The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Scissors
Posted by Julie (Chicago, IL) on 07/23/2008
★★★★★
After I finished cutting off two skin tags from my thigh, I had to laugh at the remark Anne from Cleveland made -- "just cut the thing off!", because that's what I ended up doing and it was no big deal at all, but I thought it would be until I cut off the first one and the second tag was easy as well. First, cleanse the area thoroughly and let dry. Make sure you have sanitized the scissors you will be using (straight scissors are preferred). I used a small scissors that had never been used before. Also, take ice and numb the tag right before and cut off quickly. Easy! The results were great. A little bleeding which stopped with minimal compression with a cotton ball, cleanse and bandage. Both areas are healing fine (day after) and no problems.
I tried the string method with no luck for a while and grew tired of waiting.
Scissor method is quick and easy with instant results. I an very happy with results.
The Fingernail Clipper Snipping Method
Posted by Matt (Boston, MA) on 07/08/2008
★★★★★
After unsuccessfully trying to remove a skin tag with both bloodroot (dermatend) and iodine, i nervously decided to try the nail clipper method. i used brand new, very sharp, straight nail clippers (some are curved, but i would recommend straight ones so you get a cleaner cut.) the trick is to just do it quickly, and you should feel suprisingly little pain. there was a bit of bleeding, but the entire thing came off in one fell swoop. it has been less than a week since i cut it off, and already it is healing quite nicely. highly recommended!
The Fingernail Clipper Snipping Method
Posted by Wisdom Ace (Port Huron, Michigan) on 12/26/2012
My doctor used surgical sissors and pulled the tag tight and clipped it off. I felt a momentary small ouch and then it was gone. However: they came back in and in large numbers. I wonder if it's some sort of reaction to certain minerals in our one a day vitamins?
A String Tied Around the Skin Tag
Posted by Elizabeth (Baltimore, USA) on 04/15/2008
★★★★★
ailment: skin tag, specially-anal tag or sentinel tag
remedy: string method
i have tried so many things... i tried wart remover for many months and although it would peel some of the skin it would not make much of a difference and it was really painful. i also tried sally hansen hard as nails which supposedly if u put on twice a day will rid u of your problem and although it did shrink a bit it still did not go away. my tag was about 1/4 of an inch so maybe it was too long for that??? i also tried just applying tea tree oil. so finally i had HAD it...
first of all i have to say that it is really important to apply hydrogen peroxide a few times a day to the tag, KEEP IT CLEAN while you use this method. who knows what could happen if you do not KEEP IT CLEAN. it is in the anal area after all. it is utterly important to especially clean the tag after every bowel movement. also u will need a good sized hand mirror. i would hold it between my knees to see the tag or place it somewhere at a good angle to see the tag. you will also need a distinctive colored string like red and some cuticle scissors to cut the string. so this is what i did...
after applying some wart remover for a few days my tag seemed to be long and swollen enough to tie a string around it. i had tried this before with no luck but the drying action of the wart remover helped the string to stay tied. i tried floss but it slipped off, sewing string is the best bet. the first couple days the string slipped off, especially u know... while going to the bathroom... but i kept applying wart remover just to help the tag stay dry and the string to stay on. finally i had no problem with it slipping after a few days. the tag started to swell and turn blistered and black on the underside but the whole tag never turned black, so i was worried because from what i had read i thought it would and that maybe it wouldn't work. i also started to notice after a few days if the string fell off there was a definite indentation of where the string used to be which made tieing the string that much easier. each day i would take a bath to soften the tag and examine it. after getting out of the bath i would tie another string around it as tight as i could without removing the previous string i applied. sometimes the strings would come off during the day but i would just tie a new string around it and apply wart remover again to help the string stay on. usually i would tie two string just to make sure it was tight enough. the tighter the better. anyways after about 3 days the tag started to hurt a bit, it wasn't that bad or anything i just took like 3 advil and i was fine and could sleep. i didn't even care honestly because i could tell it was working, i definitely was noticing seperation from the skin. so i tied a new string and continued with the process. it took just ten days for my tag to fall off. if you can manage to keep the string on it will fall off in less time. but i promise it works and after 4 months of trying to get rid of this damn thing it finally came off today. the last couple days i noticed the skin dying off and i started trying to twist it a bit. i noticed today that when i pinched it i felt no sensation, just at the base. so i started to twist it and i twisted it right off with no pain at all! it's probably best if u don't mess with it and just leave the thing alone but i just couldn't help it. i wanted it OFF.
