How Skin Tags Are Removed with Medical Dermatology
What are Skin Tags?
Officially known in the medical community as ‘fibroepithelial papillomas’ or ‘acrochordons’, skin tags are benign growths of skin that commonly occur in areas where the skin folds against itself. The nickname ‘skin tag’ is derived from the hanging appearance of many common acrochordons once they grow to a certain size. While skin tags are not technically dangerous or malignant in any way, they are an eyesore and can be quite annoying to anyone experiencing them.
Treating Skin Tags
Medical dermatology is a field of medicine that deals with the health and vitality of skin. Dermatologists, like the professionals at the Calabasas Dermatology Center, are the most qualified individuals to treat skin tags, and they have several potential methods for removing the skin abnormalities. The two methods are outlined below:
- Physical removal is the fastest, most efficient way to treat skin tags. The affected area is cleaned and anesthetized before the tags are cut off using a sterile surgical blade. Blood clotting agents are employed to stop the bleeding that typically occurs when removing skin tags.
- Liquid nitrogen is a powerful freezing agent that can kill the skin tags and force them to slowly fall off over a period of a few weeks. When the tags fall off, they do so cleanly and without any bleeding. Freezing a skin tag can be a viable option for sensitive areas that can’t be cut with a surgical instrument.
Where Do Skin Tags Originate?
While these skin growths are usually restricted to areas of the skin that fold and bend constantly, like the eyelids, neck, groin, armpits, and underneath the breasts, they can actually occur anywhere on the body. Obese middle-aged individuals are the most prone to develop skin tags due to the strain that excess fat causes on the skin. Some people are more likely to develop skin tags than others, and nearly everyone will experience at least one skin tag in their lifetime.
Recurrence Probability
Cutting off or otherwise removing a skin tag will not cause other tags to form, and the odds of a second tag regrowing in the same spot as one previously removed is next to zero. The fact of the matter is that if you commonly develop skin tags, more than likely you will continue to do so for your entire life. Repeat patients often have entirely new sets of skin tags that must be dealt with every few years or so.
The staff at Calabasas Dermatology Center will happily provide you with a consultation regarding your treatment, and they will guide you through each step of the process. Contact us today to speak with a dermatology professional or schedule your first appointment.