Skin tags on vagina appear like fleshy pieces of skin which stick out around your vagina. Skin tags on the vaginal area are common and affect many women. They are usually found on the vulva, including the vaginal lips (labia minora and labia majora). Could they be hymenal tags? This post presents facts, pictures causes, signs and symptoms of vaginal skin tags. Also, it outlines the effective removal methods, treatment and home remedies.
What are Skin Tags
Skin tags are medically known as acrochordon (plural acrochorda). Other terms used to refer to skin tags include fibroepithelial polyp, cutaneous papilloma, and soft fibroma. They are growths that hang off the skin and are usually attached to the body by a stalk-like stem of flesh. They are typically soft, flappy and oddly shaped.
Skin tags consist of loose collagen tissue with blood vessels for the supply of blood. Normally, skin tags will have the same color as your skin. However, their color may be different from that your skin. In such a case, the skin tag exhibits various colors that range from pink to black.
Skin tags do not usually pose any health risks. However, they may cause other annoying problems such as being cosmetically unsightly. In addition, they may cause obstruction or pain, or bleed when they accidentally get trapped in objects.
Skin tags can appear almost anywhere on your body. Nevertheless, they tend to appear more in areas with skin folds or areas that rub against your clothes. Such areas include on eyelids, under the breast on nipples, chest, back, armpits, groin area. They are also common on genitals, that is, the vagina or virginal lips and penis or penile shaft.
You can have skin tags of various sizes. Generally, skin tags are about 2-3mm in size. However, larger skin tags are as big as 5mm or more. What determines the size of the skin tags is as mysterious as what causes them.
What do Skin tags on Vagina Look Like (Pictures)?
Skin tags on vag have various shapes. However, they are generally fleshy and flappy parts of the skin that hang off the vag parts. They are usually located on the vulva around the vag lips (labia minora or labia majora). They can also appear inside the vagina.
Skin tags on vag vary in color from white to red or brown. They may turn dark or black when they are about to fall off due to treatment or injury (e.g. when twisted or nagged). The pictures we have included in various sections of this post will best describe the appearance of skin tags on vag.
Are they Skin Tags or Genital Warts?
Skin tags on vag can be easily confused with genital warts because they share certain similarities. In brief, they are both growths on the skin which are be found on your vag. This is the reason why you may need to see your GP before reaching a conclusion on the growths on your vag.
Generally, skin tags are fleshy and stick out of the surface of the vag. On the other hand, genital warts are like small bumps on the vag, which either lie almost flat on the surface or are slightly raised from the surface of the skin. Many people correctly describe genital warts as resembling cauliflower.
Another clear difference is that whereas skin tags are not as a result of an infection, genital warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). These are the basic differences of skin tags vs genital warts.
What Causes Skin Tags on Vag?
The real cause of skin tags on vag is not known. This is because they tend to appear on any woman randomly without any without and clear factors that can be attributed to them.
However, dermatologists attribute certain factors to the formation of skin tags on vag. These factors can be grouped into the following categories:
1. Hormonal changes
Hormonal imbalance has been identified as one of the possible causes of skin tags, especially on the vag. Many women tend to develop skin tags on their vaginas during pregnancy or menstruation. Some report that their skin tags enlarge during this time, especially menstruation.
For this reason, dermatologists attribute skin tags to hormonal imbalances. Indeed, pregnancy and menstruation are characterized by substantial hormonal changes that even affect the general behavior of most women.
2. Friction or Rubbing
The development of skin tags on vag is also attributed to friction or rubbing that occurs down there. Your vag may experience rubbing when the folds there rub against each other, or against your underwear. The rubbing may also be against your vaginal jewelry, in case you use them. Intriguingly, the friction can result from during sex intercourse.
3. Being Overweight
Overweight or obesity is another likely cause of skin tags on vag and other parts of the body. It has been observed that skin tags tend to occur more in obese people. Additionally, the fact that they also develop on pregnant women can be attributed to the weight they usually gain during pregnancy, besides the hormonal changes.
During pregnancy, women tend to grow fatter and this affects their genital area too. They tend to accumulate more fats around their vag, including the vaginal lips (labia minora and labia majora) and the mons. These are the same areas that also have a tendency of developing skin tags during pregnancy.
Probably, skin tags occurrence in obese people is due to increased body part contact and hence increased friction. Also, obese people tend to sweat more than normal size people and this could be a more reason why they tend to develop skin tags more.
