If you experience small bumps around your body, these may be skin tags. Skin tags can affect men and women of all ages. Around 46% of the population will deal with them at some point in their lives. As a naturopathic physician, I focus on natural health and wellness for each of my clients so they can reach their optimal health goals. If you are looking for ways to get rid of skin tags or prevent them all together, here are some of my best tips and remedies. 

What Are Skin Tags And What Causes Them?

Skin tags are small, noncancerous growths that occur on the body. Although they are generally between 1-5 millimeters, they can potentially grow to be a few centimeters. Skin tags do not technically harm your health, however they can sometimes get unruly and cause discomfort. To some, they can become a problem and make them self-conscious.

There are a few potential reasons why skin tags occur. Some of the more popular being: 

1. Hormone imbalance
2. Gluten
3. Aging stress
4. Gut imbalance

Individuals who deal with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities may notice an increase in skin tags. Gluten can be found in our diet in a variety of ways, not just bread and pasta. Even some makeup can contain gluten. Even so, there are natural ways to help you prevent and even get rid of skin tags naturally. 

Home Remedies to Naturally Heal and Prevent Skin Tags

#1. Remove Gluten and Heal Your Gut to Naturally Prevent Skin Tags

Individuals who are dealing with skin tags or want to prevent them, naturally, should consider removing gluten or any other potential allergens from their diets. It’s important to heal the gut because there’s often a connection between skin health and gut health. Adding probiotics, along with healthy prebiotics, fiber, and other digestive aids into your diet may be crucial in preventing skin tags. 

#2. Balance Your Hormones to Naturally Prevent Skin Tags

Keeping your hormones in check can help minimize the hormonal fluctuations that can play a role in the development of skin tags. This is important especially for women in perimenopausal menopausal and post-menopausal phases of their lives, because that is when hormones are likely to be all over the place. 

#3. Exfoliate the Skin to Naturally Prevent Skin Tags

You may be able to remove skin tags naturally by exfoliating your skin. Making salt or sugar scrubs that you can add into your daily skincare regimen can be really beneficial for some.  

Easy DIY Brown Sugar Scrub

You’ll need:

½ cup of brown sugar

½ cup oil of your choice such as jojoba, coconut, extra virgin olive oil, etc

• Combine brown sugar and oil in a mixing bowl
• Mix thoroughly. If needed, add more sugar or oil to get the consistency right. 
• If desired, add one or two drops of your favorite essential oil, and stir it into the mixture. 
• When you’re satisfied with the consistency and fragrance of your scrub, spoon it into a container and use in the shower. (2)

Natural Ways to Remove Skin Tags

Use Castor Oil to Remove Skin Tags

Dip a Q-tip into castor oil and apply it to your skin tag. By doing this every single day as often as you can, you may be able to naturally remove it. It’s important to only use this remedy externally, and depending on the size of the skin tag, this process may need to be repeated for multiple days. You can purchase one of my favorites, here. 

Sources

1. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21528-skin-tags-acrochordons
2. https://www.healthline.com/health/skin/diy-body-scrub#brown-sugar-scrub
3. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/collagen#what-it-is-and-uses