Skin tags are small, flesh-colored growths that hang off the skin from a stalk. They are most commonly found on the neck, underarms and close to the eyes, but are known to form anywhere that flesh rubs against flesh. That’s why so many people want to use an all-natural method such as coconut oil to remove skin tags from the face and body.
Though skin tags are completely harmless (it’s a benign skin condition), they don’t look nice. Many people want to know how to get rid of skin tags fast so that they can enjoy clear, blemish-free skin.
Skin tags can ‘sometimes’ be cleared up in the same ways as warts. A doctor may freeze or burn off the skin tag – but this can be unpleasant for the patient. The surgical removal of skin tags is an option, but there’s a risk of minor bleeding with this option. Many people choose to remove skin tags using home remedies – of which coconut oil is a possible choice.
In this article, we’re going to look at how you can use virgin coconut oil to remove a skin tag at home, with no irritation, bleeding or discomfort. Read more to discover how to rid yourself of those pesky growths with an ingredient many of us have used for cooking and the treatment of health ailments.
Let’s take a look at whether it works.
What Causes Skin Tags?
Whenever you’re looking to cure an ailment or treat a condition, we must always look at the cause. So what is the reason for a skin tag?
Skin tags are made up of loose collagen fibers. Collagen is a type of protein that is found throughout the body – it’s the protein that gives your skin its elasticity and youthfulness. When some of these collagen fibers become loose, they can become surrounded by blood vessels and skin, creating a skin tag.
You’ll usually find skin tags in certain folds of the body, where skin rubbing against skin causes friction. The anus and groin are common areas.
Skin tags are common in both men and women, but there are small subsections of people who are more at risk of developing them. If you are obese or have type 2 diabetes, you will be at higher risk of skin tags. Older people also develop them more frequently, and pregnant women can be susceptible to them as a result of hormonal changes in the body.
Skin tags are completely harmless, and won’t cause you any pain. But many people want to get rid of skin tags for cosmetic reasons. If they’re in a visible place, such as the face or neck, they may be causing issues with self-esteem. If they’re around the neck or armpit area, they could also snag on clothes and start to bleed, which can be upsetting or scary.
Do I Have a Skin Tag Or a Wart?
As we’ve established, skin tags can look a bit like warts – but there are subtle differences between the two. We need to bear these differences in mind when we’re diagnosing the wart or skin tag, as the recommended treatment may vary.
Skin tags are much smoother than warts, which will often have an irregular, rough surface. A skin tag may also appear to ‘hang’ off the skin, whereas warts look like they’re slightly raised from the surface. Warts are also very contagious and tend to break out in clusters. If you’ve experienced an outbreak or cluster of these small growths in a very short space of time, it’s more likely that you’re suffering from warts.
Why Use Virgin Coconut Oil for Skin Tag Removal?
As you can imagine, many people want to avoid burning, freezing or surgical routes when getting rid of skin tags. Home remedies and natural solutions are growing increasingly popular – and virgin coconut oil is one of the new favorites.
Coconut oil is packed with lauric acid, which has powerful anti-bacterial properties. It can kill viruses, bacteria, and fungi quickly, dissolving their cell walls and dispersing the germs within.
If your skin tag is situated in a delicate area, such as around your eyes or near your groin, you may be looking for a very gentle treatment. Some options, like apple cider vinegar, may be a little too astringent to use in these areas. Coconut oil is an interesting alternative.
How to Use Coconut Oil to Remove Skin Tags
If you’re planning to use coconut oil to get rid of your skin tags, here’s how you can do it.
- First of all, you’ll need to make sure the area around the skin tag is completely clean. Using lukewarm water and a mild soap (we recommend using natural soaps wherever possible), clean the area, including the skin tag itself, then dry it carefully.
- Next, you should grab a small cotton ball and dip it into coconut oil. You might need to squeeze out the excess oil before you continue. Place the coconut oil-soaked cotton ball over the skin tag, and secure it in place. You could hold it in place yourself, but it’s recommended that you secure it for up to fifteen minutes, so it’s advisable to try to keep it in position with a bandage.
