Skin tags: causes and treatments

Skin tags, also known as acrochordons, are small brown or darker-than-skin tone growths on the surface of the skin. Tags are very common and harmless growths and tend to occur on the neck, under the breasts, armpits, eyelids and folds of the groin. They generally take place after midlife. About 25% of people report having skin tags after they cross the age of 50.

What causes skin tags to occur?

Skin tags are very common among diabetics and obese individuals. Pregnant women also develop skin tags, as a consequence of changes in the body's hormonal levels. Skin tags tend to occur when your skin rubs against clothing or skin. They are normally caused by blood vessels and collagen that gets trapped inside the thicker portions of the skin. For this reason, they are typically found in folds and creases of the skin. Sometimes, they reduce on their own if blood supply to the tissue has been disrupted due to them getting twisted.

What procedures are involved in their treatment?

Skin tags are generally removed for purely cosmetic reasons but when they do become troublesome, as in, they rub against jewelry, skin or clothing, doctors recommend their removal as the area can end up becoming irritated.

The following procedures are performed to remove these annoying growths on skin:

1. Excision - in this procedure the skin tag gets removed using a scalpel.

2. Ligation - the procedure involves the cutting off of blood supply to the skin tag.

3. Cauterization - the procedure involves the burning off the skin tag using electrolysis (process that involves decomposition of a matter by electric current)

4. Cryosurgery - in this procedure, the skin tag is frozen before removing it. An instrument containing liquid nitrogen is used to do the removal.

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Related Tip: How does salt help in clearing skin?

Why are SKIN TAGs so annoying?

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!

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!

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?

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

Stress and fatigue as well as hormonal issues and genetically inherited conditions may leave a mark on our faces, and the eyes in particular. We talk about getting under-eye puffiness, yet we fail to notice that some of us also experience the ill effects of another issue: eyes that look hollow. This issue is particularly evident on more thin faces. As a general rule, ladies who experience them say that they look tired even when they aren't. For some ladies, they start seeing hollows in the under eye area in their mid-30s. As they grow older, the procedure accelerates and gives them a tired and old appearance.

Causes: So what causes a hollow to happen? The fat cushions that line the drop and start to leave the area with an empty look. This creates a less than flattering look which also looks dark and unsightly. Some of the fixes for this problem are as follows:

Filler Fix: Hyaluronic corrosive is successful in filling the affected areas under the eyes, when the tissue is injected with it. The best choice is hyaluronic corrosive filler, for example, Restylane or Juv&eacute;derm Voluma, in combination with the surface medicines for the skin.

Lasting Fix: A lower eyelift or blepharoplasty surgery can expel any free skin under the eyes that gives a hollow look. The fat can be repositioned or added to smooth out depressed skin.

Product Fix: Applying cucumber cuts and items with vitamin C can also help. It can diminish the dark circles that occasionally come with eye hollows. If you find that you have dark circles as well, a solution of hydroquinone can help up under-eye shadows.

Utilize an eye cream with hyaluronic corrosive as one of the fixings.

Use hyaluronic corrosive alone on the influenced region, being exceptionally cautious not to get it in your eyes.

Some of the natural strategies are:

1. Rest: This is the genuine, essential and a viable home solution for hollow eyes. As said before, a depressed eye usually calls for more rest.

2. Almond Oil: Apply almond oil under the eyes a few times each day. Almond oil is rich in Vitamin E, a sustaining vitamin for glowing skin.

3. Raw Potato Juice: Raw potatoes are equally important to heal sore eyes and dark circles. Cut the potatoes and lay it on the affected spot for around 20 minutes.

4. Utilized tea packs: With rich cell reinforcements, utilizing tea packs advances blood flow. The sore and darker skin gets renewed.

5. Cucumber: Any eye based solution without cucumber is incomplete. Get some rest by setting cut cucumber on eyes and wake up with new, restored and sparkling eyes.

The Best Procedure for Doing Away With Under Eye Hollows

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