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Skin Tags on the Anus or Buttocks: Causes & Treatments

Skin tags, known as acrochordons or rectal skin tags, are benign growths. In medical terms, they’re referred to as “fibroepithelial polyps” or “hypertrophied papillae.” When diagnosed correctly, they’re harmless and aren’t a sign of cancer. If you’re not sure, it’s recommended that you get the opinion of a doctor.

They don’t cause pain when they grow on the body but can become uncomfortable on or around the entrance to the anus.

Who Develops Skin Tags?

Old woman smiling who has rectal skin tags

Acrochordons are a common benign skin ailment that isn’t completely understood by the medical world. They occur most often among older people and those who are carrying extra weight. Anyone can be affected during their lifetime, both young and old.

Both sexes can get skin tags around the anus, and they can be triggered by many factors. We’ll be exploring some of the most common causes shortly.

Risks Involved with Removing Skin Tags

There are proven ways to remove skin tags that are close to the anus, but it can sometimes be a tricky part of the body to self-treat. Acrochordons can be hard to reach, the area is sensitive, and there’s more risk when the skin tag removal procedure is carried out on your own.

The likelihood of infection due to feces (after treatment) is high, so you need to make sure that the area is sanitized after each toilet visit.

We’ll also look at the best at-home treatments, but skin tags inside of the anus should be treated by a dermatologist. You should also carefully consider your removal options if skin tags are showing signs of redness, swelling, and irritation. It may be that an infection needs to be cleared up before skin tags in the anus can be safely removed.

Hemorrhoidal Anal Skin Tags

When you have external hemorrhoids, you are experiencing soft hemorrhoidal tissue that can be felt on the outside of the anus. It is often painless, but a hemorrhoid tag may be the result.

The blood clot will stretch out over this area of the skin, and it will remain this way until the clot is absorbed by the body and a skin tag results. The flaps of skin are often the same color as the rest of your skin or could also be slightly lighter in color. The soft hemorrhoidal tissue is usually round and won’t grow much larger than the size of a fingernail.

Anal skin tags are also quite commonly attached to internal hemorrhoids, and just like a regular skin tag on other parts of the body, they can also be removed quickly and easily. Internal hemorrhoids and skin tags can become uncomfortable and can also begin to itch when left untreated, so it may be beneficial to seek removal.

However, many people don’t understand how easy it is to treat and remove hemorrhoidal skin tags, so they often are left unresolved. They may also be too embarrassed to seek removal by a doctor.

Causes of Skin Tags Around the Anus

Skin tags can form on any fleshy part of the bottom, but they’re most commonly found around the anus. Here are some reasons why they appear:

  • People who endure constipation may experience the tearing of fissures. The taking of laxatives helps to reduce straining.
  • Obese people, or people with larger posteriors, are more prone to skin tags due to creases and folds in the skin. They can be irritated by toilet paper or sitting down for too long in an awkward/uncomfortable position.
  • Hemorrhoids, where the anus veins become swollen, can be a source of discomfort.
  • Pregnant women are susceptible due to hormonal changes. Also, as the baby grows, the organs have to shift, which may cause further straining during bowel movements.
  • Engaging in anal intercourse and using sex toys.
  • Rectal surgery can lead to skin tags during the recovery period.

How to Get Rid of Skin Tags on the Buttocks  

You may find it difficult to find the courage to go to the doctor, but it’s sensible to check that you have rectal skin tags and not something more serious. Your healthcare provider will seek to identify the cause(s) before recommending a method of removal. We’ll be discussing this in greater depth shortly.

Skin tags are benign, and they aren’t usually considered to be a health concern. They are removed for more cosmetic reasons than anything else. They may, however, become irritated by wearing tight underwear/thongs, or sitting down for too long.

A genuine health concern of a skin tag located on the buttocks or anus is an infection. It’s not the cleanest part of the body or an area that’s easy to monitor, so there’s always the risk that skin tags will become infected. For this reason, it can make sense to remove skin tags from near the entrance to the anus. Aftercare is equally crucial.

Unless a doctor says that the skin tag is a result of hemorrhoids, a health insurance company will not cover the cost of treatment. They consider it to be a cosmetic problem. When the condition has been caused by hemorrhoids, it will likely be classified as a medical issue, so you should be OK, but you’ll need to check with your insurance provider directly.

Doctor or dermatologist doing anal skin tag removal procedure

Anal Skin Tag Removal by a Doctor or Dermatologist

Reasons for Getting Treatment by a Doctor

It’s more expensive to get the anal skin tag removal procedure performed by a doctor, but there are some good reasons for making that choice.

  • A doctor is much less likely to make mistakes during the removal.
  • You’ll be given a numbing agent in the right area(s) to minimize your pain.
  • You’ll get some expert advice on skin care removal aftercare. Suggestions will likely include the use of laxatives during recovery time to make your toilet visits easier and taking painkillers. Recovery does take time, and you want to make the experience comfortable.

anal skin tags

Removing Rectal Skin Tags Naturally

There are natural remedies you can use to safely remove skin tags around the anus, but the process will inevitably take longer. There’s also no guarantee that natural remedies will be as effective, and it can be difficult to know how your body will respond to the use of essential oil for skin tags.

You’re probably not going to be able to self-treat skin tags inside the anus. Skin tags that you may be able to treat are on the outside of the anus. Even then, you’re going to need to monitor things closely and stop treatment if your body develops an allergic reaction, for example.

The process of rectal skin tag removal is difficult to perform on your own, so you may need someone to help you. People choose to tie off skin tags, but it would be a really hard thing to do on your own.

You’re likely to find that the TagBand skin tag removal device makes the process easier and more hygienic. This is because a sterile band is placed around the stalk. It is also one of the best skin tag removal methods you can do on your own.

TagBand Skin Tag Removal Device for Medium to Large Skin Tags
  • TagBand's innovative design works fast to remove skin tags!
  • Permanent results after just one application

Skin tags are a nuisance, despite not being a serious health risk, because they affect you in many ways. Removal is uncomfortable because that part of the body is so sensitive. Most people report that recovery is slow and painful, depending on the position and number of removals. Getting treatment from a doctor is more expensive, but it’s likely to offer you greater peace of mind.

Skin Tag Prevention

If you have recently had skin tags removed and you want to learn different ways you can avoid developing them in the future, there are a few things you can do to decrease the likelihood of it happening again.

One of the possible causes of skin tags is being overweight. To prevent future skin tags, you can consider following a healthy diet and losing some weight. Doing so will help decrease the number of skin folds you have and will reduce the friction of skin-to-skin contact.

Additionally, switching to a higher fiber diet will help prevent constipation troubles which can also help reduce the risk of developing skin tags on the buttocks or anus. You should also be sure to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated throughout the day.

All of these methods are promising. However, there is no guarantee that following any of these suggestions will prevent future skin tags. Until the medical community learns more about this skin condition, we cannot completely narrow down the root causes and prevention methods.

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