How to Remove Skin Tags and Warts Naturally and Cheaply at Home

If you have skin tags or warts, especially larger ones, you likely know how annoying it can be when they are rubbed by clothing, jewelry, or during shaving. While they generally don't require treatment, they can cause irritation or discomfort and may not be aesthetically pleasing.

Skin tags are common, with approximately 46% of people having them, according to the NIH (National Institutes of Health) USA.

You can visit a dermatologist who can cut off the skin tag or wart, tie it off, burn it, or freeze it. Hydrogen peroxide is another option for removal. However, this article will focus on how to remove skin tags and warts at home using apple cider vinegar (ACV). It's also worth noting that apple cider vinegar is a great treatment for pimples, acne, and other skin problems.

An important note: Before attempting to remove any skin growth at home, you must be certain that you are removing a skin tag—a benign condition—and not a mole or any other lesion that could be malignant. Therefore, what you are trying to remove should have been previously diagnosed by a health professional as a harmless skin tag.

What Are Skin Tags?

Skin tags are a benign condition also known as acrochordon, and they generally appear after mid-life. A skin tag looks like a small piece of soft, hanging skin that may dangle from a stalk. Skin tags can appear on any part of the body but are more common in body folds where skin rubs against skin, such as armpits, groin, under the breast, eyelids, and neck.

Several factors increase the likelihood of having skin tags. Genetics is one, while other factors include obesity and diabetes. Skin tags are also more common among pregnant women due to hormonal changes.

How to Use ACV to Remove Skin Tags

ACV has many uses as a home remedy. One of its uses is the removal of skin tags due to its high acidity.

Do not use ACV to remove skin tags around the eyelids, as it can harm the eyes.

Instructions:

1. Wash the area around the skin tag using water and a mild soap, then dry it thoroughly.

2. Dip a small piece of a cotton ball in ACV and squeeze out the excess.

3. Place the cotton ball with the ACV directly on the skin tag, securing it with a bandage.

4. Leave it in place for up to 15 minutes.

5. Repeat this process 3 times a day for several days, or even a week or more if needed, until the skin tag darkens, dries, and falls off.

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Apple Cider Vinegar for Warts Removal

A similar method is used to remove warts. Warts are caused by viruses, especially certain types of Human Papillomavirus (HPV), which cause an infection. The virus causes the top layer of the skin to grow too fast, resulting in a small, solid growth with a rough surface that typically appears on the hands or feet.

Warts are more likely to develop on broken skin, as the virus can enter the top layer of the skin through scratches or cuts. If you are unsure and wonder whether it may be something else, consult your doctor to have it checked.

The virus that causes warts can be passed on by skin-to-skin contact or through contact with towels or shoes, and can be spread to other body parts. This is why it is best to treat warts as soon as they appear.

You can use over-the-counter products to treat warts, or visit a dermatologist for stronger and usually faster treatment and removal techniques than commercially available products. However, you can also easily and safely use ACV.

How to Remove Warts Using ACV

Instructions:

1. Gently clean the wart and the area around it.

2. Take a small cotton ball that will cover the wart and soak it in ACV.

3. Secure it with a bandage overnight.

4. Change the cotton ball daily and keep it on every night.

5. After one week, the wart should start to peel off until it is completely removed.

6. You may want to continue this treatment for another few days after the wart has been removed, just to ensure it doesn't return.