A skin tag is a diminutive, harmless, extension of skin that is usually attached from beneath the skin by a tiny support stalk. These skin tags are seen in places which are exposed to frequent friction with clothes or areas that have more skin to skin friction. They hang out from the skin surface. They commonly occur in the neck, underarms, groin, and upper chest. Medically a skin tag is termed as an acrochordon. Often skin tags are also identified as soft warts, fibroma pendulum, pedunculated fibroma, or soft fibromas. 

Reasons why they happen
Skin tags comprise of blood vessels surrounded by skin and loose fibers of collagen. Collagen is a kind of protein located all through the body. Anybody can develop a skin tag irrespective of gender and age, but elder people are prone to skin tags especially those who have type 2 diabetes. 
Skin tags tend to evolve in the layers of the skin folds, where the skin rubs against itself as mentioned earlier, but it is also observed that few individuals get skin tags without any such reason. This is also a reason why skin tags occur more in overweight people as they have more skin folds that are susceptible to chafing. 

Why should you get them removed? 
Most skin tags don't need treatment as they are harmless, but at times people do tend to discard them for cosmetic purpose or may be out of discomfort when they rub against skin or clothing. Checking with your physician in case you doubt the shape of the skin tag and suspect a cancerous element. In such scenario, you will be recommended biopsy for further proceedings if any. 

How is a skin tag removed?
A skin tag is removed through few procedures. Your doctor can consider any of the procedures mentioned below: 

 Cryotherapy: Cryotherapy requires chilling the skin tag with nitrogen fluid. Your physician may spray or swab a little amount of liquid nitrogen onto the skin tag. After the treatment, you may have a small blister which will heal by itself. 
Surgical removal: In the case of surgical removal, the skin tag is cut with a scalpel or scissors. The cut might sometimes be deeper in which case the cut will require stitches. Surgical removal has the advantage of obliterating the skin tag, but there is a risk of minor bleeding. Removal of skin tags doesn't require a full anesthesia. Local anesthesia is sufficient. 
Electro Surgery: Electro Surgery is another remedy where the skin tag is burned with electrical energy in high-frequency. The heat is applied through the narrow stem that holds the skin tag to the skin. 
Ligation: Ligation is yet another method where a surgical thread is tied up to remove the tag. 
There are also natural remedies, such as using lotions or essential oils over a period or also over the counter medicines but then a doctor s advice is always essential to prevent the scope of any scarring, to bleed or other such side effects.

Skin Tags - Get Rid Of Unwanted Extensions

For most us tattoos are a form of expressing their personalities. However, the things you identify with, in your teens may not be something you want to be associated with as you grow older. In some cases, a tattoo may not come out as you imagined it to be and this may leave you with a permanent adornment that you don t like. Thankfully, though tattoos are permanent, it is possible to remove them. As with getting a tattoo in the first place, removing it is not as simple as it sounds and can be quite painful. 

Here are a few things to keep in mind before opting to remove a tattoo.

Complete removal is not guaranteed: Not all tattoos are the same, the deeper tattoo ink is injected into the skin, the harder it is to remove. In many cases, tattoo removal may leave behind a faint shadow of the tattoo or cause permanent scarring.
How you got your tattoo made affects its removal: Professional tattoo artists have a steady hand and inject ink at the same depth, unlike amateurs who inject ink at varying depths. Thus removing a professional tattoo is easier than removing one made by an amateur.
It is painful: As when getting a tattoo made, removing it is also painful. The amount of pain felt depends largely on the location of the tattoo. In the case of laser treatment, this can be described as the feeling of having an elastic band repeatedly strike the skin. You could ask for local anesthesia or a numbing cream to be applied before starting the procedure to reduce the pain.
Multiple sessions are required: On an average 6-10 sessions are required to remove a tattoo. However, the actual number of sessions depends on a number of factors including the location of your tattoo, the number of colors in it etc. you will also need to wait at least 6 weeks between sessions to reduce the risk of side effects.
There are side effects: Some of the side effects you may notice after a tattoo removal session are blistering of the skin, bleeding, redness or darkening of the skin and inflammation of the tattooed area. These are temporary and should subside in a few weeks. However, darkening or lightening of the skin can last for up to a year. Scarring, burns and textural changes to the skin are other potential side effects. These can often be permanent.

Tattoo Removal - 5 Things You Need To Know Before You Go For It!

