Skin Tag Removal

Where possible, HSS use cosmetic radio frequency treatments: a technique favoured not only for its non-invasive nature, but its scar-free finish. Radio frequency treatments involve sending radio waves through the skin to kill localised cells, rupturing them through a process known as 'intracellular volatilization'. This means that they cease to provide a blood are first primed with local anaesthetic to ensure patients will experience little to no discomfort whatsoever.

Equally, skin tags can be treated using laser and scalpel treatments if this is more fitting to your particular needs, and an HSS skincare professional will be happy to talk you through your removal options at your consultation.

Unlike moles, skin tags are not medically dangerous or precursors to anything more sinister. They are far more likely to cause psychological distress than medical, and while they don't actively cause pain, they certainly can cause discomfort. With skin tags typically between the ranges of a few mm and 5cm in size, they can often snag and chafe against clothing or jewellery and may even cause bleeding.

Skin tags are also not at all contagious - unlike the similarly-shaped skin complaint, warts - but many find them to be a source of equal embarrassment. Skin Tag removal treatments make easy work of erasing all of those unsightly bumps that many feel the need to cover up, leaving you free of irksome irritation and self-consciousness.

Removing skin tags unfortunately doesn't cement the fact that others won't grow back in time, but it certainly will do away with the ones in question. Skin tag removals offer permanent results, and due to our non-aggressive technique, they also require absolutely no cuts or stitches. It is because of this that HSS' removals are not only inconspicuous but extremely quick-healing.

It is also worth noting that by taking steps to remove skin tags cosmetically, it in no way increases your likelihood of getting more, or encourages the spreading/sprouting of new ones. If skin tags are actively affecting your life and how comfortable you feel in your own skin, then treating them could very well be the right answer for you.

Leading up to the treatment, you may be asked to prepare your skin with a cream in the interest of best results, however the removal procedure itself is fairly brief and takes only 30-45 minutes. On occasion, skin tag removals can also be carried out on the day of your consultation, provided the doctor is happy and available to do so. This will of course depend entirely on the nature of your skin tag, and which course of action is deemed most appropriate for you.

For particularly stubborn skin tags, sometimes more than one treatment of radio frequency treatment is required.

Initially, you will experience some tautness of the skin and potentially some sensitivity or tenderness akin to that of a mild sunburn. This is due to the fresh skin forming over the removal site, and will subside over the course of the first 2 weeks after treatment. Aside from these things, side effects from a skin tag removal are minimal.

Immediately following treatment, the skin will appear bright pink and begin to scab after a few days, allowing a protective layer to form. This will eventually fall off, leaving fresh, new skin beneath. The pigment of the skin will then fade out to blend with the surrounding skin over the course of a few weeks.

Your healing timeline will depend on factors like the size of your skin tag, as well as the method of removal, although wounds typically heal over the course of 4 weeks.

An added benefit of cosmetic radio frequency treatment is also that the radio waves used cauterize (sear and sterilise) the wound as it goes, sealing it instantly with heat as the surrounding tissue is cut away. This speeds up the healing process significantly, reduces any risk of post-procedure infection, and even means that bleeding is minimal.

Generally speaking, skin tag removals are practically painless and should not affect your ability to go back to work the following day. If, however, your role at work is particularly strenuous or involves a lot of physical contact that may chafe or irritate the removal site as it heals, then it may be sensible to allow your skin a few days to recuperate. This will also be the case if your removal site is in a particularly delicate or intimate area, as you should take special care of the site as it heals. Restrictive clothing or underwear may compromise the scabs that are forming and increase the likelihood of scarring.