Common warts and skin tags are growths on the skin that are typically harmless, while moles can become cancerous. A virus causes warts, which leads to a rapid growth of cells on the skin, while skin tags are caused by skin rubbing skin and are more often found in obese people. Moles are a cluster of pigmented cells. These skin afflictions can be treated at a physician’s office or, sometimes, at home.
Freezing Warts
Doctors can remove warts by freezing them off, also known as liquid nitrogen therapy. It is mildly painful, and it might require multiple sessions to fully remove the wart. The liquid nitrogen causes a blister to form under and around the wart, and then the dead skin falls off within a week. Risks include damage to your nail bed if the warts are near them, and the nerves in the treated area.
Self-Treatment for Warts
At-home wart treatment include salicylic acid and duct tape. The salicylic acid is found in wart medications and patches bought at drugstores; look for medication that contains 17 percent salicylic acid. Soak the wart in warm water for 10 to 20 minutes, and then apply the product. File away dead skin with a pumice stone between treatments.
To use duct tape, cover the wart in tape for six days, then soak the wart in warm water. File it away with a pumice stone. This process can be repeated for up to two months.
Removing Moles
A dermatologist can remove a mole with shave excision. The doctor numbs the area around the mole, then uses a small blade to cut off the mole. This is mostly used for small moles. Larger moles might require excisional surgery, which not only cuts out the mole but the surrounding margin of healthy skin. This requires sutures to close the skin.
Removing Skin Tags
Skin tags sometimes fall off on their own; however, a doctor can remove ones that are bothering you. This can be done by freezing them off, like warts, or through surgical excision like moles. Other removal techniques include electrosurgery, where an electric current is applied to cut off the skin tag, and ligation, where a suture is tied around the tag.
Removing Skin Tags at Home
“Strangulation” is a popular home remedy for skin tag removal. It involves tying a piece of thread or dental floss at the base of the tag. This cuts off the blood supply and the tag dies and falls off.
Some people try to snip off skin tags with scissors; however, the risk of infection is high when done at home. If you attempt this method, sanitize the scissors. Because you could mistake a different skin growth, such as a mole, for a skin tag, it is not recommended to attempt to cut off a skin tag at home.
