Worried and annoyed about skin tags? These occur not just in the elderly but also young people. They are mostly harmless and painless. Yet, they are seen as a deformity by many, and people want to get rid of them once and for all. If you are one of those people, this article is your savior. Read further to know more!
Skin tags, also known as acrochordons, often occur in people aged over 60 years. Sometimes, they are found in youngsters too. They appear as small growths on the surface of the skin, where the skin folds. These usually occur around the neck, under the breasts, over the eyelids, under the armpits or the groin folds. They are mostly irregular-looking, brownish or skin-colored outgrowths.
There is no need to go for fancy chemical or cosmetic procedures to remove these outgrowths. You can use simple ingredients found at home and get rid of them easily, and at a very low cost. Please keep in mind that even though these natural remedies take a little longer than the chemical procedures, they are safer and more long-lasting.
People often get confused between skin tags, warts, and other similar looking skin outgrowths. The following explanation will help you differentiate and identify skin tags easily.
How To Identify Skin Tags
The funny thing is that most people are entirely unaware that they are living with these skin outgrowths. Quite often, skin tags fall off on their own due to friction and rubbing. The trouble arises when they don’t, and when they grow to a large enough size so as to cause embarrassment or even discomfort. Here are some key features to identify them:
- They look like little mushrooms with their skin stalks
- They are pendulum-like growths
- They are brown or flesh colored
It is essential to cut off the blood supply to these skin tags if you want them to die and fall off naturally. Certain home remedies can help remove skin tags naturally.
Here is a list of home remedies for skin tags removal that you can try.
How To Remove Skin Tags ?
1. Apple Cider Vinegar For Skin Tags
You Will Need
- A few drops of apple cider vinegar
- Cotton
- Duct tape or scotch tape
What You Have To Do
- Pour the vinegar onto a small piece of cotton and strap it to the skin tag. Use the tape to hold the cotton in place.
- Keep it on for a few hours.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat twice a day.
Why This Works
The acidity of the vinegar aids quick shedding of the skin tag.
2. Banana Peel For Skin Tags
You Will Need
A banana peel
What You Have To Do
- Cut a small portion of the peel.
- Apply the fibrous part (white side) of the peel on the skin tag for an hour or so.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat the process for a few days until the skin tag falls off.
Why This Works
Banana peels have been shown to be effective in removing warts with their enzymes and acids. The same chemicals found in the peel can help to shed the skin tags.
3. Baking Soda For Skin Tags
You Will Need
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- A few drops of castor oil
What You Have To Do
- Mix a little castor oil with baking soda to form a paste. Keep in mind that this can be very sticky.
- Apply this paste on the skin tag.
- Rinse it off after 1-2 hours.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat the process for 2-4 weeks, and you will notice the skin tag disappearing slowly.
Why This Works
Castor oil and baking soda alter the pH of the affected area, which helps to remove skin outgrowths like skin tags and even warts.
4. Bloodroot For Skin Tags
You Will Need
- Bloodroot paste (Black salve)
- Bandage
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Cotton
What You Have To Do
- Clean the skin tag and the surrounding area with a cotton ball dipped in hydrogen peroxide.
- Apply the black salve on this and cover with a bandage.
- Leave the bandage on for a few hours.
How Often You Should Do This
Change the bandage 3-4 times in a day. Repeat the process of cleaning with hydrogen peroxide and applying the bloodroot paste. Use this remedy continuously for a maximum of three days only.
Why This Works
Native to the United States and Canada, the bloodroot herb is a strong remedy to remove skin tags, moles, and warts. It is even recommended by herbalists to remove tumors (4). It cuts off circulation to the skin tag, making it fall off by itself after a few applications.
Caution
Purchase black salve paste that contains only bloodroot and water. Additional ingredients can cause adverse reactions in combination with bloodroot. Do not ingest it as bloodroot can be poisonous.
5. Manuka Honey For Skin Tags
You Will Need
- Manuka honey
- Band-aid
What You Have To Do
- Apply honey to the skin tag and cover with a band-aid.
- Keep the band-aid on for a few hours.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this a few times during the day.
Why This Works
Manuka honey is a non-peroxide type of honey. Applying it to the skin tag restricts its oxygen supply, and this helps in its removal. Honey also has wound healing properties that will help to heal the skin faster once the skin tag has fallen off. It also prevents the formation of scars.
6. Witch Hazel For Skin Tags
You Will Need
Witch hazel extract
What You Have To Do
Apply the extract on the skin tag and let it dry.
How Often You Should Do This
Reapply 3-4 times a day.
Why This Works
Witch hazel is an astringent and its pH balancing properties can help you get rid of the skin tag.
7. Garlic For Skin Tags
You Will Need
1-2 garlic cloves
What You Have To Do
- Crush the fresh garlic cloves into a paste.
- Now, apply the paste on the skin tag.
- Wash it off after an hour or so.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat twice a day.
