Skin tags are very common, and the majority of people have at least some, somewhere on their bodies. They are usually found in areas where the skin creases such as on the neck, in the armpits or on eyelids, but more unusually they are sometimes found in other areas such as the genital area. Tags in this area are simply called genital skin tags, and they are not any indication of sexually transmitted infections or illness.
Skin tags in general are caused by friction, or by the rubbing of skin. They are not contagious and cannot be passed on to a partner during sex. They are harmless and painless and not something that should be treated as an urgent medical problem. However, many people feel extremely self-conscious and embarrassed about genital skin tags, and wish them removed as soon as possible. Many also confuse genital skin tags with other conditions such as genital warts, which do have a sexually transmitted element to them. Genital skin tags occur in men and in women in equal numbers. In men the tags usually develop along the shaft of the penis, whereas in women they are more common around the vagina. Some women find that fluctuating hormone levels mean that their tags shrink and grown over their monthly cycle, some find that their skin tags stay the same shape and size throughout the month.
Although genital skin tags are harmless, non-infectious and very rarely cause pain, they can become irritated during sex. It is important that the skin is cleaned after sexual intercourse to avoid any danger of the skin tags becoming infected. If there is a suspicion that skin tags have become infected it is important to visit the doctor for a proper diagnosis and treatment.
People with genital skin tags may find them harder to live with or tolerate than skin tags on other parts of the body which can be more easily ignored or covered up at all times with clothing or special camouflaging make-up products. For these reasons, most people who suffer with skin tags on the genitals try to remove them as quickly and efficiently as possible. There are many different options for removing genital skin tags, ranging from the quick and simple surgical techniques of snipping them off using a pair of sterile scissors, to laser treatment or burning them off using liquid nitrogen. A doctor will be able to advise on the method which is most appropriate in each case. All methods are quick, and although having skin tags removed surgically usually means a trip to the doctor’s office or a local hospital, it does not involve a long stay in hospital or any sort of anesthetic, whether that is local or general.
Most of the traditional and natural remedies for removing skin tags involve regular application or pastes made from things like baking soda and castor oil, and then leaving them to work on the skin tag until it comes away of its own accord. As these methods are time consuming and usually mean that the skin tag has to be covered with a band aid or small bandage while the paste works, they are generally not practical for use on skin tags in the genital area. Tying a skin tag around its base with dental floss or thread may work, but care must be taken when tying the thread and in the genital area, it is recommended that the procedure be carried out by a trained medical professional.
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