Question:
Skin Tags, I have these awful looking things does weight loss help with these?
So I have skin tags, those fatty looking moles under my arms and on my neck. Does WLS and loosing weight help with these? Will they get smaller, or will they look bigger since my body size will be decreasing. Will the surgeon whack them off, since I'll be under anyway? — John B. (posted on June 10, 2003)
June 10, 2003
Hi John! Congratulations on your upcomming date! About the tags... where
are they? I cut my own off of my neck with very very sharp scissors. I
know things will shrink (even hair follicles) but I am not far out enough
to say about skin tags yet. If they are small enough, just cut them off
yourself. Just keep alcohol and sharp scissors in the medicine cabinet!
— Marcy G.
June 10, 2003
Acrochordons or skin tags are not brought on by excess weight or
eliminated/lessoned by losing weight. In fact science does not really know
what causes them. They appear randomly on all body types and ethnicities,
but are most common after one reaches mid-life. My 8 year old already has
one though.
— [Deactivated Member]
June 10, 2003
Hi, My dermatologist says that most tags are found in areas of the skin
exposed to a lot of rubbing. He said that this is why they are so prevalent
around the necks of some people, especially elderly. He removed the small
one's from my grandmothers neck with scissors and cauterization. The larger
ones were cauterized (burned) off with a tool. She didn't feel a thing.
They do not go away on their own.
— M B.
June 10, 2003
Hey...about those awful ugly skin tags! I have at least 7 or 8 taken off
my neck at least 3 yrs back and they haven't grown back. The dermatologist
cut them off for me...and it did sting a bit. However, you may find that
your insurance may not pay for them to be cut off since most consider this
to be cosmetic...but...if the tags have been hurting you, bleeding
etc..they might pay for them. Mostly tags can be hereditary and sometimes
caused by other diseases like poly cystic ovaries etc.
— Heather D.
June 10, 2003
I too have them, didn't get them till later in life. My mother had them
also, worse than me. I had some cut off at the Dr a few years ago. I went
back to have more taken off and was told they only cover this by insurance
under certain circumstances now. Not for cosmetic reasons, and they can
only take off a certain number per visit. I asked the Dr if she actually
counted how many she cut off per visit she laughed and said no.
— doodlebug
June 10, 2003
Hi...I had skin tags, and they were a symptom of the Polycystic Ovarian
Syndrome (PCOS) that I was diagnosed with shortly after I had WLS in August
of 2001. Along with other symptoms, as the weight came off, the skin tags
started disappearing. I take medication for insulin resistance and to
control the growth of body hair, which are also symptoms. If you have any
other symptoms, like dark, thick body hair, thinning hair on your head,
adult acnew, no period or long periods, etc, you should also see an
endocrinologist to get tested for PCOS. It's name hints to cysts on the
ovaries. It's also a symptom, but not always present. I didn't have
cysts. Weight control helps keep the symptoms in check, but at this time,
there is no cure. Anyway (sorry for the rambling lol) mine went away with
the weight loss...Good luck! Denise 316/153
— lily1968
June 10, 2003
OMG! I'm embarrassed! LOL...I'm sorry...I'm so used to answering women on
this site, I assumed (never do that by the way)...I sure hope you don't
have PCOS, if you do, you're a medical mystery! LOL...sorry about
that..geez!
— lily1968
June 10, 2003
I had them when I was obese. I don't have them now that I am healthier (15
mo. post-op). Your surgeon will probably not cut them off during your
surgery since your PCP can do it anytime. A friend of mine had a bunch
taken off one day and she looked like she had been in a cat fight for a
couple of days! It's just a simple snip and a band aid.
— Carolynn J.
June 10, 2003
Skin tags-- or as we call them, skin boogies-- I never noticed how many I
had until the rolls of flesh that had been squishing them started to
disappear. My doctor said that he'll probably freeze most of them off or
may take care of them during vericose vein procedures. But, I don't think
that any surgeon would remove them during WLS surgery as you wouldn't want
anything to hinder your mobility post-operatively.
— SteveColarossi
June 10, 2003
I had a few small ones when I was heavier and they were always on my neck
and under my arms(armpits). I pulled those off myself b/c they were so
small. I told my Doctor what I did and he did'nt agree with it but said it
was fine b/c of the size and he told me I got them from the extra skin
rubbing. I have not seen one since I lost the weight.(almost 9mo. post-op).
My husband has 1 larger one and he will have to go get his freezed off.
Good luck to you!
— Sandy M.
June 10, 2003
I don't have them anymore since I lost 118. I used to have them all over
my neck and underarms. I had them all cut off and the dermatologist told
me to cut them off myself. I have done this a number of times and it is
quite easy to cut them off if they are little with a little base. If you
start to cut them off though, make sure you don't stop midway because they
will get a bigger base and then be hard to cut off. You can also get some
EMLA cream from the dermatologist which will numb them and then it doesn't
hurt to cut them off. If they are skin colored they are harmless and
shouldn't be a problem after you lose some weight. They are caused by
overgrowth of skin and seem to be caused by rubbing/friction.
— Mylou52
June 10, 2003
I emailed you my idea, hope it works.
Mine are all gone.... and it was done by a dermatoligist.....
$15.00 Later...
— tannedtigress
June 10, 2003
Unfortunatly I have MANY moles. So does my mom, and her parents. I have
regular brown ones, and the skin tags. I have never done anything about
them until recently, except curse them. LOL! A few months ago I went to a
dermatologist to get some on my neck removed because they were rubbing on
my shirt. She injected numbing agent on the selected ones, waited about 5
minutes and then snipped them off. Her assistant went behind her and dabbed
some yellow stuff on to stop any bleeding. It was quite painless. I asked
her what was the cause, because I heard irritation played a factor. She
didn't really have an answer; then again she had the personality of the
back side of a horse. That was confirmed when she snipped ones she hadn't
injected! Mommy!
I plan to get some more removed, but do not look forward to insurance
paying for it. I don't think I could bring myself to snip them without
fainting. LOL! Someone once told me to tie a small piece of string around
them and that they would dry out, shrivel up, and then fall off. I don't
know how long it takes, but no thanks... kim
— Kim K.
June 11, 2003
My PCP would always just snip them off. I had skin tags on my neck all the
time. Now since losing 125#, I haven't noticed any. So hopefully they're
gone. Maybe the same will happen to you!
— Lezlie Y.
June 13, 2003
I've had skin tags for many years. I get them burned off by my physician.
I have one under my arm and I'm not having that removed! No they don't get
bigger, however, they probably will get more noticed because they won't
hide under all the fat. I have mine on my neck. They don't bother me,
more cosmetic!
— dolphins94
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