What are skin tags?
Skin tags are benign skin growths that dangle from the skin. Medically speaking, skin tags are completely harmless. However they often pose a cosmetic concern as they can appear on areas like the eyelids, upper chest, buttocks, groin, neck, and armpits. Skin tags can vary in number from a single tag to a cluster of hundreds.
More than half of the general population will develop some form of skin tags within their lifetime. For many people unwanted skin tags can be a source of embarrassment or poor self image. Dr. Sobel offers skin tag removal to instantly remove these unwanted growths.
Who gets skin tags?
Men and women of all ages are equally at risk of developing skin tags. Skin tag development is most common in middle age (between 35 and 60 years of age). However skin tags can appear at any age with many children and toddlers developing tags under their arms and neck.
What causes skin tags?
The exact cause of skin tags is not known. However, many physicians believe skin tags are the result of skin rubbing against other skin as tags commonly occur in skin folds and creases where friction is common. Other research targets trapped collagen and blood vessels within thicker pits of skin as the cause.
Removing skin tags on your own is not a good idea, especially if the tag is relatively large in size. Skin tags have blood vessels making the area prone to infection if you do not use medically sterile equipment.
What is the process?
If your skin tags become bothersome or if you want to remove them for cosmetic purposes we offer different easy approaches to removal:
- Burning the tag using electrocautery
- Cutting the tag off using medical scissors
Does it hurt?
If the skin tag is small there will be relatively no pain. Removal in this case feels like a small pinprick. For larger skin tags a topical anesthetic will prevent you from feeling any pain during removal.
The procedure is fast and painless and does not require any bandage afterwards. Dr. Sobel will provide you with an antibiotic ointment to dab on the area for a couple of days.
If you are seeking skin tag treatment in NYC, our staff at Sobel Skin offers honest, human, forward-looking skin care to help you be your best, most refreshed self. Call 212.288.0060 fill out a form in the right-hand column of this page to book an initial treatment consultation with Dr. Sobel.