Skin tags are usually very common and harmless. But first step is to make sure if what you have is definitely a skin tag or something else. If you have a skin tag in any other location such as the neck, armpits, eyelids, breasts or buttocks; see if it looks the same as the skin tag on your labia. Identification of a skin tag is extremely important because sometimes it may cause STD sort of symptoms or it may have been caused due to STD in the first place.
Labia skin tag typically looks like a deflated balloon which sits on a thin layer of your skin. The size is usually between 2mm-10mm, unless the growth happens to be abnormal which be as big as a grape. In rare cases the labia skin tags can also be found completely flat and they can be confused with genital warts as well. While labia skin tags are not contagious, genital skin tags are caused due to HPV and can be transferred from or to your sex partner.
Common causes of labia skin tag include friction (skin against skin or clothing against skin), pregnancy (hormonal changes), HPV (a type of STD that causes genital warts), Obesity and, Insulin resistance.
DIY at-home removal may be done using essential oils, freezing and burning the skin tag, so it falls off naturally. While you should be very cautious using these methods, these are commonly used methods. Most people prefer these because the insurance companies do not cover the labia skin tag removal due to the process being cosmetic in nature and it can cost around $300-$500. However if you have a problem that is being caused by the skin tag itself, the insurance company might be able to cover it.
Cryosurgery is a well known method that is used by the doctors to freeze the skin tags with liquid nitrogen. It basically destroys the problem tissues completely and in most cases they don't come back. It is widely used in destroying cancer cells as these can be found in skin tags too.
Ligation is a method where the doctor uses a surgical thread to cut off the blood flow in the skin tag are. Once the blood flow stops the cells die on their own causing the labia tag to fall off. People often use a dental floss and do this method at home.
Cauterization is a process where your doctor uses electrical device to cut off the blood supply to the skin tag. A simple surgical removal is also a way to go, where the skin tag is cut off using a surgical scissor.
