Skin tags (acrochordons) are small, benign growths commonly found where skin folds or experiences friction, such as the neck, armpits, and groin. These fleshy, stalk-like lesions are generally harmless but can become irritated or snagged by clothing. Shaving pubic hair does not directly cause these growths, but it can act as a powerful catalyst for skin tag formation in individuals already prone to developing them.
Understanding the Medical Causes of Skin Tags
Skin tags form when extra cells in the top layer of the skin and underlying dermis multiply, resulting in a soft outgrowth. The exact trigger for this cellular proliferation is not definitively known, but medical research points to several major predisposing factors. The most common physical factor is chronic friction, involving skin rubbing against skin or clothing, particularly in intertriginous areas like the groin.
Skin tags are strongly associated with metabolic and hormonal conditions. They are often linked to insulin resistance, a condition where the body’s cells respond poorly to the hormone insulin. This connection is thought to be due to elevated levels of insulin and related growth factors that stimulate skin cell growth.
Other systemic factors influencing their development include genetics, hormonal changes during pregnancy, and conditions like being overweight or having type 2 diabetes. These underlying biological predispositions are the primary causes. Skin tags are generally a manifestation of systemic or chronic issues rather than an acute injury.
The Link Between Pubic Shaving and Skin Irritation
Shaving is not a root cause like genetics or metabolic disorders, but the process creates an environment that can accelerate skin tag development in predisposed people. Shaving causes micro-trauma and constant irritation to the skin’s surface and hair follicles. This repeated irritation is a form of mechanical friction that encourages localized cell growth.
The pubic region is susceptible due to moisture, heat, and regular contact with tight clothing. Shaving removes the hair buffer, immediately increasing skin-on-skin or skin-on-fabric friction, a known trigger for skin tag formation. Micro-cuts from a razor can also introduce low-level inflammation, further stimulating the tissue.
The frequent development of ingrown hairs and folliculitis after shaving compounds the issue by creating inflamed bumps. Shaving acts as a powerful catalyst, providing the necessary localized friction and trauma for an underlying predisposition to manifest as a skin tag.
Identifying Other Skin Growths in the Pubic Area
Many common skin growths in the pubic area are mistaken for skin tags, especially after grooming causes irritation. A true skin tag is typically soft, flesh-colored, and attached to the skin by a thin stalk. Growths that are firm, painful, or rapidly multiplying may indicate a different condition requiring medical attention.
One common confusion is with genital warts, caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). Unlike the soft, stalk-like skin tag, genital warts often appear as rough-textured, raised, or flat bumps that can cluster together in a cauliflower-like appearance. Another mistaken growth is molluscum contagiosum, a viral infection presenting as small, dome-shaped papules with a tiny central indentation, or umbilication.
Folliculitis, or ingrown hairs, are localized infections of the hair follicle. Folliculitis appears as clusters of small, red bumps or whiteheads, often accompanied by itchiness and pain in recently shaved areas. The presence of pus or being centered around a hair follicle helps distinguish it from the solid tissue of a skin tag.
Safe Strategies for Removal and Prevention
For existing skin tags that are bothersome or frequently irritated, professional removal is the safest method. Dermatologists can remove them using techniques like cryotherapy (freezing the tissue with liquid nitrogen) or excision (a quick snip with sterile tools). Attempting to cut or tie off a skin tag at home is strongly discouraged, as this risks infection, bleeding, scarring, and incomplete removal.
Prevention focuses on reducing the chronic friction and irritation that act as catalysts for growth. Proper shaving techniques minimize micro-trauma and irritation:
- First, soften the hair and skin by soaking the area in warm water for several minutes.
- Use a fresh, sharp razor and a lubricating shaving cream to minimize drag and micro-trauma.
- Shave with the grain of the hair growth, rather than against it, to reduce the likelihood of irritating the hair follicle and causing ingrown hairs.
- Rinse the area with cool water after shaving to soothe the skin.
- Apply an alcohol-free, hydrating moisturizer to restore the skin barrier.
Avoiding tight clothing immediately after grooming also reduces friction against the newly exposed skin, limiting the primary catalyst for irritation.