Dermatology is a very vast subject and many times it crosses the medical field to the cosmetology sector, where beautiful skin maintenance is concerned. The case of mole removal, for example, is handled by dermatologists. However, while examining the moles they first confirm that they do not, in any way, pose the risk of melanoma, a type of skin cancer. In fact, it has been reported that a dermatologist in Christchurch, New Zealand is offering free checkups during weekends for melanoma. Her plight is that she lost her brother to melanoma and many people make the mistake of ignoring moles on their skin and pay the heavy price.

A Professional Way Better than Trying at Home
For exactly the reason mentioned above, if you find moles on your skin, you should have the area examined by a dermatologist. The doctor would have the right instruments to identify and check whether they are only moles and then advise the appropriate removal. If the advice from the doctor itself indicates a simple procedure at home, then you can do this. There are over the counter products, such as peels available which can be used and then the moles can be removed. For other cases, you will need to subject yourself to a proper mole removal procedure.

Simple Methods For Surgeries
Chemical peels and burning away the extra growth using Cantharidin are some of the options available to dermatologists to remove moles from your skin. They may either have their own proprietary peels made or use the ones available in the market. Either way, the dermatologist will know how to prepare the skin before applying the remedy and also after treatment care. Skin is a very sensitive part of the body and no risk can be taken. If the mole removal has to be carried out only through a surgical procedure, the dermatologist will make that decision and do it as soon as you are ready.

Again, within the surgical method of removing moles, the doctor may use very simple procedures such as a scalpel to cut and remove the mole as well as a small amount of skin and dress it up. In the next level, the doctor may have to make a proper incision and then stitch up the area around the cut portion. Care will be taken regarding the scar on the skin.

Take Care of Your Skin
Depending on which part of the world you live in, there are steps you must take to protect your skin from getting damaged. In particular, the areas, like the face, neck, shoulders and hands which are exposed to the sun or cold winds or other vagaries that pose risks to the surface of the skin. The moment you observe signs of any abnormality in the skin, consult a good dermatologist to get healthy skin.

Mole Removal - What To Know?

Moles and Nevi are formed when there is a localized concentration of pigment cells on the skin or mucous membrane. They appear as colour growths and may appear anywhere. Colours may vary and can be brown, black, or natural skin colour. These growths usually appear in early childhood or adulthood, but there are some that may appear late. With the passage of time, these growths may change in appearance and become darker in colour or raised in appearance. Hairs may also develop among them.

Treatment for Moles:

Your plastic surgeon can advise to remove a mole when he/she has a clinical suspicion that it may transform into a malignant nevus. People may also want to go for mole removal if it bears an aesthetic dimension. If the patient wants to remove moles from sensitive areas like eyelids, eyes, mouth etc., he/she needs to consider meeting a Plastic Surgeon who is skilled and experienced in mole removal. Plastic surgeons can conduct procedures with minimal scarring.

Plastic Surgery for Mole or Nevi Removal:

There are many processes of mole removal. Some of the commons ones are listed below:

Shaving with Surgical Scalpel:

The plastic surgeon may shave off a small & superficial mole with a surgical scalpel. There are some moles which have cells underneath the skin which may need to make a deeper cut.

CO2 Laser or Electrocautery:

The plastic surgeon may also do cauterisation of the moles using radiofrequency cautery. Laser plastic surgical treatment encounters less scarring. Nevertheless, Laser treatment may be required in stages for satisfactorily removing the deeper moles.

Excision & reconstruction of bigger moles & nevi:

Giant hairy nevus or huge moles needs reconstructive surgery after complete excision of such bigger moles.

Benefits of Plastic Surgery:

Brings Down Risk of Melanoma - Though moles are benign in general, there is a risk of them turning cancerous over time and giving rise to melanoma. This is why plastic surgeon may monitor certain moles in patients and advise mole removal. While cosmetic reasons are attributed to the patient's concerns, doctors are concerned about the likelihood of melanoma. So, the best mole removal procedure can bring down the risk of melanoma.
Cosmetic Benefits - Some moles, especially those in the face, appear unsightly. Removing these moles can offer cosmetic benefits.
Conclusion:

In general, moles need to be removed with the help of a plastic surgeon for better cosmetic results & prevention of possible complications.

Moles & Nevus - How Can Plastic Surgery Remove These?

