Yuck, skin tags. They happen, we all have them and we all want rid of them.
Naturally, this can be achieved surgically, but because skin tags are almost always benign (harmless) tumors, we have to pay for it ourselves because it is classed as a cosmetic procedure. Since most of us don’t have the money to spend on cosmetic surgery, we look for ways to remove these unsightly little things ourselves. Luckily, this is very easy to achieve. Best of all, it is perfectly safe and completely painless.
Let’s take a look at some of the more common ways of removing skin tags yourself. Do it right and they won’t come back either.
Is it Really Safe to Remove Skin Tags Yourself?
Naturally, when you start messing around with your own body, you should ask if it really is safe. The methods described below are all completely safe, but you must always have a medical professional confirm that they are benign skin tags. If, for instance, your skin tag is constantly growing, or if it changes shape or color, you need to get it checked by a dermatologist, just to make sure it is not a form of skin cancer.
Three Natural Remedies that Will Remove Your Skin Tags
So, once you know that there is definitely nothing wrong with your skin tags, how do you get rid of them?
1. First of all, Tea Tree Oil works miracles for skin tags removal
Tea tree oil comes from the Australian Melaleuca Alternifolia plant, which has been used to treat all sorts of skin conditions for hundreds of years. Simply thoroughly clean your skin tag and then wet a cotton ball. Add three drops of tea tree oil (no more, because it can irritate your skin) and rub it on the skin tag. Do this three times per day until the tag comes off.
2. There are also a number of herbal extracts you could use. One great herbal remedy is Dermisil, which uses Ricinus Communis, Melaleuca Alternifolia and Thuja Occidentalis oils.
3. Last but not least, castor oil is a fantastic way of treating skin tags. This can be quite a harsh oil, so you should mix it with baking soda to create a paste. Apply this paste to your skin tags and cover with a breathable dressing. Change the dressing daily until the skin tag comes off.
Six More Ways to Remove Skin Tags
There are other ways to remove skin tags as well, but the three methods listed above are the safest and most effective. Other ways, which involve less natural remedies, also exist however.
- One way is to use nail polish. If you cover your skin tag three times per day with nail varnish (any color) for a number of days, it will come off.
- You can also cut off the blood supply by tying a piece of string (dental floss or sewing thread for instance) around the base of the skin tag and leave it there until the tag comes off. Below you will find a video that shows you exactly how the removal of skin tags at home can be done painlessly. As advised in the video, for this to work properly you will most likely need another person to tie the string knot around the base of the skin tag. This is in order to cut off the blood supply to the tag so that it will fall off within 1 to 2 days without leaving a scar.
- Duct tape also works very well as a skin tag remover. Take a small piece of duct tape, just big enough to cover the tag, and leave it there until you notice it loosens up. This should be a sign of the tag coming off, but if it is still firmly in place, just put a new piece of duct tape on.
- Next, you could try vitamin E that you can extract from capsules from your local drugstore or convenience store. Put some of the oil from these capsules on a band aid and leave it applied to your skin tag until it has come off. Vitamin E is very good for the skin, so this is quite a good remedy.
- You could also use Compound W or any other wart removal treatment, which basically freezes off the skin tag.
- Lastly, if you are daring enough, you can quite simply cut the tag off with nail clippers or scissors. You do run a risk of infection with this method, but it is incredibly quick. Make sure you have properly sterilized the scissors or nail clippers and apply alcohol to the area before and after the cutting, thereby minimizing the risk of infection.
All of these methods of removing skin tags are either free or very cheap, because they use products that you probably already have or that are easy to get hold off. Even using scissors or clippers is a perfectly painless method of removing skin tags, but just one that carries slightly more risk with it.
Do remember to first have your tags checked by a medical professional.