even though i'm aware that this is definitely TMI i really hope this helps someone. all the other posts i could find had no detail and i was really looking for someone to post something this specific. good luck and remember that even if u get rid of a tag it is the symptom of a greater problem. i suspect that i might have had a fissure or a hemmie that went unnoticed. i already eat healthy and get a lot of fiber in my diet but i plan on taking metamucil every night from now on and taking beano with meals that bother my stomach. i also plan on being extra gentle down there with the toilet paper and buying some witchhazel pads and also applying prep h for a while. it's important to be good to your body because u never know when another tag just might pop up again!!!
A String Tied Around the Skin Tag
Posted by Ouch!! (Baltimore, Md) on 04/22/2011
Did it hurt for the first few days? I tried this method today for the same "area" and it is quite painful for the first several hours. I am wondering if I will be able to function (gym, going out) or if I should just go see a specialist?
A String Tied Around the Skin Tag
Posted by Helga (Birkirkara, Malta) on 06/19/2011
Thank you so much for your post Elizabeth! Its exactly what I needed! I went into the hospital hoping that they would say that they are hemeroids and that they would remove them for me.... However I found out that its a fissure and that bit of skin was just a skin tag... I want it off so badly that I was so disappointed! Your post gave me hope that I will soon be rid of this thing and so simply right from home! I will try the string thing now... Thanks again!
A String Tied Around the Skin Tag
Posted by Moon (Miami, Fl) on 05/02/2012
I'm dealing with this problem right now. Yours are the details that I need. I have tried duct tape. That was just bothersome and never stayed on. Wart removing medicine, that just irritated the area. I've tried the dental floss string and it kept falling off the next day and was quite painful. Maybe mine is too big? I have courage to try the string again. I hate this thing!! It affects my life a lot! I shut the lights off when I'm intimate with my husband and hope his hands don't wander too far down to notice. It's all I think.... How can I rid myself of this without causing damage to my privates!? Freezing it off is my next step but the warnings on the package scare me that it will cause problems if it's not done correctly. Please please let this string thing work!
A String Tied Around the Skin Tag
Posted by Lawrence (Richmond, Va ) on 06/20/2012
Has anyone tried using a Boric Acid Solution? I am thinking about trying it. I ordered a bottle of boriac acid from amazon. I know it is a mild acid used for the eyes for pink eye when I was a child.
Scissors
Posted by Anne (Cleveland, OH) on 04/03/2008
★★★★★
I had several small skin tags on my neck and a larger one on my breast. Since I am impatient I snipped the ones on my neck with sterilized cuticle cutters. I do not recommend nail clippers as they are all curved and you need something straight. I suppose nail scissors would work but I prefer something that you just compress and it is done. I decided that since the one on my breast was larger and in a more sensitive area I would try a combination of methods. I tried the iodine method along with tying. Within days it did turn dark purple but within a week it started oozing blood. I decided enough was enough. I put ice on it for 10 minutes and then snipped it right off. I didn't feel a thing. I wasn't even sure that I had gotten it until I moved the cutters and found the tag on the cutters. That would be my suggestion . . . just cut the darn things off!
Scissors
Posted by Claire (Williamsburg, Virginia) on 06/13/2012
★★★★★
I had skin tags about three years ago on my inner thigh about three inches away from my private area. Went to the dermatologist and she numbed the area and snipped them off. Got another skin tag around the same area about a year ago. It was getting a little bigger so I knew it was time for it to go. After reading the posts here, I just decided snipping it was the quickest method. I just cleaned the area with rubbing alcohol, pulled the tag away from the skin with twizzers, and cut it off with nail scissors. It did not hurt at all. I dabbed some peroxide on it and applied pressure on the bleeding, then rubbed on some neosporin and put a round band aid on it. Would never hesitate to use this method again-just sorry I waited so long to do it.