4. Genetic Factors
Some women are genetically predisposed to developing skin tags on their vagina. Such women might not exhibit any of the factors that are associated with skin tags but still have skin tags on their vaginas.
5. Hereditary factors
Not uncommon, sometimes the skin tags on vag are associated with hereditary factors. This is usually supported when skin tags on vag run in the family. In case most of the women with the same family lineage are found to have skin tags on their vag, then the possible likely cause is
6. Diabetes Type 2
It is common for people with diabetes type 2 to have skin tags, not only on their vag but also on other common parts like the neck, underarm, chest and back.
7. Older Age
The occurrence of skin tags on vag also tends to increase with age. Although younger females may develop skin tags on their vag, older women tend to have skin tags on their vag more. This is a clear indication that age is a factor that may influence the development of skin tags on vag and other parts of the body.
As you grow older, there are several physiological changes that take place in your body. These changes could be associated with the development of skin tags as your age advances.
8. Hymenal Tags
Hymenal tags are vaginal skin tags that result from hymenal remnants when the hymen is broken. They constitute a ring of little pink tags at the lower part of the vaginal opening. They are also known as myrtiform caruncles.
Usually, hymenal tags gradually grow smaller and shrink up over the years. However, hymeneal tags may cause discomfort or pain during intercourse very occasionally.
9. Unknown Causes
As we have seen, the actual cause of skin tags on vag are not known. This is because they tend to appear on any woman randomly without any without and clear factors that can be attributed to them.
Are Vaginal Skin tags Cancerous?
Usually, skin tags on vag are just harmless growths which are benign, meaning they are not cancerous. Therefore, they should not be cause for worry.
Also, remember that they may develop or increase in number during pregnancy or menstruation. In some women, however, the existing skin may also enlarge during these periods. You should consider such occurrences as normal.
However, under very rare cases, skin tags on vag may exhibit certain signs and symptoms that may be suspicious. The signs and symptoms of skin tags on vag that should worry include:
- Inflamed skin tags on vag: Inflamed skin tags are hot, red, swollen and painful.
- Irritating Skin tags on vag: Your skin tags may become sore and painful
- Skin tags on vag change color: Skin tags may change in color and turn especially black
- Itchy skin tag on vag: If the skin tags become itchy, it means that they cause an uncomfortable feeling that makes you want to scratch them.
In case your skin tags have one or a combination of the stove signs and symptoms, it is an indication that you may have a medical problem, including cancer that is developing. Therefore, visit you dermatologist to examine them and determine the problem.
In case it is cancer, then it is not intrinsically caused by the skin tag itself. Rather, it might just be a coincidence to have cancer on the skin tag. Alternatively, it might have been a wrong identification of the skin tags, i.e. they are not actually skin tags.
Skin Tags on Vag During Pregnancy
Normally, women undergo many physiological changes during pregnancy. These changes become more noticeable as the pregnancy advances and most pronounced in the third trimester. Naturally, the changes will be more noticed by or on women who are having their first pregnancies.
Usually, these changes will include fluctuations in your hormonal levels that leads to hormonal imbalance in your body. The hormonal imbalance, in turn, results in various occurrences on your body. The common of these changes include mood swings and development of skin tags on your vagina and other parts.
The skin tags that develop vary in size and number. You may have small skin tags, big ones or a combination of sizes. In addition, if you already have skin tags on your vag, you may realize that they enlarge in size or more new ones develop. They may also alter their appearance to become more noticeable.
The good news is, developing skin tags on your vag during pregnancy is very normal. What is more, it affects a huge percentage of women, although some do not develop them at all. So, there is no need of freaking. If you open up about the issue, other women will probably confirm the condition and make you more comfortable.
Should You Remove Skin Tags on Vag?
Just like skin tags on other parts of the body, skin tags on vag are usually not an indication of any serious health issue. Therefore, it is unnecessary to have your skin tags removed. In fact, most women don’t bother doing anything to the skin tags on their vag.
However, you may need to remove your skin tags if they make you uncomfortable or, connected with some health issues or for cosmetic purposes. In case you want your skin tags removed, you are strongly advised not to try removing skin tags before speaking to your doctor.
In fact, consider making an appointment with your doctor to remove the skin tags. Besides, removing the skin tags professionally, your doctor may discover other issues about your skin tags that you may not. This way, you may avoid complications that may arise if you removed the skin tags without consulting your doctor
Some of the issues that may necessitate skin tag removal include:
1. Medical reasons
In case your skin tags become inflamed or painful, you may need to have them examined and possibly remove to save yourself from the unnecessary distress. Thy may also be removed if they are found to be connected to health conditions such as cancer, even if they are not painful or inflamed.
