I should note that I clean the area and the scissors with alcohol before snipping, and also I keep an eye on the site afterwards. I’ve had some bleeding problems very, very rarely, but never any other problems. And the tags don’t reappear in the same spot.
I have one on my neck that has been there for years and a number in my arm pits. I had some burned off with a laser once, but never again. It was like the doctor was putting a cigarette out on my skin.
I was in a line at a McDonald’s once, and the poor guy in front of me had hundreds of them on his neck and shoulders.
Has anyone else had them just go away on their own? I had one on my neck, and one under one arm, and while they both lingered for a handful of years, they’re gone now and I did nothing to them.
Here’s a thread from just over a year ago, and my post there links to an even older thread. Skin tag removal - Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share - Straight Dope Message Board
I had a small one on my hip just disappear a while ago.
As for removing them yourself, if you don’t want to cut them I read just tying some thread around them will make them fall off on their own.
does it hurt to cut them off?
Not really. I had one in a very delicate place (I freaked out and thought it was an STD) and when it turned out not to be anything other than an irritated skin tag I snipped it with a little blood and no real pain - and I was braced for major pain. It turned out to be a non-event, pretty much. nothing as bad as the build up anxiety.
I have one, and it is right where the seat belt goes over my shoulder. It is very irritating, especially on long drives.
I had a crap load in my arm pits and my general practioner froze them while I was there for a checkup. Unfortunately the office coded the procedure as cosmetic and my insurance wouldn’t pay. So I had to pay almost 600 bucks for the,pleasure. And they took more than a month to fall off after freezing. It took longer than doctor said it would.
When you have something removed from the skin, always say that it gets irritated, painful, and/or bleeds so that insurance will pay for it.
Did you ‘persuade’ them to fall off, or just wait?
I told them they would be uncomfortable and irritated but apparently the only option at the doctor office was to code as cosmetic. Trust me I complained. Didn’t work. Once the tags changed color then I encouraged them to come off but that took weeks. Once they changed it didn’t take a week.
Great topic for my first post. I usually remove them with iris scissors or a scalpel.
I’ve had no issues removing any of the ones EXCEPT the ones on my eye lids. Too much pain.
So I content myself with being Mr. Tentacle Eyes.
(no, they’re really not that bad, it’s a joke)
I have a few that I mostly ignore. A few years ago I had a big one on my back that I couldn’t reach, so I had my doctor cut it off which turned out to be surpisingly painful. It felt like he was doing invasive surgery back there.
I recently had a small one growing just above my eyelid which I cut off with clippers, and a small one behind my ear that I kept playing with until it rubbed off (it bled some).
Skin tags on the eyelid should be removed. They can cause pressure on the eye when you’re sleeping, leading to vision problems.