If you have skin tags or warts, especially larger ones, you probably know how annoying it can be when they are rubbed with clothing, jewelry or when shaving. Although they don’t require treatment, they can still cause irritation or discomfort, and might be not very aesthetically pleasing.
Apparently skin tags are common, and according to the NIH (National Institutes of Health) USA, approximately 46% of people have skin tags.
You can go to a dermatologist that can cut off the skin tag or wart, tie it off, burn it or freeze it. You can also use hydrogen peroxide (find all the details in my article on how to remove skin tags and warts with hydrogen peroxide). But what I’m going to talk about today is how to remove skin tags and warts at home using apple cider vinegar (ACV). It’s also worth noting that apple cider vinegar is a great treatment for pimples, acne and other skin problems.
An important note is that before you attempt to remove skin growth at home, you need to know that you are removing skin tags – which is a benign condition – and not a mole or any other lesion that can be malignant. Therefore what you are trying to remove should have been previously diagnosed by a health professional as a harmless skin tag.
What Are Skin Tags?
Having skin tags is a benign condition known also by the name acrochordon, and generally occur after mid-life. A skin tag looks like a small piece of soft hanging skin that may hang from a stalk. Skin tags can appear on any part of the body, but are more common in body folds where skin rubs against skin, such as armpits, groin, under the breast, eyelids and neck.
There are several factors that increase the likelihood of having skin tags. Genetics is one of them, while other factors include obesity and people who suffer from diabetes. Also skin tags are more common among pregnant women due to hormonal changes.
How to Use ACV to Remove Skin Tags
ACV has many uses as a home remedy for Great Health and At Home. One of its uses is the removal of skin tags due to its high acidity.
Don’t use ACV to remove skin tags around the eyelids, as it can harm the eyes.
Wash the area around the skin tag using water and a mild soap and then dry it. Dip a small piece of a cotton ball in ACV and squeeze out the excess ACV. Place the cotton ball with the ACV on the skin tag holding it with a bandage and leave in place for up to 15 minutes. Do it 3 times a day for several days or even a week or more if needed until the skin darkens, dries and falls off.
Apple Cider Vinegar for Warts Removal
A similar way is used to remove warts. Warts are caused by viruses, especially HPV type (human papilloma virus) that causes an infection. The virus causes the top layer of the skin to grow too fast, and the result is a small solid growth with a rough surface that typically appears on the hands or feet.
Warts are more likely to develop on broken skin, as the virus can enter the top layer of the skin through scratches or cuts. If you are not sure and wonder whether it may be something else, go and see your doctor to have it checked.
The virus that causes warts can be passed on by skin-to-skin contact or through contact with towels or shoes, and can be spread to other body parts. This is why it is best to treat warts as soon as they appear.
You can use over-the-counter products to treat warts, or visit a dermatologist that can perform wart treatment and removal techniques that are stronger and usually faster than the commercially available products. But you can also easily and safely use ACV.
How to Remove Warts Using ACV
Gently clean the wart and the area around the wart. Take a small cotton ball that will cover the wart, and soak it in ACV. Secure with a band aid overnight. Change the cotton ball daily and keep it on every night. After one week, the wart will start to peel off until it is completely removed.
You may want to continue this treatment for another few days after the wart has been removed just to make sure it doesn’t return.
Another thing to try is hydrogen peroxide, and you can find all the details in my article on how to remove skin tags and warts with hydrogen peroxide.
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