Skin Tags

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Skin Tags

Postby Sanfung » Fri Aug 24, 2012 12:49 am

Is everyone familiar with skin tags? The condition is properly referred to Cutaneous Acrochordon, I believe. They're tiny benign growths that are primarily in areas where skin rubs against itself. Though they're usually associated with older individuals in the popular imagination, anyone can get them. Around half of the population does have them. I've heard a few Qigong experts refer to them as either the products of blockages in certain meridians or the causes of them, but I can't remember where I heard this information from and I was wondering if anyone could help me out there. Does anyone know if they are in either sense?

While I realize they're benign, they can be rather irritating. Many herbal treatments for them contain bloodroot, which can cause significant discoloration or scarring. I was curious if other home removal techniques were safe and effective, or if they should just be left alone despite irritation. Please note that I have no cosmetic wish to remove them, and this question doesn't come from vanity. Rather, I find they itch and I'm always afraid one might tear out. I've heard that sterilizing the area and then removing one with a sterilized pair of nail clippers is healthy, provided that the skin tag in question isn't in a sensitive area like the crotch. I've also heard of tying thread around one until it dies and atrophies off. Can anyone confirm or deny the safety of these methods?

I also admit that I'm a hypochondriac in the way that a psychologist would actually call someone a hypochondriac. I always worry myself by imagining that they will turn into malignancies. While I rationally realize this isn't a necessary concern, the irrationality of hypochondria is a very strong issue. I often check to ensure if they're still there, or go through other equally ridiculous rituals.

Thank you.
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Postby yat_chum » Sun Aug 26, 2012 4:11 am

I have removed smaller ones with a narrow base by tying with dental floss. Cutting it off with sterile nail scissors or nail clippers is fine. For larger ones I would recommend getting them removed my the doctor. I don't like the idea of treating them with application of any concoction, herbal or not.
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Re: Skin Tags

Postby Trevor » Sat Jan 26, 2013 11:36 am

I m a nurse, bloodroot and other herbal remedies can actually be harmful. Some medical practitioners see skin tags as related to developing insulin resistance as in type two diabetes, however I have a parent who has skin tags for a long time and does not have diabetes. Exercise and eat a healthy whole foods based diet and you should be fine.
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Re: Skin Tags

Postby Josh Young » Sat Jan 26, 2013 12:03 pm

I am sorry about this:
http://www.gulfdermajournal.com/pdf/2005-10/3.pdf
This and other studies have found HPV DNA in skin tags.
While they usually are benign, they appear to be caused by various forms of HPV and one should keep in mind that statistics often indicate that well over 50% of the population in the USA at least carries some form of HPV...
There are a lot of solid studies showing the correlations between skin tags and human papillomavirus.

I would likely use an anti viral medicine topically or internally to treat them, Chun Pi, used in Chinese traditional medicine contains alkaloids that can inhibit viral replication as well as kill many kinds of tumors, which is useful considering that skin tags are considered a benign tumor by many medical professionals. This medicine (chun pi) has a safe history of use, does not stain or harm etc. it does taste horrible and bitter. I would likely prepare a topical salve from it to treat such things.

The good news is that skin tags are benign, they aren't going to kill you or hurt you.
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Re:

Postby caesar » Sat Jan 26, 2013 2:29 pm

yat_chum wrote:I have removed smaller ones with a narrow base by tying with dental floss.


And if you don't wanna put your money into that, hair works also fine. I've removed two of them with my own hair.
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Re: Skin Tags

Postby Monsoon » Sat Jan 26, 2013 2:29 pm

Heads-up!

The article given by Josh is not definitive. There is no consensus on any links between skin tags and any other condition, and the connection between skin tags and HPV is also speculative.

Using SCOPUS (a typical scientific research database), a search of the basic terms 'skin tag' and 'hpv' retrieves just 7 articles spanning 1992-2012 - this is hardly
... a lot of solid studies showing the correlations between skin tags and human papillomavirus.


(Searching OVID - PubMed yielded pretty much the same result)

Papilloma viruses are very common and it is likely that a significant proportion of the population carries at least one type. However, the vast majority of hpv viral forms are not harmful. The problematic ones are more commonly associated with warts, usually of the genital kind. If skin tags are in these area they need to be looked at by a specialist.

The overwhelming majority of skin tags occur in places where the skin experiences friction. Most often this is in the armpit area, although for women it can also occur where the bra straps sit. Skin tags in these areas are usually benign, and although they can be easily removed, doctors generally don't advocate it unless the tag is causing a physical discomfort.

Any home removal carries a higher risk of infection than proper surgical technique.

So, unless it is causing some grief, leave it alone. Failing that, go to your GP.
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Re: Skin Tags

Postby Sanfung » Mon Sep 23, 2013 3:52 pm

As you may know, I have been out for a little while so I am going back to the list of threads I had participated in before and posting a few responses to things I have not yet had an opportunity to.

I wanted to thank all of you for the advice and information involving skin tags. I had never actually heard of a connection between the human papilloma virus and skin tags. Rather, I usually associate skin tags with areas of skin that have rubbed together as Monsoon had mentioned.

For what it is worth, though, I do not have any warts and the skin tags I do have are not harmful at all. Interestingly enough, in the time since I last wrote this I experienced a few skin tags falling away.

Some of this may be the result of Chi Kung as well as much better posture. Posture might sound weird, but training has forced me to sit up properly. Due to a proprioceptive disorder as well as depression, I used to lay in weird patterns with my arms wrapped around myself.

Considering that I sit up like a regular person as much as I can now, I no longer have nearly as much skin rubbing together as I used to. For what it is worth, when I had the skin tags looked at they were dismissed as benign. They also saw no problems with areas where skin tags had fallen off.

Thank you for your assistance.
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