Most of Almost every one of us dreams of a flawless skin. But, your beauty gets a patch of ugliness with the presence of unwanted moles on your skin. Moles develop from cells called melanocytes, which produce pigment melanin that gives skin its color. It is for this reason that the moles are darker than the other parts of the skin. They are usually caused due to hormonal changes.

Here are some common causes behind moles:

Teenage: It is the stage that sees a lot of hormonal changes and imbalances. This increases the chance of developing moles.
Pregnancy: It is that period when a woman s body goes through a hell lot of changes. It doesn t give rise to more moles but it is responsible for darkening of the existing ones.
Sunlight: Exposure to sunlight for a prolonged period of time may lead to the formation of moles. These can worsen later by taking the shape of melanoma, or skin cancer.
Genetics: Researchers believe that genes are responsible for having moles on the body or face.
Types of Moles
It is difficult to identify the various types of moles. They almost look the same. But, on closer scrutiny, you will see the differences. Here are the most common ones:

Dermal melanocytic naevi: They protrude from the skin. They have a pale hue. They may have hair on them as well.
Junctional melanocytic naevi: They are either flat or round. They are deep brown or black in colour.
Compound melanocytic naevi: They protrude from skin. They are light brown in colour.
Blue naevi: They are dark blue in colour.
Halo naevi: The moles have a pale circular ring around it.
Home remedies to get rid of moles
Here are some common home-based remedies to treat moles:

Apple Cider Vinegar: It is a strong natural acid. It burns the area and the mole falls off. But, you need to be anti-allergic to the acid. Dip a cotton ball in the acid and apply on the affected part. You will see results in 10 days time.
Baking soda and Castor oil: The mixture of baking soda and castor oil makes a slow but effective solution for treatment of moles. It also prevents the scars. Castor oil has the ability to disperse any growth of pathogens.
Flaxseed oil, Ground Flaxseeds and Honey: This is an effective remedy for moles that are raised from the skin. It causes loosening of the edges of the mole. Gradually, the mole falls off due to its application.

Moles - Know The Common Types!

Do you know the sun is making your skin age faster? plus, 5 other reasons behind facial wrinkles

Facial wrinkling occurs when the skin develops creases, folds and ridges. The formation of wrinkles is a normal part of the process of skin ageing. However, certain factors may accelerate the process and lead to premature wrinkling of the face and other parts of the body.

The main causes of facial wrinkling are:

1. Skin ageing: as a person gets older, his/her skin becomes less taut and begins to sag. The production of natural oils and fat in the deeper layers of the skin gets reduced with age, which leads to the formation of wrinkles due to diminished skin elasticity.

2. Sun exposure: constant exposure of skin to the sun causes damage and speeds up the ageing process. The harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun break down collagen and collective tissue fibres, which is the primary cause of premature wrinkling.

3. Skin complexion: due to the absence of melanin, people with fairer (lighter) skin, experience more damage due to sun exposure. This causes them to develop wrinkles much earlier.

4. Facial muscle contraction: repeatedly making the same facial expressions and contraction of face muscles causes wrinkling. Those who constantly frown, smile or squint get facial wrinkles as it leads to reduced skin elasticity.

5. Smoking: smokers are more susceptible to premature wrinkling. This is due to the presence of nicotine, tar and other chemicals from the smoke in the bloodstream, which hamper the supply of blood and oxygen to the outer layers of skin.

6. Genetic factors: many people get facial wrinkling as a result of hereditary causes and family genetics.

However, the good news is that facial wrinkling can be prevented through these simple ways:

Sun protection

This is the most effective way of avoiding wrinkles. Keep yourself protected against sun exposure by staying out of the sun as much as possible and wearing sunscreen at all times.

Quitting the smoke

Kicking the habit will show a marked improvement in your skin quality and would help prevent further wrinkling.

Use of moisturisers

Dry skin is more prone to wrinkling. Keeping your skin supple and moisturised prevents wrinkles.

Leading a healthy lifestyle

The combination of following a nutritious diet, drinking plenty of water, getting enough sleep and regularly exercising keeps the skin young and wrinkle-free.

Treatment options:

There are several options to improve wrinkles by procedures which include botox, fillers, prp and lasers for skin tightening. The most suitable option can be chosen depending upon the severity and type of wrinkling.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'consult'.
Related Tip: 6 Face Washing Mistakes that are Damaging Your Skin, Everyday!

Do You Know the Sun is Adding Wrinkles To Your FACE?

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