Genital skin tags are skin tags that appear in the genital area. They are harmless flaps of skin that are benign, non cancerous growths. Rarely does a skin tag ever become cancerous.
Most of the time skin tags are just an annoying part of aging. They can be found on just about any part of the body, including the genital area. Skin tags of the genitalia are especially embarrassing to those who are sexually active since their partner may mistake them for some type of venereal disease.
Often skin tags will remain the same color as the surrounding skin but there are those that will have a slightly darker appearance. Some skin tags are flat and others hang off the surface of the skin. Some are wrinkled and some will grow to the size of a grape. There are no real known reasons for skin tag development but many in the medical field feel that these tags are at least in part hereditary.
Skin tags of the genitalia may cause irritation because the genitalia is always covered with some type of clothing. Clothing can cause irritation to the skin tags because of the friction that is the result of clothing rubbing against the tag.
Males will often experience the appearance of genital skin tags on, or in the area of, the penis. They tend to be more prominent on men who are sexually active, leading one to believe that the friction may be the cause of skin tag formation. Sometimes skin tags will develop in small children who have been circumcised at birth but this is rare. Skin tags usually develop in people who are 50 years of age or older.
In women genital skin tags are found in the vagina, most often in the folds of skin that surround the vulva. Often women will develop these skin tags after childbirth but it is possible to develop them at any age. Another factor in women is the menstrual cycle. Women who have skin tags will usually find that these skin tags will increase with size during the menstrual cycle but after the cycle is past the tags will once again decrease to a more normal size.
Skin tags of the genital area are the same as skin tags on any other part of the body. They are usually harmless and benign but they may become irritated when rubbed against clothing. People who are sexually active may find that genital skin tags become irritated. It is a fairly simple process to have these skin tags removed. You will have more than one option but only you and your doctor can determine which option is best.
Many physicians will prefer to freeze the skin tags off with a very cold liquid such as liquid nitrogen. This is usually a fairly painless way to treat skin tags and it carries little chance of side effects. Another option is to cut off the blood supply to the skin tag they remove them by cutting them off. This may have a small amount of pain but your physician can inject a local anesthetic to prevent the pain. |