2. Annoyance reasons
Skin tags on your vag may not have any medical problem but just give you hard time when you are engaging in your day to day actives. They may cause nonmedical difficulties in various ways including:
- The skin tag may often get snagged in your clothes or jewelry and cause pain
- The skin tag be too big and make you feel uncomfortable down there
- The skin tag may obstruct your normal activities. For example, your man might find them hindering when having sex, especially oral sex. Sometimes, the skin tags may be obstructive when you are cleaning your vag, especially when scrubbing yourself with a washcloth.
3. Cosmetic Purposes
Another common reason why women have their skin tags down there removed is for cosmetic purposes. You may find your skin tags very unsightly and this will certainly lower your self-esteem, especially when it comes to sexual matters. In case they actually affect your self-esteem, they may be serious hindrance to your world of love.
Although sometimes you may be comfortable with the skin tags on your vag, your partner may find them awful. Such issues are likely to cause problems in your relationship and lead to low sexual activity or even end your relationship. The remedy to these situations is to have the skin tags removed.
How to get rid of Vaginal Skin Tags
Your vag is a very sensitive organ. Therefore, getting rid of skin tags on your vag may require a lot of deliberate carefulness to avoid irritating it or causing undue pain. Therefore, the method you choose to use to remove your skin tags with should not be one that can harm your dear part.
There are both medical ways which are usually carried out by a specialist doctor and DIY home remedies.
Medical treatment for Skin Tags on Vag
Some of these treatments may appear to be a little bit invasive but they are arguably the most effective ones. In addition, they are far faster than the less aggressive natural methods or home remedies. Some of these methods include:
1. Cutting off the Skin Tag
Cutting off a skin tag involves a minor surgery to remove the skin tag. It is a simple outpatient surgery.
During the procedure, your doctor will thoroughly clean the affected area. He will then numb the area with a local anesthesia through injection or topical application. He will then tug the skin tag in position with a pair of tweezers and cut the skin tag at the base using a sterile scalpel or scissors. The doctor will then apply topical antiseptic and bandage the area.
If you know the procedure for cutting off a skin tag, you can carry it out at home by yourself. This is more so because your vag is a private part and, like any other woman, you may not be comfortable to leave it to be handled by a doctor. However, only cut off the skin tags yourself when you are sure that they are actually skin tags. Otherwise, you may carry out the procedure and plunge yourself into complications.
This procedure should be carried out with carefully and under sterile conditions. Also, you should embrace proper aftercare until the area heals completely. Otherwise, you may end up with an infected skin tag. Usually, it takes about two will for the area to heal completely. However, if the skin tag gets infected during or after removal, it may require further treatment and hence take longer to heal.
2. Freezing off the Skin Tags
This method is medically referred to as cryotherapy. It is an excellent way of getting rid of skin tags on your vag. It involves subjecting the skin tag to freezing condition using a suitable substance. Usually, liquid nitrogen gas is used as the freezing agent in this procedure.
During this procedure, your doctor will use a special container fitted with a nozzle to direct the liquid nitrogen gas to the targeted area only. This is very important as it ensures that the freezing substance does not land on the other parts of your vag which are not affected by the skin tags. It is important not to allow the substance to get on the surrounding area as it may cause discomfort or make the area suffer a side effect like scarring.
The freezing substance is applied on the skin tag for about 20 – 30 seconds. Subjecting the skin tags to this treatment damage the tissues and blood capillaries in the skin tag. As a result, the skin tag will turn black and eventually fall off. It usually takes about two weeks for the skin tag on your vag to fall off. You can freeze off skin tags on vag by yourself at home with a kit like HeltiQ Skin tags device which is tailored for home use.
The treatment is usually not painful. However, you may, you may feel slight discomfort during the treatment. The discomfort will subside shortly after the treatment. However, you may want to use an anesthesia to minimize the discomfort if you wish so. This is particularly necessary when a large skin tag ids to be removed using this method.
The rare side effects of this procedure include reddening of the surrounding area which may also be sensitive. In addition, the surrounding area may become slightly scarred although this is very rare. It only happens if a little amount of the substance used spills to the surrounding area. It may also happen if the freezing effect affects the surrounding area.
3. Burning off the Skin Tag
This procedure is medically known as cauterization. It involves subjecting the skin tags to heat to get rid of it. There are basically two types of cauterization based on the source of the heat that is used in the procedure.
