How to Remove Skin Tags Naturally at Home?

Any irregular outgrowth makes the skin appear abnormal. Moles, warts, corns, and skin tags are the most common skin growths that people experience. In this article, we will learn about one of the appalling skin conditions– skin tags and understand how to remove skin tags naturally at home and make skin flawless.

What Are Skin Tags?

The medical term for skin tags is acrochordon (1). They are tiny, benign, non-cancerous growths, pouching outward and connected to the underlying skin through a tiny stock. Skin tags look like bits of pouches hanging from the skin.

While the root cause behind the occurrence of skin tags is yet unknown, they tend to develop when blood vessels and collagen get trapped under the folds of the skin (2).

When talking about home remedies, there are no proven methods that can ascertain their removal. However, using a few ingredients on the skin can help indirectly by making the skin tags. Let’s find out those ingredients, how they help remove the skin tags, and what the steps involved are.

How to Remove Skin Tags Naturally

Since skin tags are connected to the underlying skin, breaking their connection can help get rid of them. For this, using ingredients that can dry and shrink the skin may help.

1. Tea tree oil

How it helps: Tea tree oil is known for its anti-bacterial and antimicrobial properties (3). People use tea tree oil as one of the most potent remedies for acne, as it dries them without leaving any scars. In a similar manner, tea tree oil can also be used to dry the skin connecting the skin tags, helping them to shrink and fall off naturally.

What you’ll need: tea tree oil, cotton balls, and bandages

How to use: Soak a cotton ball with a few drops of tea tree oil and apply it to the affected area. Now, cover the cotton ball with a bandage, securing it tightly. Leave it overnight and repeat for many days until the skin tag falls off.

Caution: People with sensitive skin should always mix a portion of tea tree oil with a carrier oil such as coconut or olive oil. It will reduce the potency of tea tree oil and not cause skin irritation.

2. Banana peel

How it helps: Banana peel is a rich source of bioactive polyphenols, which are known to have antioxidant properties (4). Antioxidants are known to offer innumerable benefits to the skin, among which protecting them from oxidative degeneration is one (5). Also, this component is a potent remedy for many dermatological diseases (6). When used for skin tags, it ensures the damage done by the tags is reversed, maintaining youthful skin intact.

What you’ll need: banana peel and bandage

How to Use: Cut banana peels into small pieces and apply them over the skin tags. Cover it with a bandage and leave it overnight. Remove the bandage the next morning and clean the area with lukewarm water. Repeat the process for at least a week to see a substantial result.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar

How it helps: Apple cider vinegar consists of alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA), which is used as a peeling agent in the cosmetic industry (7). This property and the acidic nature of apple cider vinegar may help to break the skin tissues around the skin tag, helping them to fall off.

What you’ll need: apple cider vinegar and a cotton swab

How to use: Dip a cotton swab in a bowl filled with apple cider vinegar and apply it to the skin tags. Wash after 3 to 4 hours of application. You may need to repeat this application at least four times a day to see the results.

Caution: Even though the use of apple cider vinegar to remove skin tags is very popular, the evidence is anecdotal. There is no research that directly shows the usefulness of apple cider vinegar for removing skin tags, but a report identifies highly concentrated acetic acid solutions to alleviate warts (8).

Also, if while using you feel skin irritation or burning sensation continuously, clean the area immediately with cold water and discontinue the use.

4. Garlic

How it helps: Garlic is one of the most useful home ingredients effective for different skin issues. The topical application of crushed garlic or its extracts can deal with various dermatological problems, including corns and warts (9). Since they also grow extra, like skin tags, garlic is believed to get rid of them.

Also, garlic has antimicrobial properties, which ensure that once the skin tag falls off, the skin stays clear of infections (10). 

What you’ll need: 1-2 garlic cloves

How to use: Crush the garlic cloves or make their paste. Apply it evenly to the skin tags, and wash it off after an hour. Repeat the process 2-3 times a day to get noticeable results.

Caution: While there are no side effects of using garlic on the skin, if you feel a burning sensation, wash off the area with cold water and discontinue the use. People with sensitive skin may get this allergic reaction due to allicin-sulfur-containing phytoconstituents (11).

5. Vitamin E

How it helps: The role of vitamin E in dermatology is prevalent. From protecting the skin from harmful UV rays to combating free radical damage, it is a proven component that is highly beneficial for skin. In addition, various studies have reported that vitamin E has antitumorigenic properties (12). Since skin tags are considered benign growths, vitamin E usage may help prevent them. 

What you’ll need: vitamin E oil from a reputed brand.

How to use: Take a few drops of Vitamin E and rub them around the affected areas. Massage for 5 to 10 minutes, and let the oil sit for 2 hours. Later, wash it off.

Note:

1. Always perform a patch test before applying any new ingredient to your skin. If you feel irritation or a burning sensation, wash off the ingredients immediately.
2. Here, it is important to mention that all these home remedies prove to be useful only when the skin tags are small with short stalks. If your skin tag is large with a thick stalk, home remedies won’t help, and surgical removal is the last option. 

Removing Skin Tags Surgically

One can also get rid of skin tags either surgically or by using counter medications that are suggested by doctors. Some of the most common procedures used by doctors to get rid of skin tags include-

• Cryotherapy– Freezing skin tags growth by spraying liquid nitrogen and cutting them off (13).
• Snip or Ligation– Cutting the skin tags off the skin using surgical scissors or by cutting off the blood flow using surgical thread. (14).  
• Cauterization or Electrocautery– Using heat or electric energy to burn the skin tags (14).

These methods are medically approved and effective. Doctors use them based on the location and size of the skin tags. While home remedies are also effective to some extent, there are very little evidence to prove their efficacy. At the same time, while removing skin tags with home remedies you may end up with heavy bleeding, infection, wounds and scarring.

How to Prevent Skin Tags

Since skin tags are believed to occur due to trapped collagen and blood vessels under the folds of the skin, changing lifestyle and maintaining a healthy skincare routine can help.

• Insulin resistance– When a person has high insulin levels in the blood, it leads to obesity and the growth of skin cells. This obesity or weight fluctuation can lead to the development of skin tags (15). Therefore, keeping insulin within the range may help.
• Weight Management– A sudden change in weight can cause skin to grow extra cells that develop into skin tags. Also, obesity is related to change in hormones like estrogen and androgen that can influence skin tag formation (16).
• Reducing skin friction– Wearing loose clothes and avoiding jewelry and accessories that rub the skin frequently will reduce friction. It may help decreasing skin tags development.
• Skincare routine– Keeping the skin clean, hygienic, and well-moisturized will ensure that it stays healthy and supple, reducing the chances of skin tag development.

Conclusion

Skin tags are abnormal outgrowths on the skin, but usually, they are harmless. In fact, there is no need to remove them until they bother you or reduce your skin’s appearance. Sometimes, skin tags drop off by themselves over time. However, if you still need to get rid of them and none of the home remedies are proving beneficial, it is always a good idea to consult a dermatologist.

Best Skin Tag Removers You Can Use Easily At Home

1	Best User-Friendly Compound W Freeze Off Remover – Buy on Amazon
2	Best Lightweight Design Skin Clinic FREEZE ‘n CLEAR Advanced Wart Remover – Buy on Amazon
3	Best Pain-Free Removal Dr. Scholl’s Liquid Wart Remover – Buy on Amazon
4	Best Natural Formula Boiron Thuja Occidentalis Wart Removal Medicine – Buy on Amazon
5	Best Chemical-Free Formula Forces Of Nature Organic Wart Remover – Buy on Amazon

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