies, be sure that it’s a skin tag and not something more serious. Ask a health professional if unsure. We’re about to list a few common home remedies for skin tags, how to use them, and the safety measures to bear in mind.
Safety Considerations
Keep in mind that removing skin tags yourself comes with risks like infection, bleeding, and scarring. If you feel discomfort in any way during or after applying home remedies, get in touch with a healthcare professional immediately. It’s vital to follow all guidelines and to only use clean, sanitized tools when trying these remedies.
1. Tea Tree Oil
This oil is known for its antiviral and antifungal traits and may prove to be a useful home remedy.
- How to apply?
- Mix a few drops of tea tree oil in a carrier oil, like coconut oil.
- Softly rub the mixed oil over the skin tag using cotton.
- Cover the spot with a bandage and let it be overnight.
- Keep doing this every night until the tag dries up and falls off.
- Precautions
Don’t use pure tea tree oil and test it on a small bit of your skin before using it on a skin tag to check for allergies this is known as a patch test. Stay away from the eye area with this oil.
2. Apple Cider Vinegar
This vinegar is known for its acidic nature, which some say may help skin tags to shrink and drop off.
- How to use?
- Soak a bit of cotton in apple cider vinegar.
- Put the wet cotton on the skin tag and secure it with a bandage.
- Leave it on for 15-30 minutes, then wash it off.
- Keep doing this every day for a couple of weeks.
- Risks and precautions
Be careful with apple cider vinegar as it can irritate the skin or cause burns. Be sure not to put it near the eyes and look out for signs of skin reactions while using it.
3. Garlic
Some think garlic’s anti-inflammation might make skin tags look better.
- Application and precautions
- Mash up a clove of fresh garlic to get its juice out.
- Put the mashed garlic on the skin tag.
- Cover with a bandage and leave it overnight.
- Wash the area in the morning.
- Keep this up until the skin tag shrinks and vanishes.
Note, the strong smell of garlic might put some people off. And be careful if you have sensitive skin, as garlic can cause irritation.
4. Vitamin E
Vitamin E is known for its antioxidant traits, which may fend off wrinkles and keep skin healthy. Rubbing liquid vitamin E onto a skin tag might make it fall off in a few days.
- Usage and benefits
- Gently massage the liquid vitamin E over the skin tag and its surrounding area.
- Let the oil soak into the skin.
- Repeat daily until the skin tag falls off.
Ensure that you do not have an allergy to vitamin E before using it on your skin. Also, know that using vitamin E near the eyes can be irritating.
5. Banana Peel
Some say banana peels have antioxidant traits, which might help dry out skin tags.
- How to use?
- Cut a small triangle of banana peel and put the white side on the skin tag.
- Fix the peel with a bandage and let it sit overnight.
- Repeat every night until the skin tag drops off.
- Benefits
Using banana peels to remove skin tags costs little and is not invasive. Still, there isn’t much scientific proof that it works. So, you’ll need a lot of patience with this method, as it may take some time before you see any results.
Recently I came across a study that suggested skin tags can sometimes indicate a higher risk of heart and blood vessel problems. This is because people with skin tags often have other health issues like being overweight, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and increased inflammation in their bodies.
