skin tags

So how many of you know what these are? I myself have a few. There are two in particular that really bother me. One of them is on my inner thigh, the other is on my pubic hairline. The one on my pubic hairline gets swollen often because of my panties rubbing against it. My insurance company will not pay to have any of them removed because they consider it cosmetic. I get nervouse when a guy see's it for the first time because they might not know what it is and freak out on me. So any one else have a similar problem?
For those of you who dont know: a skin tag is just a little like flap of skin, not really a mole, cause it sticks out. My doctor said they are just something that some people get as they get older.

[Pinmonkey]

I know what they are. I have a couple, my wife has a couple. Depending on your doctor, they could do it right in the exam room. It's sort of a quick snip of the scissors and some bleeding, depending on how big they are. Talk to your primary care physician if you haven't already and see what they can tell you... if you don't like the answer you can always get a second opinion.

[Vespertine]

I think most of the 30+ crowd knows what these are, and wouldn't consider them a big deal. They're a fact of life, like wrinkles and stray hairs.

As far as I know, they just freeze them off to remove them, so if you're really uncomfortable with the one near your pubic line, I'd pay out of pocket to have it removed.... it shouldn't cost that much.

[zazaboo]

I've had the procedure and it's not that bad or expensive. They freeze it, then snip it off, then cauterize it. Went to a dermatoligist had 5 or 6 done at the same time.

[Miss_Piggy]

I've also heard of them being removed with a small piece of thin string (like sewing thread or something). I know a paramedic who recommends tying a string around it to cut off the blood flow and after a few days it will simply fall off. I think this is only possible for small skin tags though. For larger ones you will need to see your doctor.

As for worrying about other people's reactions - my only advise is don't bother. If someone can't deal with a skin tag I really would wonder how they could possibly deal with some of the more intimate details to come. Chanxces are good that no one will even notice.

[Plumeria]

I like Miss Piggy's suggestion. I have actually used the "sewing thread" method on a couple larger ones I had and it worked really well. Before I even knew of that method though, I had some smaller ones that my bra would rub and irritate. I heard that the doctor's office would cauterize them, so I did it myself using a curling iron on the hottest setting. I first put an ice cube on the treatment area for few seconds, then pinched the flesh up so that the tag was more accessible, then touched the hot iron to it for a few seconds. It melted away part of the skin, then it formed a tiny scab, which healed in just a few days leaving no trace behind.

However, I do not recommend anyone else trying this at home though, because you have to have a VERY careful and steady hand, or you'll end up with a bad and painful burn on the surrounding skin. Any women who have ever accidentally touched their neck or ear while curling their hair can attest that.

[growgirl]

Owwwwwwwwwwwww!

Friends of mine have used suture thread for successful removal of smaller ones.

I would like to have mine removed, as I have plenty. They wouldn't bother me in a playmate and if mine bothered someone else, that's their problem. Like Vespertine said, I'd pay out of pocket if you really want it removed.

growgirl

Originally Posted by Plumeria

I like Miss Piggy's suggestion. I have actually used the "sewing thread" method on a couple larger ones I had and it worked really well. Before I even knew of that method though, I had some smaller ones that my bra would rub and irritate. I heard that the doctor's office would cauterize them, so I did it myself using a curling iron on the hottest setting. I first put an ice cube on the treatment area for few seconds, then pinched the flesh up so that the tag was more accessible, then touched the hot iron to it for a few seconds. It melted away part of the skin, then it formed a tiny scab, which healed in just a few days leaving no trace behind.

However, I do not recommend anyone else trying this at home though, because you have to have a VERY careful and steady hand, or you'll end up with a bad and painful burn on the surrounding skin. Any women who have ever accidentally touched their neck or ear while curling their hair can attest that.

wow, thanks guys, I guess I didnt know how common they were!! I have heard about tieing string around it, I cut one off myself once right at my bra line, wasnt so bad. I think I'll call my Doc and see how much it would cost to pay out of pocket to have the two really pesky ones removed!

[northindycpl]

I have a few too... (don't we all) My anestitian took care of one on my neck while I was getting a facial. It didn't hurt at all and I was very surprised by it. All I had to pay was for the facial.

Also, I had one removed right at my bra line too, from the doctors office. (it hurt!) and my insurance did cover 100% of it. She said they removed it to biopsy for skin cancer. Although she didn't think I had skin cancer, I am a sun worshiper so, as she said, you can never be to careful.

[Vespertine]

Originally Posted by smileytattoo

I think I'll call my Doc and see how much it would cost to pay out of pocket to have the two really pesky ones removed!

I think if they were especially bothersome, you might be able to get your insurance company to pay for them. If they are causing irritation and discomfort, I'd think it could be considered medically necessary. Perhaps your doctor's office can call and try to get authorization.

Give it a shot.

[good times]

Wow, this is interesting, I get them on my neck and underarms real often. I'm not as subtle as others here with them though, I just snip them off with some surgical scissors. They bleed like crazy though, so I think I will have to try some of the other methods here in the future.

I've had several bothersome moles removed and my doctor only charged me about $65.00 each to cut them out and stitch up the incission. I've also had them freeze a cancer type growth (it was benign) off of my nose and he only charged me for a regular office vist plus the lab work to test it for cancer. The usually require a cancer test for moles but these growths are never cancerous from what I understand so they should do it pretty cheap, I would think.

[LikeMinds321]

I have found very small skin tags on my eyelid, and possibly elsewhere, but I can't recall where. All I know is in my case the fastest, cheapest, smoothest way to rid myself of them was...

yank 'em off with a good tweezers.

It sounds awful, but if you have an excellent tweezers and get a good hold down to the base of the tag, you just yank quickly and it's gone!

The spot did bleed, but that was stopped easily by holding pressure on the area for a minute or so.

Of course your tags may not be like mine, and I may be giving you crazy advice, so keep this in mind.

LM

[DBL D]

I don't want you all to think I'm some kind of Frankenstein but I've had a few too. If they are just snipped off they could come back. I think using a bit of liquid nitrogen on the site keeps 'em gone for good.

Male D

[Plumeria]

Originally Posted by LikeMinds321

I have found very small skin tags on my eyelid, and possibly elsewhere, but I can't recall where. All I know is in my case the fastest, cheapest, smoothest way to rid myself of them was...

yank 'em off with a good tweezers.

It sounds awful, but if you have an excellent tweezers and get a good hold down to the base of the tag, you just yank quickly and it's gone!

The spot did bleed, but that was stopped easily by holding pressure on the area for a minute or so.

Of course your tags may not be like mine, and I may be giving you crazy advice, so keep this in mind.

LM

Yeeeow! You're a stronger woman than me! I thought my "burn" technique sounded a bit torturous after reading my post, but I flinched a little thinking of yanking them with a tweezers. Funny how one method can seem more painful than others, when in reality, it's probably all about the same.

I dont think I could fold myself in half to snip the two that bother me. didnt even know I had the one on my pubic hairline till the doctor mentioned it to me at my last yearly visit. When it bothered me I just thought it was a pulled hair or something. The one I did cut off was on my bra line, and man did it bleed.... But it healed really quick. Some of the ideas on here sound REALLY painful...... Like just yanking it off with tweezers, I'm tough, but not THAT tough... You go girl!!