Anal skin tags are very common. These are benign skin tissues that may feel like bumps or raised areas around the anus. They are a few millimeters or less in size and usually of the same color of the skin or darker.

Although anal skin tags are not a disease, they may be sensitive and may cause some discomfort. The specialists at Premier Surgical Hemorrhoid Treatment Center in Knoxville know that skin tags can be a nuisance, especially as they can itch and feel uncomfortable.

What causes anal skin tags?

Skin tags can develop as a result of the following:

  • Friction or irritation

You may develop anal skin tag as a result of irritation, friction from exercise, prolonged sitting, or tight clothing.

  • Constipation

During bowel movements, the skin in the anal area has to stretch in order to allow the stool to pass through. This is why the skin in that area is looser compared to other parts of the body.

When you are constantly constipated, the skin has to stretch further to accommodate the large or hard stool. The straining can cause the blood vessels in that area to bulge. If the stretched skin doesn’t return to its original shape after straining, skin tags can develop.

  • Hemorrhoids

Even after the hemorrhoids heal and the swollen veins shrink, stretched out skin may still remain, forming a skin tag.

  • Crohn’s disease

People with Crohn’s disease suffer from constipation and diarrhea as a result of inflammation in the intestines. Both constipation and diarrhea can lead to formation of skin tags. Constant diarrhea can irritate the anal area while constipation leads to stretching the skin.

 

Treating Anal Skin Tags

Many people with anal skin tags may be unaware that they can be treated. According to Dr. Stone Mitchell, Medical Director of the Premier Surgical Hemorrhoid Treatment Center, anal skin tags can be easily removed in the office with a minor procedure that takes less than five minutes to do.

If your anal skin tags are a result of hemorrhoids, the benign tissues may be  attached to a small internal hemorrhoid. These skin tags can be easily eliminated using a small laser that exposes the area to a short burst of warm light. This causes them to shrink and recede.

 

You don’t have to live with the nuisance of anal skin tags. Call Premier at 865-588-992  or go online to request an appointment today https://www.premiersurgical.com/hemorrhoid-treatment-appointment-request/.

 

Premier Surgical Hemorrhoid Center is the only dedicated hemorrhoid center in the Knoxville area.  

 

 

 

References:

https://www.healthline.com/health/skin-disorders/anal-skin-tag

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321769.php

https://www.healthline.com/health/skin-disorders/anal-skin-tag#causes