Home Removal Skin Tags

Basic Home Removal of Skin Tags

Although it sounds painful and dangerous, the simplest way to remove a skin tag is to cut it off. You can use cuticle scissors or nail clippers, although you may find the clippers easier to wield. Whatever you use, it should be brand-new, and you must be sure to sterilize it thoroughly first. Plunge the instrument into boiling water for a few minutes, then use a cotton ball to wipe it with rubbing alcohol. Make sure it has cooled thoroughly before using it on your skin. Then, all you have to do is snip that tag off at the bottom. It may sting a bit, but overall, it won’t be very painful. However, you will want to have some cotton balls and peroxide handy in case you bleed. Even if you don’t bleed, you should cleanse the skin thoroughly and apply a topical ointment like Neosporin to the affected area afterwards, to help prevent the possibility of infection.

Grandma’s Home Removal of Skin Tags

Sometimes the old ways are still the best ways. Back in the day, if a woman had a skin tag, she removed it by tying thread around the base of the tag so tightly, the tag’s blood supply was cut off. It soon dies and then drops off on its own. This may sound bizarre and even dangerous, but it’s one of the safest methods of removing skin tags at home. There is virtually no risk of infection, but it is still wise to use precautions and run some rubbing alcohol over the thread before tying it on the tag.

Skin Tag Removal Formulas

There are several topical products you can buy for home removal of skin tags, all of which are much cheaper than having them removed by the dermatologist, especially if you have more than one. One of the most popular formulas is DermaTend, which is used for the removal of moles and warts as well as skin tags. The process has a few steps spread out just over a week. First, you exfoliate and then pumice the area so that it is tender. Then you apply some hydrogen peroxide, followed by the DermaTend. Cover it firmly with a bandage, as you will not take it off until the next day, at which point it should have formed a scab. Press a hot cloth to the scab to soften and open the pores, then reapply the DermaTend. You will do this every day for a week, at which point the tag should be gone. DermaTend claims to be pain free and is guaranteed to work or your money will be refunded.

If you prefer to use something a bit less chemical, you can try the Heal Skin Tags formula by Amoils. They do not list the full ingredients on their site, but claim that it is made of pure essential oils and will remove skin tags from anywhere on the body with no irritation or scarring. Only a few drops are needed per application, and the tag should be eliminated in anywhere from two to six weeks. It works by drawing out the tags from the roots so that they will either flake away or fall out. If after sixty days you aren’t satisfied, you can return the product for a full refund.

Choosing to Remove a Skin Tag

There is no medical reason to remove a skin tag, which is why it won’t be covered by your insurance if you have the dermatologist do it. However, since they can be unpleasant to have to look at every day, there’s no good reason to live with them either. Home removal is safe and can be free, so don’t be afraid to lop them off and return to smooth skin.