What Are Skin Tags And How To Get Rid Of Them?
Most of our clients will agree – skin tags are very annoying!
They are small, benign ‘droplets’ of skin that can be found in areas such as the neck, underarms, groin etc. In fact anywhere where there is friction.
Possible treatment:
- -They can be excised at skin level using a scalpel (a job for a doctor, obviously). This usually leads to minor bleeding.
- – To tie a cotton string around the neck of the tag (the first original method). This was an effective, if aesthetically unpleasing solution as you have to be prepared to walk around for days with bits of cotton thread tied onto your skin. The way it works is that the tightly tied cotton thread is cutting off the blood supply to the tag so it just dies off.
- -They can be frozen with Nitrogen however if this is done incorrectly it doesn’t work, causes excessive pain and can cause deep ulcers to form underneath the treated area.
- -The safest and quickest way is by far – Short way diathermy (also called Advanced Electrolysis) which we use in our clinic. This treatment is performed by qualified electrologist with experience and competence in using short way diathermy current.
It is a straight forward procedure where we cauterise the skin tags using heat. The results are instant.
Aftercare
After the treatment, the area should be left alone to ensure the natural healing of the skin. If the area feels dry or tender, a small amount of antiseptic cream maybe applied morning and night.
The scabs will form over the next 48 hours and should be left dry until they drop off on their own. This usually takes around 8-10 days.
Dressings aren’t necessary for skin tags. If the area is likely to rub, a plaster may be applied over it (just make sure to remove the plaster at night for air circulation to allow the scab to form) Healing is usually complete within a few days with a tiny scar which fades completely over time, depending on the size and amount of skin tags removed.
Is it painful?
Well, you will feel some heat sensation but it’s so quick that, honestly, you wouldn’t mind it.
How many treatments will I need?
Usually only one treatment is required for the blemish that is treated.
How many tags can be removed in one session?
Well, it depends on the size of the tag and the number of areas to be treated. It is not that often that someone needs 30 min of treatment – 15 min is normally sufficient to remove all present skin tags.
Do I need a consultation?
No, just book an appointment. We will know straight away if those are the skin tags you have or not. If they are not the skin tags and we can’t help you – we won’t charge you. You can always email us a close up picture before visiting us.
We hope to see you soon.
Stella.