Electrical cauterization employs the heat that is electrically generated white chemical cauterization utilizes a heat that is produced by the chemical substance. Of the two types of, electrical cauterization is more common and more preferred. However, chemical cauterization is preferred when the procedure is to be carried out at home.
Nevertheless, it is very important to let your doctor carry out the procedure owing to the delicate and sensitive nature of your dear vag. Additionally, you may not be able to properly carry out the procedure by yourself considering the position of the vag. Trying to carry out the procedure by yourself for privacy reasons may lead to an accident and worsen your condition.
Electrical Cauterization
The doctor cleans and numbs the area with a local anesthesia by injection or topical application. He will then electrically heat up the cauterizing tool. The doctor will then adjust the needle depending on the size of your skin tag. The following step will be to carefully target the stalk of the skin tag with the cauterizing tool and burns it.
Following this treatment, the skin tag will shrivel. It will first turn black and shrink because the tissue and blood capillaries leading to the skin tag have been damaged by the heat. It will then fall off after a few days.
If you want to carry out this procedure at home, you can use a cautery pen which is designed for home use. As the name suggests, it resembles a pen in shape and size and it is easy to work with. It is usually powered by disposable or rechargeable batteries.
Chemical Cauterization
This procedure is more or less the same as electrical cauterization. Instead of the electrical cauterizer, the chemical cauterizer in a container with a nozzle is used. After, the cleaning and numbing the area with a local anesthesia, the doctor carefully applies a cauterizing chemical at the base of the skin tag.
The chemical produces heat that damages the skin tag. Just as with electrical cauterization, the skin tag will shrivel and fall off after a few days.
This technique may seem scary but the actual procedure is not as invasive as it may appear. The drawbacks of this procedure include it appearing frightening to the patient. In addition, it may not be very practical for skin tags that are huge or located in sensitive areas like your vag. It may also cause some scarring on the areas adjacent to the skin tag
4. Tying off Skin Tags
This is also known as technique ligation. In this procedure, your doctor will tie the skin tag at base of its stalk with a string. This will deprive the skin tag of blood and hence oxygen. As a result, the skin tag will shrivel up and fall off.
However, the shape and exact position of the skin tag on your vag may influence the choice of this method. For example, it may not be convenient to use this method if the skin tag is located towards the inner parts of your vag.
There are various types of strings that can be used to tie off the skin tags. Some people use the sewing thread, although it may be a little too h=thin. Another popular string used is the floss string.
However, if you to carry out the tying offstage skin tags yourself, then the best way to do it is to use a tagband skin tag removal device, which will definitely make your easier.
Tying off skin tags might cause irritation and inflammation in the surrounding areas, especially in areas with sensitive skin. For this reason, this method is not recommended for the removal of genitals skin tags and skin tags in the anus. In such cases, you would rather use the other methods that we have discussed.
Home Remedies for Skin tags on Vag
There are several home remedies which can be used to get rid of skin tags. However, these home remedies are usually very slow and do not work at all for some individuals. Considering that they are basically herbal substances, they might not be the convenient ways to get rid of skin tags on vag.
Some of the common home remedies for skin tags include:
- Tea tree oil
- Apple cider vinegar
- Onion juice
- Garlic
- Nail polish
- Aloe vera
- Duct tape
- Ginger
- Essential oils
You can get further information on home remedies for skin tags, with complete requirements and procedure.
Sources and References
[showhide type=”links” more_text=”Show Sources and References” less_text=”Hide Sources and References”]
- Freezing Skin Tags Is An Incredibly Easy Method That Works For All: http://www.skintagsgone.com/freezing-skin-tags/
- Skin tags: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/skin-tags/Pages/Introduction.aspx
- Skin Tags (Acrochordon): http://www.emedicinehealth.com/skin_tags/article_em.htm
- Simple Home Remedies for Skin Tag Removal: https://homeremedyshop.com/20-simple-home-remedies-for-skin-tag-removal/
- Skin Tag Causes and Treatments: http://www.everydayhealth.com/skin-and-beauty/skin-tag-causes-and-treatments.aspx
- Genital Skin Tags: https://www.amoils.com/treatment/skin-tags/genital-skin-tags.html
- Removing Moles and Skin Tags – Topic Overview: http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/removing-moles-and-skin-tags-topic-overview#1
- 8 Home Remedies To Remove Skin Tags That Really Work: http://www.naturallivingideas.com/home-remedies-to-remove-skin-tags/ [/showhide]
Yes! Finally something about skin tag removal home remedy.