Why This Works
Garlic is antibacterial and antifungal in nature. After a few days, the tag will fall off, leaving behind smooth skin.
8. Ginger For Skin Tags
You Will Need
Ginger slices
What You Have To Do
- Clean the skin tag and the surrounding area. Pat it dry.
- Rub a slice of raw ginger on it for a minute or two.
- Do not rinse away the juice that comes out of the ginger piece and onto your skin.
How Often You Should Do This
Do this 5-6 times a day.
Why This Works
Ginger contains a wide range of bioactive compounds that possess healing and antimicrobial properties. These properties have been effective to remove skin tags in some people.
9. Oils For Skin Tags
(a) Castor Oil For Skin Tags
You Will Need
- 1-2 drops of castor oil
- Bandage
What You Have To Do
Apply castor oil on the skin tag and cover it with a bandage.
How Often You Should Do This
Reapply castor oil twice or thrice a day.
Why This Works
The strong phytochemicals present in castor oil are often used to remove warts, moles, and skin tags. An additional benefit of using this oil is that it has wound healing and skin conditioning properties. Once the skin tag is gone, your skin will heal quickly and be hydrated and moisturized.
(b) Coconut Oil For Skin Tags
You Will Need
Organic coconut oil
What You Have To Do
Apply coconut oil on the skin tag and leave it on.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat every morning and night.
Why This Works
Coconut oil contains lauric acid and alpha-tocopherol that help to remove skin tags in a matter of a few weeks.
(c) Tea Tree Oil For Skin Tags
You Will Need
- 1-2 drops tea tree oil
- 1-2 drops olive oil or coconut oil
What You Have To Do
Dilute the tea tree essential oil in the carrier oil and apply the blend on the skin tag.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this 2-3 times every day until the skin tag sheds.
Why This Works
A multifaceted essential oil, tea tree oil dries up the skin tag and helps in speeding the shedding process. It is also antimicrobial in nature. This means that it will protect the skin from infections once the skin tag has come off.
(d) Oregano Oil For Skin Tags
You Will Need
- 2-3 drops oregano oil
- 5 drops coconut oil
- Cotton swab
What You Have To Do
Mix the oils and apply the mixture on the skin tag.
How Often You Should Do This
Do this 2-3 times daily.
Why This Works
Oregano oil has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. It is often used for treating skin conditions like acne, eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea. It is also used to remove skin tags and warts.
(e) Jojoba Oil For Skin Tags
You Will Need
1-2 drops jojoba oil
What You Have To Do
- Massage the skin tag and the surrounding area with the oil.
- Leave it on. Do not rinse it off.
How Often You Should Do This
Apply in the morning and at night, before going to bed.
Why This Works
The exact mechanism of action of jojoba oil on skin tags is still not known, but it has helped a lot of people to easily shed off their skin tags in a matter of just 7-10 days.
(f) Lavender Oil For Skin Tags
You Will Need
- A drop of lavender essential oil
- 1-2 drops coconut oil
What You Have To Do
Apply a mixture of the oils mentioned on the skin tags.
How Often You Should Do This
Do this twice a day.
Why This Works
Lavender essential oil, apart from being soothing for the skin, has antiseptic properties. It is a good remedy for skin tags and other skin ailments.
(g) Lemon Oil For Skin Tags
You Will Need
Lemon essential oil
What You Have To Do
Apply this oil on the skin tags and leave it on.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this 2-3 times a day.
Why This Works
Lemon oil is an astringent and removes the excess oils and water from the skin tag site. This causes the skin tag to shed by itself.
Caution
Do not expose the skin to sunlight after applying this oil. It can lead to sunburns as lemon essential oil is photosensitive.
(h) Neem Oil For Skin Tags
You Will Need
- 1-2 drops neem oil
- Bandage
hat You Have To Do
Apply neem oil to the skin tag and cover with a bandage.
How Often You Should Do This
Replace the bandage every few hours, accompanied by the reapplication of the essential oil.
Why This Works
Neem oil contains essential fatty acids and other bioactive components that will help in easily removing the skin tag without any surgical procedure.
(i) Peppermint Oil For Skin Tags
You Will Need
- 2-3 drops peppermint essential oil
- 2-3 drops castor oil
What You Have To Do
- Apply a blend of these two oils on the skin tags.
- Leave the oil on overnight.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this every night, before going to bed.
Why This Works
Peppermint oil has antiseptic as well as anti-inflammatory properties. In combination with the castor oil, it not only removes the skin tags naturally but also soothes the skin and reduces any swelling that may develop (17).
(j) Almond Oil For Skin Tags
You Will Need
Almond oil
What You Have To Do
- Rub almond oil around and on the skin tag.
- Leave it on.
How Often You Should Do This
Keep applying this oil every few hours.
Why This Works
Almond oil is rich in vitamin E. It hydrates your skin and speeds up the healing process once the tag has fallen off. It also eases the process of decay and death of the skin tag and keeps your skin nourished.
