Skin tags during pregnancy

Skin Tags and Pregnancy

Skin tags are tiny, flesh-colored growths on the surface of one's skin, mostly resembling small pieces of rice or similar things. They appear due to many different factors, but they are mostly located in the areas which are often rubbed and exposed to moisture, like armpits, neck, genitals, etc.

During pregnancy profound immunologic, metabolic, endocrine and vascular changes occur, that are responsible for the changes of the skin and its appendages, both physiologic and pathologic.

We undertook a clinical study to find out the frequency and pattern of skin changes in pregnant women.
A total of 607 pregnant women were included in this study. Of these, 303 (49.9%) pregnant women were primigravida and 304 (51.1%) were multigravida. Skin changes grouped into: physiological changes (all cases), specific dermatoses (22 cases) and other dermatoses affected by pregnancy (125 cases).
Most common physiological changes were pigmentary alterations seen in 555 (91.4%) followed by striae seen in 484 (79.7%) cases. Of the various specific dermatoses of pregnancy, pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP) was the most common disorder (14 cases) followed by pruritus gravidarum (5 cases).
The most common dermatoses affected by pregnancy were candidal vaginitis (17 cases), acne vulgaris (15 cases), skin tags (15 cases), eczemas (14 cases).

✓ Fact confirmed: A clinical study of skin changes in pregnancy Rashmi Kumari, T. J. Jaisankar, Devinder Mohan Thappa; 2007 Mar-Apr

Luckily, all these growths are benign. However, they are not to be ignored and should be taken care of since once handled improperly or exposed to unhygienic conditions, they can become infected, inflamed, or prone to other complications of this type. Therefore, it is best to remove them timely.

There are numerous different ways of doing this, some better than others. Pregnant women, due to their hormonal imbalances, are likely to develop skin tags and should not try to remove them before they give birth. After this happy event, they may choose any of the following methods to get rid of annoying skin tags.

Pregnant Women and Skin Tag Removal Procedure

As mentioned above, women expecting children should wait after the delivery when it comes to removing skin tags. Then, they are advised to visit their doctor, get the growth examined, and opt for one of many ways of removal.

Commonly, people choose to have their skin tags removed with liquid nitrogen, which freezes them. Also, they might have their growths cut off, or treated with various creams, lotions, etc. However, you should stay away from products based on chemicals, since these might be harmful to your skin, especially during and after pregnancy.

Moreover, women who experience vaginal skin tags, or any skin tags in the genital area, should pay attention to their proper hygiene and keep the area clean to avoid any infections or other problems being potentially risky for their baby or their own health.

All in all, these growths are nothing to be afraid of. What is more, you cannot prevent these from growing. Thus, pregnant women, being the risk group, should be prepared for skin tags and learn how to cope with them safely and carefully.

Upon noticing a skin tag on your skin, you are best to seek medical advice and have the growth examined by a doctor. Then, you will be informed about the nature of it and the necessity of removal. Sure, there are plenty of folk remedies for this problem. Yet, being in a delicate state of pregnancy, you should not take any chances.