While skin tags, calcium and cholesterol deposits, warts, etc. are harmless, many people prefer to remove them for cosmetic reasons, i.e. to show a more perfect skin and spotless appearance. Most skin growths may be removed without applying anesthesia. One way of removing them is by using a non-invasive high-frequency electrical current that delivers a precise spark-gap through microneedle which is more effective than liquid nitrogen. It’s fast and painless.
Studies have shown that visible skin tags can be a major cause of stress, anxiety, and embarrassment amongst men and women.
Skin tags also known as Cutaneous skin tags are small benign flaps of skin or protruding growths that are attached to the skin by a small peduncle or skin stalk. They are usually either flesh colored or a darker pigmentation.
Skin tags can appear at any age although they are more common in older people. They can appear anywhere on the body but tend to grow under the armpits, around the groin area, on the face, neck, chest, and eyelids.
Although skin tags are harmless they can be a cause of irritation if they get caught or rub against clothes or other parts of the body. However, the major concern for skin tag sufferers is not medical but cosmetic. Skin tags cause people to feel very self-conscious about their appearance if the skin tag is in a visible, prominent position.
Genital skin tags could also appear on the genitals of men or women. They may be the cause of more embarrassment than skin tags on other parts of the body. The reason is that genital skin tags are felt during sex and it is not uncommon for both the person and his/her sex partner to suspect them of any contagious disease, especially of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Another reason for concern over genital skin tags is their risk of hosting infections. But on the whole, groin skin tags themselves are not infectious or malignant. They are just skin tags of the genitalia in men and women of various age groups.
Penile Skin Tags
In men, genital skin tags appear mostly on the shaft of the penis. These appear most commonly in men who are sexually active which seems to confirm the general idea that skin tags develop where skin rubs against skin. Penile skin tags are a little raised above the skin level and are either the same color as the surrounding skin or a bit darker in tone. In some instances, very young children could get penile skin tags and the explanation seems to be circumcision. Penile skin tags in children are mostly found in children that were circumcised at birth or shortly afterward. Penile skin tags may increase in size.
Vaginal Skin Tags
In women, genital skin tags appear mostly in the vagina, especially in the folds of the outer layer called Vulva. Unlike men, women mostly get female skin tags in the vaginal area after pregnancy. However, in some women, they may appear at any age, more during the adult life. Their appearance is the same as other skin tags on the body i.e. small floppy growths of skin that are a little darker in color than the surrounding area. In some women having vaginal skin tags, the size of the tags is increased during the menstrual period. However, after the period is over, the tags resume their normal size.
Health Risks and Treatment
Genital skin tags, like other skin tags on the body, are mostly harmless. They do not cause any annoying symptoms unless they are irritated manually or by clothing items, especially by underwear or (in men) condoms etc. In addition, genital skin tags are irritated by sexual activity. It is important to clean the genitals and the surrounding area of any fluids right after sex so as to minimize the risk of infection. If there is a notable change in the color, shape, and/or size of genital skin tags or if there is any feeling of irritation or discomfort that lasts longer than few seconds, one should visit a doctor immediately. If required, the doctor will have the genital skin tags removed by one of a number of skin tag removal techniques like freezing skin tags – also knows as cryosurgery – ligation, or cauterizing as well as topical treatments.
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