- You should complete these steps numerous times per day – as many as three, if possible.
After a few months, you ‘may’ see the skin start to darken and dry. Eventually, after many weeks of consistent, regular coconut oil application, the skin tag will hopefully fall off entirely. This will leave you with clearer skin and should give you plenty more confidence.
The Importance of Using Virgin Coconut Oil
When using coconut oil to remove skin tags, the specific type of oil you choose is very important. There are two main types of coconut oil: refined and unrefined. Refined oils are often cheaper and much lower in quality. They’ve often been processed and bleached, which can dilute some of the amazing natural benefits this oil has to offer.
Unrefined coconut oil is known as ‘virgin’ coconut oil. Virgin oil is made from fresh coconuts and is far less processed than refined oil. This will be the closest to natural coconut oil that you’ll find on the market and is, therefore, the best choice if you’re trying to address skin tags.
You should also be looking for the following features when choosing a virgin coconut oil:
- Cold-pressed, rather than expeller-pressed.
- Organic or Fair Trade.
- Stored in a glass jar, rather than plastic, which can create toxicity issues.
What’s the Best Coconut Oil to Use to Remove Skin Tags?
Here are some of the top coconut oil brands on the market:
- Spring of Life Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil – this oil is cold-pressed and comes in a glass jar for purity.
- Pure 100% Raw Coconut Oil by COCO & CO – this travel-size glass bottle is convenient when you’re on-the-go. Exceptionally high-grade oil which absorbs quickly.
- Kamen Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Cold-Pressed & Unrefined – certified by the USDA, this coconut oil is kosher, non-GMO, paleo and vegan.
Removing Skin Tags with Coconut Oil
Skin tags won’t cause you any health issues, nor will they cause you to experience pain or irritation (unless you keep pulling at them or they catch on your clothing). But these odd-looking flaps and growths can be quite unsightly – and if they end up growing around your eye, they may even obstruct your vision.
Treating skin tags doesn’t necessarily mean going to a doctor for freezing or cauterization treatment. Surgical options can be intimidating for some people, who would rather deal with the issue themselves in the comfort of their home. Coconut oil can be used as a solution without needing to see a doctor or submit to surgical treatment.
By applying pure, virgin coconut oil to the affected area as many as three times per day, you may start to see improvements. All you need is a few cotton balls and a bandage to hold the ball in place while the skin tag absorbs the coconut oil.
Of course, the quality of the oil you’re using could affect your recovery time. The higher-quality oils are the ones with labels such as ‘virgin,’ ‘pure,’ ‘cold-pressed’ and ‘organic.’ These will likely produce the best results, compared to the highly refined oils which have been over-processed and stripped of their natural goodness.
Life with skin tags doesn’t have to be miserable. You just need to know how to treat them properly. This simple, natural remedy will not put a dent in your bank balance, and you can continue treating your skin tags with coconut oil indefinitely. There are no side effects or interactions to worry about, and the oil will not irritate your skin, even if you use it every day.
What’s Our Verdict on Coconut Oil as a Skin Tag Remover?
Some people claim to have removed skin tags with coconut oil, but it’s certainly not something that will work for everyone. There are no scientific studies that prove that it gets results. While coconut oil can be used to treat a wide variety of skin conditions, we can’t find any natural ingredients that are likely to help with skin tag removal.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t work, it just hasn’t been scientifically tested (yet). If it does work, results will usually be achieved much slower which is going to be frustrating. Understandably, you want to get results as soon as possible.
Natural treatments are usually safe unless you develop an allergic reaction, but they aren’t always as effective as over-the-counter treatments, such as the TagBand Removal Device. We’ve found this ingenious tool gets results for a high percentage of people who get skin tags.
If you do want a natural remedy, we strongly recommend Apothecary tea tree oil.