Can Apple Cider Vinegar Remove Skin Tags?

Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. However, sometimes our body throws up unique challenges that might hamper our beauty to a certain extent. Skin Tags are one such problem that, though is not much of a medically serious issue, can hamper the beauty of our body. Many will have a doubt that does apple cider vinegar removes skin tags. Yes, here in this article you can find out how to use apple cider vinegar for skin tags?

What Are Skin Tags?

Skin Tag, also popularly referred to as acrochordon, fibroma pendulum, cutaneous papilloma, fibroma molluscum, cutaneous tag, fibroepithelial polyp, soft fibroma, and Templeton skin tags in the medical profession, is primarily benign tumors on the skin. They appear to be small, soft pieces of skin hanging over the skin of the human body. Such formations usually have a stalk or a peduncle.

They usually start as a small flat skin formation with a pin-like bump. Gradually these skin formations grow big, though some might remain small in size which can range from two millimeters to five centimeters in diameter.

They are common occurrences among men and women, especially in and after the 30s. Some people might not even realize that they had such formations on their bodies since such skin tags might rub off or fall off painlessly for them without any effort. Some skin tags which might be way too large usually have a chance of bursting under pressure.

These formations can appear almost anywhere on the human body including the eyelids. However, such formations are common in places where either human skin or clothes that such humans wear rub against the skin frequently such as armpits, groins, under the breasts, and neck among other places.

They are not dangerous and often go unnoticed unless they appear in a prominently visible place or in a place where the formations get rubbed or scratched repeatedly due to the clothes or accessories one wears or due to some physical actions performed such as shaving the skin. They can form upon smooth or irregular skin surfaces and are usually flesh-colored or slightly brown in color.

Causes Of Skin Tags

The exact cause of skin tags is yet to be ascertained by researchers, however, some of the popularly accepted causes of skin tags include;

• Clusters of blood vessels and collagen somehow gets trapped under thick pieces of skin
• Frequent skin to skin rubbing leads to considerably higher skin tag formations under skin creases and folds
• Genetic reasons (inherited from ancestors)
• Obesity
• Pregnancy or periods of hormonal changes
• Diabetes, especially in case of patients suffering from hyperinsulinemia or in people where an excess of insulin is being circulated in the blood
• Hypertension or high blood pressure
• High levels of cholesterol
• Some types of Human Papillomavirus or HPV
• Sex Steroid imbalance especially due to changes in the level of estrogen or progesterone

Cures And Treatments For Skin Tags

The following are some treatments where you can follow for skin tags removal;

1. Natural Treatments

Various home remedies are available for removing skin tags such as using tea tree oil, banana peels, garlic, apple cider vinegar, and vitamin E supplements among others.

2. Over The Counter Therapies

Various over the counter therapies are available. Most of these over the counter therapies help in freezing the skin tags, thus helping them to fall off automatically within 7-10 days. While surgery or removal of skin tags at home is not prescribed, very small skin tags can be removed by tying dental floss available over the counter or even commonly available cotton threads around the base of the tag.

3. Surgery

Surgery should only be done under the medical supervision of a practicing dermatologist or a specialized medical professional. Some of the procedures include Cryosurgery (skin tags are frozen using liquid nitrogen), Excision (skin tags cut out with scalpel), Ligation (blood supply to skin tags are interrupted), and Cauterization (skin tags are burned using electrolysis)

Apple Cider Vinegar For Skin Tags

Talking about natural remedies for removing skin tags, apple cider vinegar for skin tags has been a popular choice for centuries. Vinegar is a naturally found material in all households. Vinegar, for centuries, has not only been used for the purpose of cooking alone. Rather, the acidic property of vinegar has been used as a natural remedy for a variety of reasons such as protecting against infections, preserving food, or even sterilizing wounds. With the increasing popularity of Apple Cider Vinegar, these specific types of vinegar have been found to be useful for a variety of other reasons too such as promoting the loss of weight and even treating cold.

There is also a common belief that the acetic acid present in Apple Cider Vinegar helps in breaking down the tissue around the base of the skin tag leading it to eventually fall off. Everyone will have a doubt on how to use apple cider vinegar for skin tags. The following is the procedure to use Apple Cider Vinegar for removal of Skin Tags;

• Take a clean sterilized cotton ball.
• Soak the cotton ball in Apple Cider Vinegar
• Place the soaked cotton ball over the skin tag and secure it in the position with the help of a bandage for 10-15 minutes.
• Remove the cotton ball.
• Wash the area along with the skin tag with soap and mildly warm water.
• Allow the area to dry and then keep the skin tag open.
• Do not try to cover the skin tag with a bandage.
• Repeat the process daily for at least two weeks until the skin tag falls off automatically.

While there is no scientific evidence to prove the effectiveness of using apple cider vinegar for removing skin tags, however, the same might be tried in case the vinegar does not cause any skin irritation. Removal of skin tags is a safe procedure and there is no evidence that such removal leads or encourages further formations. Therefore, such a process of removal can be used in order to feel beautiful.