Are you afraid of the persistent and risky skin tags? You'll never have to come across these with the best ways on how to prevent skin tags!
At a Glance: While not at all life-threatening, skin tags can be very embarrassing. And because they are often harmless, you might want to have them removed due to cosmetic concerns.
It has been said that your greatest ally against all your skin imperfections is your trusty old concealer.
And we couldn’t agree more! It covers up discolorations and disguises blemishes to give you the appearance of flawless skin.
But even the best concealer formulation can fail at masking one of your skin’s most persistent blemishes: your skin tags.
While not at all dangerous, the growth of an abnormal skin lesion on your skin can be very frustrating.
Yes, they look hideous. But the problems that your skin tags bring can go beyond simple cosmetic concerns.
Imagine what it would feel like to have people constantly staring at you because of your skin tags.
It might even come to a point where others will avoid you in fear of contracting your “unknown skin disease.”
But can you blame them?
Skin tags are very unsightly, and they can cause you serious emotional anxiety.
But you don’t have to worry anymore because we’re here to spare you from further humiliation.
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Tag, You’re It!
Perhaps you’re wondering what exactly skin tags are and how do they come about in the first place.
We believe that in order to avoid any kind of skin condition, you must understand all its mechanics and come to terms with each of them.
That’s why we’re not only going to give advice on how to prevent this skin problem but also provide the factors that cause them as well as proven natural remedies on how to get rid of them.
What Are Skin Tags and What Do They Look Like?
Skin tags are minuscule benign outward growths on your skin. They are diminutive skin tissues made up of blood vessels and collagen.
Skin tags are connected to the surface of your skin by a stalk, the peduncle, and stick out like flappy pinheads.
For the most part, they can be mistaken for moles and warts because they all share some common characteristics. However, you can easily differentiate skin tags from either moles or warts.
Skin tags are often lighter in color. In fact, they are almost the same tone as that of your skin.
They start out very small, measuring only about half a quarter inch. However, they can grow larger and sometimes even multiply within a certain area of your skin.
What Causes Skin Tags
The cause of skin tags is often a source of contention among skin care experts.
But among the many possible factors that contribute to the growth of these tiny balloon-like blemishes, the following are believed to be the main culprit:
1. Friction
Friction occurs when one area of your skin rubs with another.
Too much friction can lead to an irritation of the skin known as chafing, which can cause blisters and rashes to form on your epidermis.
When these blisters and rashes heal, the skin usually thickens. In some instances, collagen deposits and blood vessels become trapped inside the thicker areas of your skin and form into skin tags.
Your skin is more prone to chafing if you are overweight. You can also suffer from this annoying condition if you often wear tight clothing.
2. Hormonal Imbalance
Skin tags may also arise due to the hormonal changes of your body.
Women are especially prone to hormone fluctuations, especially during pregnancy, and thus, are more likely to develop skin tags.
It is also very likely that the excess weight you gain during pregnancy will cause more friction on the skin of your neck, under the breasts, and near the armpits.
3. Insulin Resistance
Insulin functions by conditioning the different cells of your body for glucose absorption.
This means that the food that goes through your digestive tract, especially carbohydrates, is broken down and transformed into energy that will fuel your body for the day.
When you are suffering from insulin resistance, the cells from your muscle, fat, and liver cannot properly produce insulin.
This means that your bloodstream cannot readily absorb glucose and requires higher levels of insulin for glucose to enter the cells of your body.
Insulin resistance affects your body’s sodium sensitivity, which results in sodium retention. When your body holds too much salt, it may result in water retention.
Water retention causes pressure on your skin cells and blocks them, which leads to the occurrence of skin conditions such as acne and skin tags.
How To Prevent Skin Tags From Forming
Now that you have an idea on what the major causes of this skin condition are, it’s time that you also acquaint yourself with some effective means to prevent skin tags.
As with anything, prevention is always better than the cure.
For one, it is more efficient and cost-effective to prevent a skin condition than to cure it once it has started to set in.
It is also less stressful to prevent skin tags from ever happening than to think of remedies and medications to get rid of it.
Let us guide you with some of the most effective ways to prevent skin tags.
1. Easy, Rub It Out!
If there’s one thing that you should rub out from your lifestyle in order to prevent skin tags, it’s the cause of your skin rubbing against each other.
For example, excess weight can make your skin looser on areas that are prone to developing skin tags such as your neck, armpits, and breasts.
When you are overweight, you are also more likely to experience skin chafing, which may eventually lead to the growth of skin tags.
To avoid this, consider losing some weight and toning down flabby areas of your body through a combination of proper diet and exercise.
2. Loosen Up!
Friction on your skin caused by the clothes you wear is also to blame for your skin tags. Tight clothing often rubs against the surface of your skin and irritates it.
As it is when you are overweight, collagen gets trapped within areas of your skin as a result of constant rubbing.
Opt instead for looser clothing. Not only are they more comfortable, but they are also easier on your skin as they do not trigger the development of problems such as acne and skin tags.
3. Keeping Your Hormones At Bay
Due to hormonal imbalance, your skin may lose elasticity, and when it does, it becomes flabby.
