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HELP! Skin tags are taking over my body!

(28 Posts)
Sophiasnana Tue 11-May-21 21:21:15

I have so many skin tags on my body. I know its quite normal in later life (I’m 62) but they are so unsightly, especially the ones on my neck.
I have tried so many remedies. Bought stuff from the internet that promised to get rid of them in two days etc. Nothing works. My GP surgery used to offer removal, but no longer does this. Any ideas?

Sago Tue 11-May-21 21:45:36

Just tie a piece of cotton around, knot and they will fall off.
You may need someone to help.

Niobe Tue 11-May-21 22:23:32

Please ask for a blood glucose test in case you are diabetic. I had a lot of tags and they disappeared after I was diagnosed as Type 2 and got my glucose levels down.

BlueBelle Tue 11-May-21 22:37:57

I used to have them on my neck but without using anything they ve gone

Kali2 Tue 11-May-21 22:41:55

Sago

Just tie a piece of cotton around, knot and they will fall off.
You may need someone to help.

Very easy mthod indeed- it works.

Teacheranne Wed 12-May-21 00:34:53

Sago

Just tie a piece of cotton around, knot and they will fall off.
You may need someone to help.

I’ve got loads as well, many too small to tie cotton round and I cannot manage it on my own anyway!

I bought a gadget that uses tiny elastic bands which is very effective but replacement bands are very expensive and again, only really work on larger ones.

Coolgran65 Wed 12-May-21 04:53:46

This has been happening to me over the past two years across my shoulders, the back of my neck and working towards the front. A mix of skin tags and flat warty discs. The skin tags don’t seem to have a long enough stalk to use cotton. I tried apple cider vinegar without success. I have also got two horrible warts on the back of my hand and I continue to apply ACV several times daily without success though was told it takes several months to work.
I had previously bought a product which would freeze the warts on my hand but found it difficult to only get this product on the warts and was afraid of damaging the surrounding tissue. I also was told by my GP that treatment on the NHS was not available.
My back and shoulders feel dry and itchy although the skin looks ok. I use a lot of medical moisturising creams and lotions on my shoulders.
A tip to apply the lotions if no one is available to help ..... I managed to squirt some lotion using a pump dispenser and used a spatula to spread it. Pretty basic but it did the job.

Calendargirl Wed 12-May-21 06:58:30

I used the piece of cotton on one on my face after reading about it on GN. It dropped off after a few days. DH tied it on for me, glad it was when mask wearing was compulsory.

mumofmadboys Wed 12-May-21 07:16:46

If a second person holds the end of the skin tag with tweezers, it is easier to tie a cotton around the base of the skin tag.

Daisymae Wed 12-May-21 07:54:41

You can buy a gadget from Amazon that attaches a tiny elastic band, someone has mentioned. I guess that the cotton method is the same thing.

Spinnaker Wed 12-May-21 08:41:04

If the tags are not long enough to tie off with thread then soak a small piece of cotton wool with Tea Tree Oil and tape across the skin tag. Better to do this after showering as need to keep it dry. Change as and when needed. Usually after three days or so you begin to see the change in its appearance, eventually dropping off altogether. Good luck !

Franbern Wed 12-May-21 08:50:21

I have had a few of these on my face recently. However, the one that concerns me is one on my neck and it is full of blood. I did accidently break this a few weeks ago and thee was quite a lot of blood. Kept it covered over with a plaster for a few days, and it has now reformed. It unsighly, but am worried about catching it again and it bleeding.

I had intended to approach my GP about this, but from this thread I am learning that NHS will not assist me in this. Find that a little worrying.

Rosina Wed 12-May-21 08:59:23

Franbern it must be worth talking to your GP about that tag - I had a similar one on my ribs, which was caught often by my bra strap. It was frozen with a spray at the surgery, and fell off soon afterwards - it took seconds. I do agree that the NHS has had to cut back , but in your circumstances, having a tag that bleeds if caught, perhaps they would be willing to deal with it for you? It's not as if it is a lengthy or expensive procedure and it's certainly worth asking - good luck!

Franbern Wed 12-May-21 09:01:47

Rosina, thanks for that reply. I will use askmygp about this particular tag and find out if they are willing to assist in getting it removed.

Charleygirl5 Wed 12-May-21 09:10:33

Franbern I agree, that is not an ordinary tag and should be dealt with at the surgery. Emphasise the amount of blood loss if it is tagged by accident.

jusnoneed Wed 12-May-21 09:10:41

I have used the cotton method for years (our doctor told my son to do the same trick when he asked him about one) but if I have any too small to tie around I just tightly pinch the base with my finger nails. Hold it for 30 second or so and repeat for a couple days if needed. Usually vanishes.

fevertree Wed 12-May-21 09:36:20

jusnoneed I do the same while they are tiny. I wash my hands, pinch them between my nails and rip them off. A spot of tea tree oil or an alcohol wipe and voila. It stings a bit, but I'd rather have that than skin tags. I hate the damn things.

Gwyneth Wed 12-May-21 10:37:26

I have a large wart on my head actually on my hairline. I keep catching it when combing my hair and it sometimes bleeds. This week spoke to GP who said as others have already said that they will not remove warts anymore and that I would need to have it removed privately. I had already spoken to the pharmacist first to ask about using the wart removal stuff and she said definitely not to use it on the face/head and in fact it states this clearly on the information given for the product. GP told me to go ahead and use it so really don’t know what to do.

Gwyneth Wed 12-May-21 10:39:10

Apologies I know this thread is specifically about skin tags but just thought I’d mention that I had a similar experience re a wart!

jusnoneed Wed 12-May-21 11:21:33

oooh you are braver than me if you rip them off fevertree lol.
I let them vanish on their own.

nanna8 Wed 12-May-21 13:38:46

My skin specialist said wart removal liquid will not help because these sort of warts have deep roots. I found this to be true, they come back after you think they are going. He prescribed some sort of steroid ointment which did work but it took a couple of weeks. I wouldn’t use it on the face,though. I was using it on my back.

Sophiasnana Wed 12-May-21 15:55:11

Thanks for all your replies. I did successfully remove one in my neck with tying cotton around it, but it was very fiddly, looked ridiculous (the grandchildren kept asking why I has string tied round it!) and took about four weeks to fall off! I just wondered if there actually was anything you could actually paste on to it, but it seems not.

fevertree Wed 12-May-21 16:18:48

For the record, I had a warty growth smack bang in the middle of my cheek that the GP said was cosmetic so could not be zapped. However, he referred me at that appointment to a specialist for removal of a seborrheic keratosis on my lip (GP didn't want to remove it because it was on my lip). So I asked the specialist about the unsightly benign wart on my cheek and he gave me his card and said it would cost £500+ to remove, I can't remember whether that was with or without the consultation fee.

At that price I waited until we went on holiday to Cape Town in 2018 and had it removed at a cost of about £100. As an aside, being a sunny country, the South African doctors are naturally really skilled at treating sun damage and there is no trace that there was ever anything on my cheek.

jusnoneed I know grin it is a bit extreme. I only do it to tiny ones. I did once sterilise and sharpen nail scissors to snip one off but that was a step too far, even for me! (don't try this at home!)

Gwyneth Wed 12-May-21 16:24:09

Thank you nanna8 will inquire re steroid cream. Interesting to read about your experience in Cape Town fevertree thanks.

Gwyneth Wed 12-May-21 16:26:12

Just realised nanna8 that you used it on your back not face. Must learn to read properly!!