(k) Clove Oil For Skin Tags
You Will Need
- 2-3 drops clove oil
- 2-3 drops rosehip oil
- Cotton swab
What You Have To Do
- Mix the clove oil and rosehip oil.
- Dip the cotton swab in this mixture and apply it to the skin tag.
- Leave it on for as long as possible.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this once or twice a day.
Why This Works
The potent phytochemicals in clove oil will cut off circulation to the skin tag and cause it to shed. Rosehip oil will help the skin heal quickly without any scars once the skin tag has shed.
(l) Cinnamon Oil For Skin Tags
You Will Need
- Cinnamon oil
- Cotton swab
- Band-aid
What You Have To Do
- Apply the cinnamon oil to the skin tag with the cotton swab.
- Cover with a band-aid.
How Often You Should Do This
Reapply the oil twice a day. Use a fresh band-aid every time.
Why This Works
This folk remedy for skin tags and warts is actually worth giving a try. People have been able to get results in a couple of days with regular usage of this essential oil. Cinnamon oil is an antiseptic agent as well.
10. Juices For Skin Tags
(a) Lemon Juice For Removing Skin Tags
You Will Need
- Lemon juice
- Cotton ball
What You Have To Do
- Dip the cotton ball in lemon juice and apply it to the skin tag.
- Wash it off after some time.
How Often You Should Do This
Do this twice or thrice a week.
Why This Works
The citric acid in lemon juice removes the dead cells (22). In 2-3 weeks, you will notice that the skin tag is slowly decomposing.
(b) Pineapple Juice For Skin Tags
You Will Need
Fresh pineapple juice
What You Have To Do
- Squeeze out some fresh pineapple juice and apply it directly to the skin tag.
- Let it dry naturally.
How Often You Should Do This
Keep applying this juice every 2-3 hours. Repeat for a few days until your skin tag becomes invisible.
Why This Works
Pineapple juice is also known to work on moles and warts, apart from skin tags. The proteolytic enzymes dry up the skin tag, causing it to fall.
(c) Fig Juice For Skin Tags
You Will Need
A few fig stems
What You Have To Do
- Crush the stems to extract the juice.
- Apply this juice on the skin tags and leave it on.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat the application 2-4 times a day until the skin tag falls off.
Why This Works
Figs are widely used for their laxative properties, but very few people know about their ability to shed skin tags and similar skin outgrowths naturally. Ficin, a proteolytic enzyme found in the stem juice, causes the skin tag to shed by itself.
(d) Aloe Vera Juice For Skin Tags
You Will Need
Aloe vera juice or gel
What You Have To Do
- Massage the skin tag and the surrounding area for a minute or two with aloe vera juice.
- Leave it on till it dries.
How Often You Should Do This
Do this thrice a day.
Why This Works
The anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and wound healing properties of aloe vera can help to get rid of skin tags and heal the skin quickly.
(e) Onion Juice For Skin Tags
You Will Need
- 2-3 onion slices
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup water
- Cotton ball
What You Have To Do
- Add the salt to the water and mix well. Soak the onion slices in this overnight.
- Apply this water to the affected area.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this 2-3 times a day. Use fresh onion-soaked water every day.
Why This Works
Often used to treat adamant warts, this remedy will work wonders for simple skin tags. Rich in sulfur-containing compounds, this commonly used vegetable also contains plenty of antioxidants and helps to heal scars.
11. Shea Butter For Skin Tags
You Will Need
- Organic shea butter
- A drop of oregano essential oil
What You Have To Do
- Take a tiny amount of shea butter in your palm and melt it with the heat of your fingertips.
- Add the oregano essential oil to this and mix well.
- Apply this on the skin tags.
How Often You Should Do This
Use this remedy twice a day.
Why This Works
While the oregano essential oil will make the skin tag detach itself in due course of time, shea butter will ensure that the skin remains hydrated. It contains healthy fats that nourish the skin and heal and prevent scars.
12. Epsom Salt Bath
You Will Need
- 1 cup Epsom salt
- Warm water
- Bathtub
What You Have To Do
- Draw a warm bath and add Epsom salt to the water.
- Soak in this water for 10-20 minutes.
Alternatively, add half a teaspoon of Epsom salt to two tablespoons of water. Soak a cotton ball in this solution and place it on the skin tag for 15 minutes.
How Often You Should Do This
It is recommended to soak your body in Epsom salt water every alternate day. However, you can place the soaked cotton ball on the skin tag twice a day.
Why This Works
Epsom salt rebalances the pH of the skin and draws out all the toxins. It dries up the skin tag, which causes it to shed easily. An Epsom salt bath is also very relaxing for the muscles.
The remedies mentioned above are both low cost and effective options to remove skin tags. At the end of the day, it boils down to whether you want to sweat it out at a dermatologist’s office or whether you want to try removing them at home. There are some cosmetic methods too. However, you need to read about the pros and cons for any of the methods as complications can arise from botched or incorrect removal procedures.