Salicylic Acid
Posted by Claudia (Sydney, Australia) on 03/14/2008
★★★★★
Great site, love all the remedies. Salicylic Acid helps remove skin tags! Ok I have been using salicylic acid on partner's skin tags, applied once daily (bedtime) for almost 1 week, most darkend in color and look like they will fall of any day now. He said it stings a little but for a minute or two.
Salicylic Acid
Posted by Marsha (Chicago, IL) on 09/21/2008
where can you buy salicylic acid?? I've looked for years and can't find any over-the-counter.
Salicylic Acid
Posted by Janet (Palm Coast, Fla) on 09/24/2008
If you put an aspirin in water to dissolve and place it on tag will that help remove it?
Salicylic Acid
Posted by Andrea (Lawrenceville, GA) on 12/05/2008
Stridex Medicated Pads contain Salicylic Acid.
Salicylic Acid
Posted by Kathryn (Myrtle Beach, Sc) on 05/08/2011
I bought a solution of high %-age salicylic acid from "Sally's" (Beauty Supply) for callouses on my feet. So try looking in the foot/beauty section of your local pharmacy or supercenter. Decided to use it today to see if it would do anything for my tag. Going to try it for a couple days twice a day and report back just for the sake of this remedy. If it doesn't work - because it burns like fire due to the 'delicate' nature of my tag - I'm going to try iodine and/or AC vinegar and/or tea tree oil - all of which I have on hand already.
LOVE this site! Will report my results.
Salicylic Acid
Posted by Kathryn (Myrtle Beach, Sc) on 05/09/2011
I forgot to report the main reason I was responding:
Salicylic acid is the primary component in 'compound w' or other liquid wart removers. Hope this helps.
Salicylic Acid
Posted by Will (Rome, New York) on 09/03/2012
Salicylic Acid is used as a treatment for Plantar Warts and can be purchased at the local pharmacy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Salicylic acid - The treatment of warts by keratolysis involves the peeling away of dead surface skin cells with Keratolytic chemicals such as salicylic acid or trichloroacetic acid. These are available in over-the-counter products or, in higher concentrations, may need to be prescribed in a by a physician.
Safety warning:Topically, as a beta-hydroxy acid (and unlike alpha-hydroxy acids) salicylic acid is capable of penetrating and breaking-down fats and lipids, making it capable of causing moderate chemical burns of the skin if at very high concentrations (such as near or actually the majority ingredient) within a solvent. It is capable of damaging the lining of pores in such cases if the solvent is alcohol, acetone, or an oil. Over-the-counter limits are set at 2% for topical left on the face and 3% for those expected to be washed off, such as acne cleansers or shampoo. Caution should be exercised when handling large volumes of salicylic acid, and protective gloves are recommended for any repeat, prolonged exposure. 17% salicylic acid, which is often sold for wart removal, should not be applied to the face and should not be used for acne treatment. Even for wart removal, such a solution should only be applied twice a day.
The Fingernail Clipper Snipping Method
Posted by Lisa (Portland, OR) on 03/10/2008
★★★★★
I had three skin tags but they are history now. Well sort of. I had one on my neck for YEARS, which was probably caused by necklaces constantly rubbing that area, I had one on my breast, and another on my lower back. I will have to get the lower back one again. It was hard to reach back there and I didn't get it all.
Anyway, I read about using iodine and waiting a few weeks for the skin tags to turn black and fall off and I read about just using the nail clipper. So, that day, I went to the store and bought some iodine. As I opened up the bottle and dabbed some on my neck, I caught the glimmer of my nail clippers out of the corner of my eye. I thought, do I real want to have some discolored black thing on my neck for two plus weeks? I decided, no, and I sanitized the nail clippers.
I did the neck one first. Eh, just a pinch and no blood, I did the one on my breast, just a sharp pinch and gone. It bled just a tiny bit. Then, using mirrors, I did the one on my back. That one was a bit more of a pinch and it bled like when nicking your leg shaving. Unfortunately, I can't get my squeamish boyfriend to help me finish the one off on my back, so I have to try it again.
I recommend the nail clippers for a quick, free, virtually painless, and not that messy of a job.
