Many wonder if over-the-counter wart removers can treat skin tags. While both are common skin growths, skin tags and warts have distinct characteristics and origins, requiring different treatments. This article clarifies these distinctions and provides information on safe removal methods.
What Are Skin Tags and Warts?
Skin tags are small, benign growths composed of loose collagen fibers and blood vessels, surrounded by skin. They are typically soft, flesh-colored or slightly darker, and often appear as small, deflated balloons hanging from the skin by a slender stalk. These common growths frequently develop in areas where skin rubs against itself or clothing, such as the neck, armpits, groin, and under the breasts. Skin tags are not contagious and generally do not cause pain unless irritated by friction.
Warts, in contrast, are caused by various strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). This viral infection leads to excess cell growth in the outer layer of the skin, resulting in a rough, raised, and often cauliflower-like texture. Warts can appear anywhere on the body, but are commonly found on hands, feet, and knees. Unlike skin tags, warts are contagious and can spread through direct skin-to-skin contact or by touching contaminated objects.
How Wart Removers Work
Over-the-counter wart removers use two main mechanisms. One common method involves salicylic acid. This acid works by slowly peeling away layers of skin cells infected with HPV, effectively dissolving the wart tissue over time. This process thins the thickened skin of the wart, aiding in its removal.
Another type of wart remover employs cryotherapy. These products typically contain chemicals such as dimethyl ether and propane (DMEP). When applied, these chemicals rapidly cool the wart tissue, causing it to freeze and destroying the cells within. This freezing action is intended to kill virus-infected cells, leading to the wart’s eventual detachment.
Risks of Using Wart Removers on Skin Tags
Using wart removers on skin tags is not recommended and carries several risks. These products are designed to target the viral structure of warts, which skin tags lack. Skin tags are non-viral growths, making them unresponsive to treatments aimed at destroying virus-infected cells. Applying harsh chemicals or freezing agents to skin tags can lead to unintended and adverse effects on the surrounding healthy skin.
Salicylic acid-based wart removers can be too harsh for the delicate tissue of skin tags and the adjacent skin. This can result in chemical burns, irritation, redness, and even skin ulcers. At-home cryotherapy kits may cause frostbite, blistering, and pain when used on skin tags. The freezing temperatures achieved by these kits are often not sufficient to effectively remove a skin tag, leading to irritation without complete removal.
Removing skin tags with wart removers can lead to complications such as scarring, persistent pain, and changes in skin pigmentation, including lightening or darkening of the treated area. There is also a risk of infection if the skin barrier is compromised during the attempt. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises against using unapproved products for skin tag removal due to the potential for harm and misdiagnosis. Misidentifying a growth can delay proper medical attention for other, potentially more serious, skin conditions.
Safe Skin Tag Removal Methods
For safe and effective skin tag removal, consulting a healthcare professional is recommended. These specialists can accurately diagnose the growth and perform removal procedures in a controlled, sterile environment. Professional methods minimize risks such as infection, bleeding, and scarring.
One common professional method is cryotherapy, where liquid nitrogen is applied to freeze and destroy the skin tag. This procedure causes the skin tag to blister and eventually fall off, typically within one to two weeks. Surgical excision involves using a scalpel or sterile surgical scissors to snip off the skin tag at its base, often after numbing the area with a local anesthetic. This approach is particularly effective for larger skin tags.
Electrocautery, or electrodesiccation, uses a heated probe or electric current to burn off or desiccate the skin tag tissue. This method precisely destroys the growth and can help to minimize bleeding. Ligation involves tying off the base of the skin tag with a surgical thread, cuts off its blood supply, causing it to wither and fall off. Professional diagnosis before any removal ensures that the growth is indeed a benign skin tag and not a more concerning lesion.