A 46-year-old member asked:
what are skin tags and how can you stop them from growing?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in
Dr. Joseph Eastern answered
Dermatology 44 years experience
Excess skin: Skin tags (the technical name is acrochordons) are little polyps of extra skin that stick out, usually from the neck, underarms, and/or groin area. There is no way to stop them from growing, but a dermatologist can remove them. I do not recommend attempting this yourself because of risk of bleeding, infections, and scarring.
5692 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
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Similar questions
A 30-year-old member asked:
Can skin tags be dangerous?
2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Margaret Mann answered
Dermatology 19 years experience
No: Skin tags are benign, noncancerous growths that typically grow in folds of the body (neck, underarm, groin, under the breast). They are not dangerous but can get rubbed and irritated. If you are concerned about a growth on your body, you should see a dermatologist to make sure it is indeed a skin tag. Sometimes other growths such as skin cancer can look like skin tags.
6382 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
CA
A 35-year-old member asked:
Are skin tags harmful?
2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Kathleen Cullen answered
Internal Medicine 9 years experience
No: No they are not harmful but they can be somewhat irritating because of their location. They tend to grow around neck lines, bra lines, and underwear lines. Your doctor can easily remove them but insurance often wont pay since it is considered cosmetic.
6332 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 35-year-old member asked:
I have skin tags around my bottom, .Too embarrassed to go to an office and spread my bottom . Any home treatments?
2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
Dr. Oliver Kreitmann answered
Obstetrics and Gynecology 43 years experience
No: Examination is necessary to identify the nature of the condition and offer appropriate treatment.
6080 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
MD
A 66-year-old member asked:
Any home remedy for skin tags?
5 doctor answers • 14 doctors weighed in
Dr. Colin Kerr answered
Family Medicine 44 years experience
Skin Tags Home Rx: The most effective home approach to skin tags would be the same as home treatment for warts. Dr. Scholls makes a freeze away canister for freezing warts. Used as directed, this should be effective for small to medium size skin tags. http://www.drscholls.com/drscholls/wartremoval/freezeaway.jsp.
6044 viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A member asked:
What can I do for my skin tags without going to a doctor?
2 doctor answers • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Joseph Eastern answered
Dermatology 44 years experience
Very little: Self-treatment of skin tags is not a particularly good idea. Cutting them off with a non-sterile scissors hurts, and risks infection. An old folk remedy is to tie thread or dental floss around each one, to cut off the blood supply; it seldom works. In fact, patients sometimes come in with threads still attached to their tags! there are easier and safer ways to save money.
5998 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
90,000 U.S. doctors in 147 specialties are here to answer your questions or offer you advice, prescriptions, and more. Get help now:
Last updated Apr 21, 2018
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