What are Vaginal Skin Tags?
Skin Tags are small lesions that one can often see growing on the surface of the skin. These lesions do not have any specific color attached to it. A Skin Tag can develop on any area of the body. A skin tag on the visible areas of the skin might look unsightly, especially if they occur on the face. Apart from cosmetic reasons there is hardly any problems caused by them; however, when they appear on the female genitalia especially the vagina then can cause some discomfort such as in participating in sexual activity. It can also significantly lower the self-esteem of a female. It at times also can cause irritation of the skin due to clothing rubbing against the skin tags. They may also bleed or get infected [1].
When this happens it will require medical treatment to clear off the infection and remove the vaginal skin tags. There are a variety of products available in the markets which are quite effective in removing skin tags. In some cases, genital warts may grow around the vaginas which have quite similar in characteristics to a skin tag [1].
Thus it is always better to get a proper diagnosis in cases where skin tags develop in the vagina as genital warts require treatment. This article explains some of the causes of vaginal skin tags and ways to get rid of them [1].
What Causes Vaginal Skin Tags?
As of yet there has been no root cause identified related to the development of skin tags despite extensive research conducted. They are still not able to figure out why some people develop skin tags whereas some do not. The thing that researchers are sure of is that they do not develop due to underlying medical conditions. Some studies suggest that people who have HPV infection have increased likelihood of developing skin tags than people who do not have this infection [2].
Studies have also identified certain other risk factors that increase the chances of a female developing vaginal skin tags. Females who are diabetic tend to have increased risk for developing vaginal skin tags as a result of insulin resistance. Obese females also have a tendency to develop skin tags. Some females develop skin tags when they are pregnant [2].
Skin tags develop mostly in areas where there are skin folds or the skin remains dry. Friction caused by clothing also at times can lead to development of skin tags. Vaginal skin tags normally develop around the vaginal opening or around the vulva. The cause for this is believed to be the friction caused by the undergarments [2].
How To Get Rid of Vaginal Skin Tags?
Coming to ways of getting rid of vaginal skin tags, it is recommended never to try this at time as this may lead to infections. Therefore, consultation with a physician is necessary in case the skin tag is causing discomfort, pain, or if a female observes that it is infected resulting in bleeding from them. In some cases, genital warts which are quite similar to skin tags develop around the vagina. In rare cases, cancerous growths may also resemble a skin tag and thus removing them is only going to worsen the condition [2].
In cases where conditions like genital warts or cancer are responsible for the skin tags then removing them is not going to treat the condition and more aggressive treatments will need to be done. Additionally, pulling or cutting the skin tag can result in the infection spreading to the nearby areas. Removing vaginal skin tags is quite complicated as at times it may damage the surrounding tissues [2].
The various options to remove vaginal skin tags include freezing the skin tags with liquid nitrogen and removing them. Another option is to inject a local anesthetic around the skin tag and then removing them by scalpel. These procedures rarely cause any pain even though the area may be tender for a few days. In case of a skin tag gets trapped on a clothing or zipper then it might pull out and cause bleeding [2].
This needs to be addressed by a physician to prevent skin damage. Majority of the cases of skin tags do not require any treatment; however, a diagnosis needs to be confirmed whether the skin growth is actually a skin tag. It is also advisable to have annual skin checks to look for the presence of skin tags and get an accurate diagnosis of these growths [2].
In conclusion, skin tags are quite harmless skin growths that can develop in any area of the skin. If they develop on the visible areas of the skin, they may look unsightly and will require removal. At times, especially, in females skin tags tend to develop around the vagina. They are usually asymptomatic but can get irritated due to clothing. This may result in the skin tag getting infected and bleed. This will require much aggressive medical intervention [2].
In some cases, skin tags fade away with time while in some cases the skin tags will require freezing with liquid nitrogen for removal. In some cases, genital warts may be mistaken for skin tags since they have similar characteristics. Thus it is important to get skin tags in the vagina to get checked by a physician to get to an appropriate diagnosis and start treatment for it [2].
In extremely rare cases, skin cancers may resemble characteristics of a skin tag. This again calls for evaluation and treatment at the earliest possible time. It is important for females with vaginal tags not to pull them or cut them as they can make the condition worse. There are a variety of treatment options available for removing skin tags which the patient can discuss with the physician and opt for a solution [2].
Also Read:
- Vaginal Cancer: Types, Causes, Risk Factors, Signs, Symptoms, Investigations, Stages, Treatment
- What Causes Vaginal Atrophy and How to Overcome it?
- Vaginal Pain During Pregnancy: Causes, Ways to Relieve it
- What Causes Vagina to be Wet & Moist?|Normal and Excessive Vaginal Secretion
- Home Remedies to Get Rid of Vaginal Skin Irritation
- Vaginal Cramps: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Prognosis, Prevention
- Causes of Vaginal Sweat or Crotch Sweat & Ways to Stop it
