Skin tags (acrochordons) are benign growths that are attached to your skin by a thin layer called stalk. They usually appear in 25% of the population. They are usually the color of your skin but can be brown or beige in a lot of the cases. Common areas where skin tags can be found are neck, underarms, eyelids, and genitals.
Researchers have not confirmed the actual cause of genital skin tag. Most of them believe that the initial cause could be rubbing or friction against clothing. If the skin tag happens to be in a fold, skin on skin friction could also be a cause.
According to the research data, some skin tags can be an early sign of a metabolic syndrome such as diabetes as well. People with obesity are also more likely to have skin tags. Skin tags may also be genetic if they're common in your family.
Firstly you should make sure that what you have is a genital skin tag and not a genital wart. A skin tag usually sits on your skin through a piece of stalk, while a wart is usually flushed against your skin. Although they're not painful but a lot of people prefer to remove them because either they're "in the way" or because of just the way they look.
The best thing to do is to see your doctor first to confirm exactly what type of growth it is. If the growth that you have on the genitals is not a skin tag, it could be a growth that happened as a result of sexual transmission. And it is not a good idea to transmit it to others. Sexually transmitted infections should be taken very seriously as they can even cause harm to you as well if not treated on time.
It is recommended that women should see their respective OB/GYN to get the genital skin tag checked. Even though it is rare to have a skin tag on penis but men should also make an appointment with their doctor to get it checked.
A lot of people like to go to the DIY at home route in which they use essential oils, baking sodas, or apple cider vinegar to remove the genital skin tag. It causes skin tag to dry and fall off naturally.
In case of genital skin tags you should be extremely careful with trying out the home removal methods. These home remedies are not clinically proven for genital skin tags and can cause more harm than good. It is best if you leave it to a professional where they can use local anesthesia, so you won't feel pain during the removal process.
Doctors also use methods such as freezing the skin tag to get rid of it. This method is commonly referred to as Cryosurgery or Cryotherapy.
Another method that your doctor might use is Cauterization, in which the skin tag is removed by burning it off. This method can also be done at home using the devices that replicate the process of Cauterization. These devices have different levels of intensity so you can use them to get rid of different sizes of skin tags on different body parts. Start with the lowest intensity to see how you feel first.
Most people try at home remedies because they want to remove the skin tag for cosmetic reasons and it is not covered by the insurance. However you should definitely reach out to your insurance company or the doctor first to get the initial evaluation. Home removal methods are always gonna be there. But you should keep the safety in mind always, especially in case of genital skin tags.