How to Remove Skin Tags at Home

Skin tags are small growths that can look like little flaps of skin or like a small ball attached to the skin by a stalk. Skin tags are not dangerous to your health, but they can be a nuisance. Skin tags are most likely to be found on your neck, under your breast, under your armpit, on your eyelid, or in your groin area.

Some healthcare professionals would have you believe that skin tags should only be removed by a doctor. A doctor will either freeze, burn, or cut a skin tag off to remove it. They will remove it right in their office. My mother had one removed on her chest and all the doctor did was attach a pair of tweezers to it, pull it out tight, and cut it off with a small pair of scissors. After he did that he told her that she could easily remove any others she may get by doing the same thing herself.

I believe that most skin tags are easily removed at home. I would not recommend removing a skin tag near your eye by yourself though. I am sure that others have done so successfully, but I would not be comfortable in doing it myself.

There are other methods of skin tag removal that you can do at home besides cutting them off:

-fingernail polish. Use clear fingernail polish to cover the skin tag. Do this twice a day and the skin tag will shrink and then disappear. This method can take up to a week to be successful.

-string or dental floss. Tie a string tightly around the base of the skin tag. The skin tag will eventually turn dark and fall off. Depending upon the size of the skin tag this method could take up to two weeks to be successful.

-castor oil and baking soda. Make a paste of castor oil and baking soda and apply to the skin tag several times a day until the skin tag dries up and disappears. This method can take up to two weeks to be successful.

-wart removal solutions. Apply to the skin tag twice a day until the skin tag falls off. This method can irritate the surrounding skin and takes up to two weeks to be successful.

I am a person who likes instant gratification. I would not want to go around for one or two weeks with fingernail polish painted on my skin, a string tied to me, or with solutions pasted on me. I prefer the quick method of cutting the skin tag off.

To cut a skin tag off quickly and safely:

-Clean the skin tag, the surrounding area, and the scissors with alcohol.
-Numb the area with an ice cube.
-Use a pair of small, sharp cuticle scissors to snip the skin tag off.
-Apply pressure with a sterile gauze pad to stop any bleeding. In most cases there will be very little or no bleeding.
-Apply a triple antibiotic cream to the area.
-Cover with a bandage.

This method of skin tag removal is instantaneous and is virtually what would be done in a doctor's office. Even better than a doctor's office is that it is free and can be done in the privacy of your own home.