Being pregnant is one of the greatest times in a woman’s life. However, pregnancy not only brings new life but can also bring a few physical changes to your body along with it. One of those changes is skins tags. Does pregnancy cause skin tags? Yes, it can.
What are skin tags?
Skin tags are small growths made up of collagen fibers. They are attached to the skin by a short, narrow stalk called a ‘peduncle’ and are usually found in places where the skin rubs against itself or clothing. Only usually a few millimeters long, these flesh-colored growths are known to be harmless and are very common during pregnancy. Skin tags generally cause no physical pain or discomfort. They are usually the color of one’s natural skin tone but can be slightly darker as well, depending on where they are located and their blood supply.
What causes skin tags during pregnancy?
Hormones
We mentioned that skin tags tend to form in areas of high friction. There are however other factors that can cause skin tags, one of those being hormone fluctuation. Pregnancy is a time when skin is the most delicate. During pregnancy, a woman’s body experiences an increase in hormone levels which causes the hyperactive growth of skin cells, which then form the skin tag. Because of the benign harmless nature of skin tags, many women don’t even notice them during their pregnancy
Nursing
Even while nursing, a woman’s hormones are moving at a rapid rate. This yet increases the chance of skin tags forming. During breastfeeding, nipples become high friction areas, so coupled together with increased hormones women can develop skin tags around their nipples due to this. They are harmless growths, but some moms prefer to have them removed in case they interfere with breastfeeding their newborn or become irritated from the increased friction.
Changes in your body
Weight gain or at least a change in body shape is inevitable with pregnancies. The change of shape will sometime create more areas of friction and often on sensitive skin. As we know, skin friction is one of the contributing factors to the development of skin tags, and together with pregnancy hormones, one may see an increase of skin tags forming.
Will skin tags disappear after giving birth?
As a change in hormones may have created new skin tags, one hopes that as your hormones settle, the skin tags will disappear. This is often the case, but not always. Some skin tags do just shrink and disappear after childbirth and nursing, but if they don’t skin tags are easily removed and most people even do it themselves at home. There is a wide range of natural remedies or at-home removal products to assist with this It is best to wait until after the pregnancy and nursing, as the hormones in your body may just create new ones. Skin tags that form during pregnancy are the only ones that fall off on their own. Regular skin tags, that form throughout your life don’t just disappear and require you to take some action to remove them.
Are skin tags contagious for my baby?
No, skin tags are not contagious and skin tags developed during pregnancy are not passed on to your baby. However, genetics is one of the contributing factors to skin tags, so if you had skin tags prior to becoming pregnant, there is a chance your child may develop them at some stage of their life.
Even though skin tags are more prevalent on aging skin, babies have been known to develop them too. Babies are little eating and sleeping machines, so occasionally due to their little skin folds forming on their sensitive skin they can sometimes develop skin tags too. They are harmless, but if they are worrying you, it is a good idea to speak to your pediatrician about them.
Can I prevent skin tags during pregnancy?
There is not too much that can be done to prevent skin tags growing during pregnancy, as much of it is hormonal. However, it is a good idea to keep high friction areas and skin folds dry and clean. Ensure you are maintaining a healthy diet, full of fruits and vegetables and avoid caffeine as much as possible. There are many options for removing skin tags but it is suggested to wait at least until you have given birth to remove them. Special skin tag removers can be effective, but should NOT be tried while pregnant. These seep into the skin and are not advised to try during pregnancy.
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