From the Guidelines
I strongly recommend consulting a healthcare professional, such as a dermatologist or primary care physician, for the removal of benign skin tumors or skin tags, as they can assess the growth and choose the most appropriate removal method, ensuring minimal risk of complications and promoting optimal wound healing. When it comes to removing benign skin tumors or skin tags, there are several methods that can be used, including scissors, electrocautery, cryotherapy, or ligation 1. For small skin tags, the doctor may use scissors to snip them off after numbing the area with local anesthetic like lidocaine. Alternatively, they might use electrocautery (burning with electric current), cryotherapy (freezing with liquid nitrogen), or ligation (tying off the base with surgical thread to cut off blood supply) 1. Some key points to consider when removing benign skin tumors or skin tags include:
- The importance of proper identification of the growth to ensure it is benign and not cancerous
- The need for complete removal to prevent regrowth
- The use of appropriate wound care instructions to promote healing and minimize the risk of complications
- The potential risks of self-removal, including infection, excessive bleeding, and incomplete removal leading to regrowth For larger benign tumors, surgical excision may be necessary, which involves cutting out the growth and possibly placing stitches, with a recommended margin of 4-6 mm of uninvolved skin around the tumor 1. While over-the-counter products exist for skin tag removal, they're less reliable and may cause skin irritation. Self-removal attempts risk infection, excessive bleeding, and incomplete removal leading to regrowth. Professional removal ensures proper identification of the growth, complete removal, and appropriate wound care instructions, and is typically quick, performed in-office, and causes minimal discomfort 1.
From the Research
Removal Methods for Benign Tumors and Skin Tags
- Benign tumors and skin tags can be removed using various methods, including excision, laser therapy, and cryotherapy 2.
- The choice of removal method depends on the type and location of the tumor or skin tag, as well as the patient's cosmetic preferences and skin type 2.
Excision Methods
- Scissor excision is a common method for removing skin tags, and it has been shown to be effective and safe 3, 4.
- A study comparing scissor excision to laser therapy found that scissor excision had a higher healing rate and lower pain scores 4.
- Ethyl chloride spray anesthesia can be used to make the excision process more comfortable and painless for the patient 3.
Laser Therapy
- Laser therapy is another option for removing skin tags, and it has been shown to be effective in some cases 4.
- However, a study found that laser therapy had higher rates of redness, hyper- and hypopigmentation, and persistence of necrotic fibromas compared to scissor excision 4.
- The 532 nm LBO laser has been used for skin tag removal, but it may not be as effective as scissor excision for pedunculated fibromas 4.
Anesthesia and Pain Management
- Local anesthesia, such as lidocaine, can be used to manage pain during the removal process 5, 6.
- A study found that a lidocaine/tetracaine self-occluding topical anesthetic was effective and safe for dermatological procedures, including skin tag removal 6.
- Ethyl chloride spray anesthesia is another option for managing pain during scissor excision 3.