Prevention is better than cure. Although it is quite easy to remove an already existing skin tag, preventing one from growing in the first place is best. Taking care of your skin will always serve you well in the future and with some basic skin and health care, you can help prevent skin tags from growing whilst also keeping youthful looking skin. Even if you already have some skin tags, the tips in here can help prevent more from appearing.
What are skin tags and why do they occur?
Skin tags are nothing more than a nuisance. They are not harmful to your health but can affect one’s self-confidence if they are very visible. They can also get caught in your clothing or jewelry and get twisted or scratch. These soft protrusions that hang off the skin by a small stalk are just collagen fibers that have gotten trapped in a small pouch of skin. Although there is no one specific reason for the occurrence of skin tags, researchers and medical practitioners attribute their appearance to age, hormones, weight gain, genetics, activity levels and skin care.
Skin tags become more prevalent in people over 40. That’s not to say that young people don’t get them, but as we get older and our skin softens, the chance of seeing skin tags appearing increases.
Certain medications, such as steroids, have an effect on our skin and continuous use of them can cause these little protrusions to appear.
Often pregnant women will notice that during their pregnancy, they develop more skin tags. This is due to all the changes their bodies are experiencing as well as the dramatic change in hormone levels.
How can you prevent skin tags?
Below are some tips that can be followed to prevent the growth of skin tags.
Control sugar intake levels:
Weight gain is known to have an effect on the growth of skin tags. The chances of developing diabetes increases and this can cause multiple skin tags to appear. Sugar is also known not to be good for the skin and can affect the aging process as well as aggravate conditions like acne and rosacea. Avoid the consumption of processed sugar that is present in fast food items and snacks. Controlling your sugar intake can help to prevent skin tags as well as other conditions. Raw food eaters have reportedly lowered the occurrence of new skin tags on their bodies.
Avoid wearing tight-fitting clothes:
If you tend to wear tight fitting clothes, your skin will frequently rub against the cloth, increasing the chances of skin tags appearing. It also limits the free passage of air over your skin. Although contemporary fashion dictates what we should wear and what we should not, it is always best to choose clothes that are comfortable to the body.
Quit smoking:
Regular smokers not only have an increased risk of cancer and heart disease but it also contributes to a variety of skin diseases. Quit smoking to avoid the chances of developing any sort of skin complications, including skin tags.
Use friction-reducing powder:
Various medicated powders are available on the market that can help to reduce the friction between your legs, groin, neck, armpits, under the breast, as well as other regions where skin tags can occur. The less friction, the less chance of a skin tag appearing.
Due to the range of reasons skin tags occur, one may need to try several methods as no one reason causes skin tags and no one cure prevents them.
Prevention of skin tags on the face
Getting skin tags on the face can be aesthetically displeasing and often negatively affects one’s self-confidence. So this is an area that you want to be particularly prudent with your prevention methods. Skin tags tend to develop more frequently on the eyelids as this is an area more commonly prone to friction. We often rub our eyes without even realizing it. Try to be a little more aware of how often you rub your eyes and try to break this natural habit. This will cut down on the friction on the sensitive skin around your eyes. Smoking or the use of steroids also leads to weakening of the facial skin and, therefore, avoiding these can go along way to preventing skin tags. Eat plenty of green vegetables and fruits to keep your skin in good condition to prevent it from weakening and forming skin tags.
Prevention of skin tags on the neck
The back and side of the neck are the two most common areas that are prone to friction from clothes, movement and the accumulation of sweat and dirt. Therefore, clothes that are too tight should be avoided. The use of baby powders can help significantly reduce the friction levels. People with high-fat accumulation on the backside of their neck can try reducing calories to prevent skin tags.
If a skin tag does appear you can get it removed either at home or in the doctor’s office. Use these preventative measures to help reduce the chance of a new skin tag growing.