Loose, flabby skin may constantly rub against itself and develop skin tags.
Your hormone production is your body’s natural response to various factors that affect it. But though they are naturally-occurring, the power to control them still lies with you.
You can quickly improve your hormones by eliminating sugar, dairy, and gluten from your diet.
Instead, consume foods that are unprocessed, organic, and plant-based. These foods can reset your hormones.
Regular exercise can also reduce fluctuations in your hormones. It can also reduce stress, which is another factor that stresses your hormone production.
4. Curbing Your Cravings
Remember how insulin resistance affects your body’s sensitivity to sodium?
When your body cannot process sodium properly, it retains more fluids, which can lead to cell blockage and skin damage.
One of the possibilities it creates as a result of water retention is the growth of skin tags.
You can stop the onset of insulin resistance by curbing down your cravings for highly processed foods such as pastries, pasta, and soda.
When you do so, you are not only eliminating the factors behind cell blockage but also a major cause of obesity.
Instead, choose foods that are high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
How To Get Rid Of Skin Tags Fast With Natural Remedies
You can minimize or avoid the growth of skin tags, but what if they have already set it and colonized areas of your skin?
Some remedies are easy to prepare using ingredients that are readily available at home or at your local supermarket and health store.
Now, if you’re squeamish, you don’t have to worry as the processes involved in removing your skin tags naturally as they will not cause you any pain or discomfort aside from a mild sting.
As long as you follow safety precautions in handling the required ingredients and proper hygiene in the application on your skin, you’re good to go.
Before you begin the treatment, observe the following:
- Make sure that the area where the skin tag is, is clean by washing with lukewarm water and a mild antibacterial soap.
- Dry the area thoroughly with a clean cotton towel.
- Be careful when applying homemade skin tag concoctions on areas near your eyes and mouth.
1. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a favorite among holistic health enthusiasts because of its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
What apple cider vinegar does is destroy the tissue that forms the skin tag with its acetic compounds.
Preparation and Application:
With a cotton ball, apply a liberal amount of apple cider vinegar and pat on the area with skin tags for fifteen to thirty minutes.
Repeat this for several weeks until your skin tags dry and naturally falls off.
2. Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil boasts of Terpinen-4 which contains antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antibiotic properties that are very effective in treating skin problems such as skin tags.
Tea tree oil removes skin tags by gradually depriving them of oxygenated blood in order to dry out the outgrowth.
Preparation and Application:
In a bowl, mix three drops of tea tree oil with four drops of raw apple cider vinegar and five drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Then, soak a cotton ball into the mixture and dab on the affected area of your skin.
Leave your skin tags to soak in the solution by covering the area with a plaster adhesive until it is time for your next application.
Repeat the process for three to six weeks until your skin tags have fully diminished.
3. Garlic
Garlic contains allicin and sulfur, which are known to increase the elasticity of your skin.
These reduce the risk of flabby, overlapping skin that is prone to rubbing on other areas of the skin and developing skin tags.
These properties are also known to enhance blood flow, thus keeping your blood vessels from being trapped within deeper layers of your skin.
Preparation and Application:
Crush and mash a few cloves of garlic into a paste.
Once the paste is thick enough, apply it directly on your skin tags and let it stay for two hours.
To keep the paste from wiping off, place a sterile plaster strip and remove it only when it’s time for you to reapply the paste.
It normally takes a week or two for skin tags to fall off with the help of garlic.
4. Castor Oil
As a natural emollient, castor oil penetrates your skin and helps stimulate and lubricate it from within by aiding its production of collagen and elastin.
When used as a topical solution, castor oil makes your skin more pliable, thus reversing the effects of friction such as the development of skin tags.
Preparation and Application:
Prepare your own castor oil ointment by mixing a tablespoon of baking powder with equal parts of castor oil. Stir the mixture until it forms a paste.
Next, apply the paste to the area with skin tags and leave it to dry.
As you apply the ointment on a regular basis, your skin tags will be devoid of moisture.
In four to six weeks, your skin tags will shrivel and fall off.
A Word Of Advice
Using natural alternatives to remove skin tags often takes time that you might find yourself wanting to use invasive methods to get rid of the nasty outgrowth.
Many guides available online suggest using a needle or a scalpel to pick and cut the skin tag from its stalk.
This is something that you can do based on your own judgment.
We, however, do not encourage you to resort to such means as doing so increases your risk of developing a scar and infection within the affected area.
As with any skin condition, seek the advice of your skincare specialist when your skin tags show visible changes in color and size or if they are causing you pain.
The Bottom Line
Skin tags are among the most common skin problems that affect sixty percent of the world’s population regardless of age, gender, or race.
They are often acquired genetically, so if your parents have them, there is a large chance of you developing skin tags at some point in your life.
Although you cannot thwart biology, you have the power to control the factors that trigger and aggravate the growth of skin tags on your skin.
This complete guide will give you a head start on how to avoid the growth of these nasty blemishes, but at the end of the day, your lifestyle will determine your chances of developing skin tags.
