Skin tags on the face: are they dangerous?

Skin tags on the face

Skin tags can be defined as small, non-cancerous growths similar to the color of the skin to appear as a collection of facial tissues that appear outward, as these growths consist of collagen fibers and blood vessels that surround the skin, and may be visible in a color darker than the skin color as a prominent mole on the surface .

Skin tags are generally 1-5 millimeters in size and some grow a few more centimeters, but they're not often alarming if they appear in more than half of adults at least once in their life.

Causes of skin tags on the face

These growths appear due to the growth of excess cells on the surface of the skin, and they appear more when the skin rubs against each other, that is, in cases of overweight and obesity.

There are also factors that increase its incidence, such as:

• high blood sugar
• aging
• pregnancy, but it disappears with childbirth.

What does the skin tags look like?

Usually these growths do not cause any pain to the person because they appear in several characteristics, including the following:

• Soft and gentle to the touch.
• hanging from the skin.
• Not contagious.

Diagnosis of skin tags

Diagnosis depends on several things, such as:

• Brief assessment of the patient's condition initially.
• Researching the person's health history to make sure there is any health condition that causes the growths to appear.
• Clinical examination of the appendages .

Skin tags treatment

There are several treatment methods that can be resorted to to get rid of skin tags on the face, including home and medical ones that can be used after the doctor’s approval and evaluation of the situation. Know them as follows:

1. Home Remedies

Here are some of the home remedies that can be used:

• Strips: They work by blocking blood flow to the base of the appendages, which kills cells and makes the appendages fall off the skin.
• Creams: These creams can sometimes be effective, and it is advised to stay away from those that contain salicylic acid or tea tea oil, as they may cause irritation and allergies, and the skin must be cleaned before applying the cream to ensure that it is absorbed by the skin.
• Tea tree oil: It is used to treat several different skin conditions. A few drops of it can be placed on a cotton ball and left for 10 minutes on the skin, three times a day. The growths may fall off within days to weeks.
• Apple cider vinegar: There is little research on its effectiveness in treating skin tags on the face. A small amount of apple cider vinegar is placed on the face for 10 minutes two to three times a day until the tags fall off, taking care to ensure that they do not cause allergies or irritation to the skin.
• Iodine: Liquid iodine can be used to remove the appendages by covering the skin surrounding the appendages with coconut oil or Vaseline, then dipping the cotton ear in iodine and placing it on the appendages, then covering the area until the iodine dries .

2. Medical treatments

Medical treatments are used, including the following:

• Ironing: In which the skin tags are burned to fall off after several sessions of treatment.
• Cryotherapy: Using liquid nitrogen to get rid of unwanted skin tags, taking care that the nitrogen does not touch the skin surrounding the growths.
• Ligation technique: in which the doctor uses a surgical thread that is wrapped around the skin tags to reduce blood flow ; Which causes it to fall over time.
• Trimming: Surgical blades are used to cut any skin tags on the face or in general.