How To Use Hydrogen Peroxide For Skin Tags Removal
Skin tags may not be a health concern but can sometimes be a huge aesthetic problem if they spread on different skin areas such as the neck, eyelids, breasts, or other skin folds. Generally, it is not advised to remove them at home, due to the fact that they can cause bleeding and scarring, so you should consult a health professional before you decide to remove them.
However, you can remove them at home easily, without paying a visit to your dermatologist. We offer you a few effective removal methods that you use at home, but first, let’s see what skin tags are and what causes them.
They are benign skin growths (with the medical term acrochordon) that are quite common in adults and usually hang down from the surface of your skin on a thin tissue called a stalk. These growths are loose collagen fibers that are wrapped up inside the skin’s layers. They are present in approximately 25% of the population and are among the most common benign skin tumors encountered by family physicians. (1)
It is not entirely clear what causes them, but one study found that they can be related to people who have problems with diabetes or are overweight. They are very common in pregnancy due to hormonal changes or are caused by increased friction due to weight gain during pregnancy.
They do not usually cause any problems unless they are snagged or caught usually by some types of clothes or jewelry. Still, some people want them removed, most usually for aesthetic reasons.
Few Cases When Skin Tags Removal At Home Is Not Appropriate
You should not try removing the skin tags at home in cases when they are:
- located around the genitals
- very long or large
- located around the eyes
- very large or long
- causing bleeding, itching, or pain
Let’s see how hydrogen peroxide can be used as a home treatment option for removing skin tags. It is scientifically not proven that it can remove them and sometimes can be harsh for sensitive skin. Nevertheless, hydrogen peroxide has many bleaching and disinfecting properties and some patients think that it can help you with certain skin conditions. It may:
- Lighten your skin
- Reduce blemishes
- Combat infections and
- Ease symptoms of certain skin conditions
If you want to use hydrogen peroxide for the removal of your skin tags, you should apply it regularly for 2 – 3 weeks to see the results. You should take a cotton ball and soak it in the peroxide oxide. Attach it to the skin tag and keep it for around 30 minutes every day.
The skin may look whitish at the beginning, which means that the remedy is working.
You should always be careful not to touch the healthy part of your skin, as it may sting you, and be persistent and apply it until it comes off. Be very careful not to touch your eyes with it.
Hydrogen Peroxide For Warts Removal
Hydrogen peroxide is a natural removal of both skin tags and warts. So, this skin tags remover works on warts too. Warts are another type of skin infection that is caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and are contagious.
One study has shown that hydrogen peroxide (3% and 6%) is an effective, safe, and cheap treatment modality for non-genital warts which can be used simply at home. (2)
You should use 3 % hydrogen peroxide for six weeks to help you with warts problems.
How to use it?
- Put 3 % hydrogen peroxide on your warts and cover them with plastic tape for one hour every day for six weeks.
- You may see the first effective results after six weeks period.
Note: Do not try this on genital warts or face acne as the skin is very sensitive.
Different home remedies work differently to see which one works the best for you. So, we present you with a few other home remedies in case the hydrogen peroxide has been proven effective in treating the skin tags.
Apple Cider Vinegar Used As A Natural Skin Tag Removal
The acidic properties of apple cider vinegar have been known for centuries. It has been used for wound sterilization, preserving food, and fighting infections.
There is no scientific evidence that apple cider vinegar can treat skin tags. It is also very acidic and can cause some chemical burns, so you should not use it around your eyes.
If you want to use apple vinegar to treat skin tags, you can put it on the tag and cover the tag with a bandage 2 to 3 times per day, until the tags disappear. Your tag will turn black and will usually fall after 2 – 3 days without any scars or bleeding.
Tea tree oil
The tea tree oil has many antifungal and antiviral properties. (3) It is safer if you use it diluted in a carrier oil.
Instructions for use:
- First, you should wash the affected area.
- Next, take a cotton swab and gently massage over the skin tag with the oil.
- Place a bandage over the affected skin overnight.
- Repeat this treatment for several nights until the skin tag falls off.
Banana peel
The banana peel has a very powerful antioxidant activity and is a very important by-product in the pulp industry. (4) It contains different bioactive compounds such as carotenoids, polyphenols, and others. It can be helpful in drying the skin tags.
You can place a banana peel over the tag and cover it during the night for several nights with a bandage. Repeat this for several nights until the skin tag falls off.
Garlic
Applying fresh garlic is not always a good idea due to its strong smell. But it will help you with the skin tag problem. If you apply fresh garlic and secure it with a bandage overnight it will shrink the skin tag.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant and is a great fighter against aging and skin wrinkles. If you apply it for a few days over the skin tag, it will fall off after a few days. All you need is just massage it over the skin tag and the surrounding skin.
Skin tags are harmless. Still, some people have large skin tags on their eyelids that may obscure their vision, so they want them removed. Some may decide to remove them for aesthetic reasons. If the stalk becomes twisted, it cuts off the blood supply and the skin tag falls off by itself.
It is not advisable to take off the skin tags on your eyelids at home. You should visit a health professional who can use different procedures to take off the skin tags from the eyelids, such as follows:
Cryotherapy
One of the methods the doctor can use is cryotherapy. The doctor uses a soaked pair of forceps in liquid nitrogen to freeze it off during this method. Sometimes, you will need a few treatments to remove all the skin tags from the areas they appeared.
Scissor excision
The second method is used with sterile scissors that are used for cutting the skin tags off. The bleeding that may occur when this procedure is used, is stopped with an electric probe.
Electrosurgery
This is a very effective method and prevents bleeding after removal. First, the doctor burns the skin tag with a device that transmits an electric current. If the skin tag is very large, the doctor may give an anesthetic.
If you want to remove a skin tag from your eyelid, the safest and most effective method is to consult a health professional, as there are some risks involved, such as the following:
Bleeding
Removing large skin tags at home may sometimes cause excessive bleeding. When a doctor performs a small skin tag surgery, the bleeding is minor. The doctor can easily stop the bleeding and provide proper wound care. If the wound is large, it may require stitches.
Scarring
The risk of scarring is also present, and you can talk to your doctor before the skin tag removal about the potential of scars forming.
Conclusion:
- Skin tags are benign skin growths (with the medical term acrochordon) that are quite common in adults.
- You can remove them at home easily, without paying a visit to your dermatologist, but you should always consult a doctor before you decide to take them at home using a home natural skin tag removal.
- Still, it is not advisable to take off the skin tags on your eyelids at home.
