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Finding skin tags during pregnancy is a difficult task. It may be the least expected of all the transformations that happen to you at the time of pregnancy.
Skin tags are a typical occurrence in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. Even though there are no specific statistics on how prevalent the skin tags are, they can appear on the breasts, neck, or even the vaginal area.
Aside from giving you a baby bump, pregnancy alters your body in a variety of ways. Your list of food desires may be larger than your list of skin changes. While most women are aware of common skin problems like stretch marks and spider veins, the appearance of skin tags during pregnancy may come as a shock.
We’ll go over what are the causes of skin tags during pregnancy, where new skin tags can appear, and how to treat pregnant skin tags in this post.
What Causes Skin Tags During Pregnancy, Exactly?
A skin tag is a small benign skin growth that commonly appears in locations where there are skin folds on the body of a pregnant woman.
According to the experts, at least 50% of all people have skin tags. They can start to manifest themselves in kids as early as ten years old.
There are several theories on what causes skin tags to form. Before we get into these factors, let’s have a look at where the skin tags often appear at the time of pregnancy.
Where Do New Skin Tags During Pregnancy Most Often Appear?
During pregnancy, skin tags can form anywhere on your body, including the creases of your neck, armpits, breasts, and vagina. Increased friction is a hypothesized reason for skin tag development, thus they may appear more commonly in regions because of increased weight. These regions may change due to the fact that everyone gains weight differently throughout pregnancy.
There is no definitive data on where or the number of skin tags will develop during pregnancy.
Skin tags may appear anywhere on the body, but rarely cause problems until they become trapped or hooked. This may happen when wearing particular garments or wearing jewelry and it might cause minor irritation.
What Exactly Causes Skin Tags During Pregnancy?
According to short clinical research published in 2007 Trusted Source, about 20% of pregnant women have dermatological changes. Around 12% of the dermatological alterations will manifest into skin tags. As previously stated, skin tags during pregnancy can be formed by a variety of factors.
Increased friction induced by weight growth may be the cause of pregnancy skin tags. Depending on your pre-pregnancy weight, the experts in the United States of America suggest increasing your weight by 11 to 40 pounds.
Skin tags may grow in these locations if the weight gain creates greater friction, such as on the neck or under the armpits.
Hormonal changes might also create skin tags during pregnancy. Researchers discovered a strong link between the number of skin tags and levels of the hormone leptin in a small study conducted in 2019. Similar findings were found in previous research published in 2010 by a Trusted Source.
Leptin is a hormone that promotes epithelial (skin) cell differentiation and development. The pregnant woman’s fat tissue & the fetus produce leptin, which might explain the rapid increase in the skin tag development during pregnancy.
Sex hormones may also play a role in the development of skin tags during pregnancy. Increased levels of estrogen and skin tags may be linked, according to a 2010 study from a Trusted Source.
The fact that most of the skin tag development occurs during puberty, a stage of significant hormonal shifts, supports this relationship. Furthermore, during pregnancy, women generate high quantities of estrogen, which may contribute to an increase in the production of skin tags.
Other reasons for skin tags have been postulated, such as insulin sensitivity & heredity, however, these explanations may not always apply to the pregnant woman.
What Is The Difference Between Skin Tags During Pregnancy and Warts?
There are a few differences between skin tags and warts:
Skin tags are generally soft and smooth, whereas warts are rougher and less uniform in appearance. Skin tags are not infectious, which means they stay in one region of the body. Warts, on the other hand, can quickly spread to other parts of the body.
Warts are flattened and near to the skin’s surface, whereas skin tags are loose and hang from the skin. Skin tags can appear at any time during pregnancy, but they are harmless and only cause aesthetic discomfort. Attempting to remove them when pregnant is risky and typically ineffective since they tend to return regardless. The best course of action is to wait until your child is born before making any changes.
Skin Tags During Pregnancy - The Treatment
Although the skin tags may vanish after the baby is born, don’t be concerned if they persist. In this situation, you may want to look into a variety of treatment methods to safely get rid of them.
1) Medicinal treatments
The removal of the following remedy necessitates a trip to the doctor’s or dermatologist’s office. Always visit your doctor if you have bigger skin tags on the face or any other sensitive areas, and never think of removing them by yourself.
2) Excision
Skin tags can be physically snipped or cut with a pair of scissors or also with a scalpel during this operation. Stitches may be necessary in case the skin tag is big.
3) Cauterization
The skin tag can be taken out by cauterization by burning it with intense heat or electric energy.
4) Cryosurgery
Cryosurgery is the same as cauterization in that it uses liquid nitrogen to freeze and remove skin tags.
5) Remedy at home
It’s crucial to do away with harsher treatments or chemicals that might be absorbed via the skin when pregnant. The following procedures may be performed carefully at home to try to dry off skin tags naturally.
Apple Cider Vinegar: Vinegar made from apple cider has the acidity which contributes to its drying effects. This may aid in the removal of skin tags by allowing them to dry up and fall off. Burns can be avoided by using a moistened cotton swab to remove the skin tag.
Tea tree oil: Tea tree oil is a natural antiseptic and is another popular treatment for skin tags. It has antibacterial and antifungal properties. It is a good spot treatment for that snagged or irritated skin tag because of its ability to decrease inflammation.
Garlic: Garlic contains anti-inflammatory and anti-aging effects. However there is no scientific evidence, some have stated that applying a little quantity of fresh garlic clove or fresh garlic juice on the skin tag and wrapping it with a bandage every day until the skin tag falls out has helped many remove skin tags.
Skin tags, as previously said, are benign growths which cause no pain. However, if they start to hurt, become infected, or if you’re afraid that the skin tags might be of concern, see the doctor. They will help you in appropriate diagnosis and treat the abnormality.
Vitamin A-containing products should also be avoided during pregnancy. Vitamin A is related to issues with a growing fetus; however, this is an uncommon occurrence.
Final Conclusion
Skin tags are a very typical dermatological alteration that occurs during pregnancy. Skin tags can form for a variety of reasons during pregnancy, such as an increase in weight or changes in hormones.
Skin tags that do not disappear after pregnancy can be treated in a variety of ways, both at home and in the office.
Consult your dermatologist or OB-GYN if you have any concerns about your skin tags.
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