from a medical standpoint, but from an aesthetic point of view, they are not something that are going to win any beauty contests.
Why do skin tags show up?
They are apparently common in diabetics and overweight people. I don't fall under either of those categories. They are also caused by friction. I have tended to get them underneath the breasts where the bra line is located, so I can see how friction would be the cause for them to show up there. However, it's also common to have growths around the eyes. I have had four in this location and friction most certainly would not have been the cause here. It's possible that it is hormonal, since I have been moving through peri-menopause for the last couple of years when the tags around the eyes showed up, but I do not have any scientific evidence to back that up. It may just be the luck (or un-luck) of the draw.
What can we do about them?
For me they started showing up in my twenties. They are easily removed at a dermatologist's office. They take a blade of some sort and with a quick swipe, it is gone. It isn't painful. It feels more like a light scratch, and then it's done. The problem with this type of removal is a) you have to actually go to the doctor's office to have it done and b) insurance. Insurance carriers have a tendency to want nothing to do with paying for skin tag removal, because it's purely for vanity's sake that one would be removing them. If you are lucky to find a doctor who will "exaggerate" the truth to the insurance company and claim they are "concerned" by the look of it and want to make certain it isn't something more serious than it really is, then you are in luck. Not every doctor will do that though.
The good news is, there is a way around this procedure. It's called apple cider vinegar.
I personally use Bragg's brand, because it's organic—and more to the point, it works. I swab a bit on in the morning and again in the evening before bed. The length of time it takes for it to be gone can be hours, or days. For me, it seems the standard time frame is about two weeks, but I recently had a brown one that took four weeks.
This one tag was more stubborn than the others I had had in the past, and at first I wasn't even sure if it was going to work at all. Much to my chagrin, it just kept looking the same after each application. Nevertheless, I refused to give up, and eventually it began to shrivel up. Like a dying flower in a vase I knew its days were numbered and I was close to releasing it. And I was right! Victory was at last at hand after only a few days of its withering state.
So, yes, sometimes the procedure is quick. Sometimes it takes some endurance, but rest assured it will work for the cost of a few dollars at the local market.
The one thing that I want to mention is to be very careful if you are using apple cider vinegar around the eyes. While, I was able to remove all of the skin tags near my eyes, it is definitely not a good thing to get the vinegar in the eyes themselves. Vinegar is acidic and I can attest to it feeling like acid burning through this delicate tissue. So, use extreme caution and a Q-Tip only over the one area, making sure it goes nowhere near the eyeball itself.
As always, don't mistake a mole for a skin tag. If you have an unusual mole or if you aren't sure what you are looking at, please seek out a physician.
Happy healing...and thank you for reading about my Organic Bliss!
***Please keep in mind that all healing tools that I discuss on this blog are what worked for me. Every 'body' is different and therefore each person must find the treatments that works best for them. Also, I am not a medical doctor. So, please consult your physician prior to trying any remedies offered on this site.
References: Everyday Health
