How Your Dermatologist Can Remove Your Skin Tags

Skin tags are common and don't need to be removed unless they are bothersome. They tend to grow near folds of skin, so they get irritated and sore quite easily. It's also common for them to grow on the neck, and that can make you feel self-conscious about your appearance. Therefore, you may want to have your skin tags removed. The easiest way to accomplish that is to see a dermatologist at a place like Sunflower Dermatology & Medical Day Spa. You can have one or several removed during a single visit with very little discomfort. Here's how it's done.

Cutting Off Skin Tags

Skin tags can be tiny or large. The large ones are more difficult to remove since they have nerve endings and a larger blood supply. Your dermatologist will probably use an anesthetic to numb the tag before it is cut off. The doctor then slices off the tag while cauterizing it to control the bleeding.

You may not even need anesthetic when the doctor cuts off tiny skin tags, and there may not be much bleeding. The advantage to cutting off your tags is that they are gone immediately. You may want to use this method of skin tag removal if you want them gone for an important event and you want to look your best right away.

Freezing Skin Tags

Another way to get rid of skin tags is to freeze them. With this method, the dermatologist uses liquid nitrogen to instantly freeze and kill the tags. A frozen tag doesn't fall off right away. Instead, it will slowly shrivel and fall off in the coming days. The advantages to having your skin tags frozen are that there is no bleeding, and freezing can be used in areas where it might be difficult to cut off a tag, such as on the eyelid.

Recovering From Skin Tag Removal

Skin tags are so small that they don't cause much damage when they are removed. You won't need stitches, and your skin will heal quickly. However, you'll want to keep the area clean to prevent infection. Washing with soap and water is probably enough unless your dermatologist advises you to use another product. If you use peroxide or alcohol, it might irritate and dry your skin. You may want to apply a layer of petroleum jelly to the wounds to protect the skin if the area is constantly irritated by movement or clothing. A bandage will keep frozen tags from brushing against your clothing and causing irritation.

Skin tags won't grow back once they've been removed, but new ones will keep growing on your body, especially if you are prone to getting them. The best way to keep them under control is to have them removed every year when you see your dermatologist for your annual skin cancer screening.


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