OTC Wart Remedies
Posted by Melissa (Walworth, New York) on 03/05/2008
★★★★★
I took the advice I found on this site, and bought Wart Off for my skin tags on my neck. With in days they fell off and were gone. Cheaper then what I had paid ny doctor to due it in the past.
OTC Wart Remedies
Posted by Steve (Hernando, MS.) on 02/21/2008
★★★★★
I have removed a eraser sized black Mole with Wart freeze after 3 applications also works on Skin tags. No Blood it will fall off. works great no scars where tags were.
A String Tied Around the Skin Tag
Posted by Joyyce (Joelton, Tn.) on 11/10/2007
★★★★★
To the lady with skin tag on 10 yr. old dog: I recently removed large black, mushroom shaped mole off edge of upper eyelid of a little older dog with some old folks surgery, and it should work on a skin tag. Have someone the dog knows and trust to pull it gently away from the attached area while you tie a short piece of sewing thread tightly around the base of it. This cuts off its circu-lation & it drops off 3-4 days later. Our little doggie sure looked better and happier without that ugly thing that looked like a big blood-filled tick hanging down over her eye and interfering with her vision.
Bloodroot
Posted by Gina (Lakewood, CO) on 10/12/2007
★★★★☆
I make a bloodroot salve that is great on skin tags if you catch them when they first pop up. As far as getting rid of older ones, I'm not so sure. It may work, but the friend who is trying it has been at it awhile with no noticable difference.
The Knotted Hair Technique
Posted by Letty (Harlingen, Texas) on 08/22/2007
★★★★★
My husband had a lot of skin tags and I pulled a hair off my head and tied one on each tag and add two knots by the week the had dried up and fell hopefully this helps.
Bloodroot
Posted by Rose Marie (Cottonwood, AZ) on 08/09/2007
★★★★★
I use bloodroot paste on moles and skin tags. As everyone says, it does cause moderate pain and redness. I apply it for 3 days with a bandaid over it and then I apply neosporn or bag balm for 3 days with a bandaid and the mole or tag falls off by itself at the root level. The area then heals and within a few weeks there is no sign of damage.
Tea Tree Oil
Posted by Lanpho (Burbank, CA) on 06/22/2008
★★★★★
This really works. I had a couple on my neck and applied tea tree oil 1-3 times daily. It took two weeks instead of 2 days. I can't believe it! Thank you.
Tea Tree Oil
Posted by Margaret (Winnipeg, Canada) on 12/10/2008
★★★★★
I still have many embarassing skin tags on my neck. They have been there for years and I have been to a dermatologist a few years ago who burned them off with some type of laser. This is not a good option as it is very painful and I still have them. Then I read about tee tree oil with skin tags and I have tried it for 3 days now (3 applications a day). It is already much better. All of the tags are disappearing and the skin is noticeably smoother. This is very impressive.
A String Tied Around the Skin Tag
Posted by Renee (El Dorado, Kansas) on 05/28/2007
★★★★★
I've had two skin tags in which I treated them myself. I twisted them as much as I could stand and then tied them off with thread, tightening once or twice. The tag turned a dead grayish color and no longer had feeling... (no blood circulating through it) then I sliced them off. They have not returned - one gone for years and the other for over 6 months already.
A String Tied Around the Skin Tag
Posted by Silvia (Wiltshire, England) on 04/01/2007
★★★★★
I had a skin tag on my underarm, i tied a bit of white cotton round it tightly, left it a few days then tied another bit of cotton and left it for a few more days, it started to get red and go darker, i put some antiseptic cream to soothe it, a few days later it got darker and fell off, it worked with my sister too, very effective.
Bacitracin Ointment
Posted by C (PDL, USA) on 01/31/2007
★★★★★
I had a (not sure what to call it) wasn't exactly a mole or skin tag looked more like a melanoma, come up on my hand a couple of months ago, anyway I started the iodine remedy (couldn't find lugols so using Iodine Tincture, going to keep looking for Lugol's) about 5 days ago and since one of your feedback people said his got infected I decided to every couple of days put Bacitracin Ointment, before I started the Bacitration, I noticed the thing already getting smaller, I am going to continue this experiment and occasionally use bacitration ointment to see if it goes totally away, I will keep you informed of my progress.
