Skin Tag on Labia

[Chrissy08]

About three months ago Inoticed something that looked exactly like a skin tag on my labia minora maybe a centimeter next to my clitoris.  I had a regular doctors appointment the week after I noticed it so I figured I would wait and ask her.  She told me that you cannot get a skin tag on a mucus membrane and that it had to be genital warts.  I left the office all upset especially being that I am married for almost 5 years.  I came home and started looking genital warts on the internet and all the images and desciptions I saw were NOTHING like what I have.  I have one single 'tag' and now it has been there for about 2 months.  It hasn't grown nor have I gotten anymore.  I now have an appointment to have it removed in about 2 weeks, but before then I thought maybe I could look more into it. Maybe my doctor was wrong.
Is it possible to get a skin tag in that area?  It looks just like the type of skin tags some people sometimes get in their armpits.  It is skin colored, sticks out maybe the thickness of a pen tip.  It doesn't hurt or anything, it's just there, and in a bad place.  Does anyone have any idea?  Thanks

[JM79]

I'm having the same problem as the other women on here and I'm so relieved that I'm not alone AND that it's just a skin tag. I completely agree with your theory. I first noticed mine when my husband was deployed which makes perfect sense as far as the vibrator/friction theory goes. Plus, mine is to the right of my clitoris and I'm right handed.

I'm a little embarassed to bring it up to my doctor, but I think I'll suck it up and make an appointment to discuss removing it. I'm a little scared though after reading about others' experiences with how painful it is.
Good luck to all you ladies out there going through the same thing.  

[debrajo1958]

read your post and your way of clipping it off sounded good.  i was not going to let a doctor see nor clip or freeze my skin tag off my labia.  mine is about the size of half a rice krispie.  very sore from skin rubbing down there sitting and walking.  i had gained some weight and i guess more fat more friction.  anyway....i was going to clip it off if this suggestion from another website did not work.  TRY THIS:  i applied liquid bandage two times a day for 2 weeks.  it kept the skin tag down so no rubbing or pain.  each day it looked darker and darker.  finally last night while going to apply my application, i thought i would touch it and see how connected it was.  well... it pulled right off!!!!  it dried up.  sooooo happy that i don't have to deal with this anymore.  

[Poodle_Momma]

Clipping would be horribly painful, leaving an open area (risk for infection, and bigger problems), and cause more area to scar. At least laser treatment will seal it. Interested in the liquid bandage method!!!

[bmac8]

May I make a suggestion to just make an appointment for your annual pap, and once you get into the examination room with your doctor, you can bring up your concern. I have the same thing that y'all are describing, and it's quite disturbing. However, I'm very thankful that it isn't anything serious. We can all get through the uncomfortableness and a little pain. Now genital warts would be much worse, or even cervical cancer. Wouldn't you all agree? I have an appointment in 2 weeks to have mine looked at and hopefully removed. I will get back on here and let y'all know how it went. Best of luck!

[deep2000]

Human papillomavirus and skin tags: Is there any association?

Background: Low-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are related to the genesis of various benign lesions. In an isolated report available, HPVs have been implicated in the causation of skin tags too. Aims: The present study was designed to detect the existence of low-risk HPV types 6 and 11 in cutaneous soft fibromas (skin tag) in north Indians. Methods: A total of 37 cases of skin tags from various sites were analyzed. Highly sensitive and comprehensive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assays were done for the detection of low-risk HPV types 6 and 11. Results: The results revealed the presence of HPV DNA 6/11 in 48.6% of the skin tags examined by PCR-RFLP. Conclusion: This result corroborates the hypothesis that HPV plays a part in the etiology of benign lesions like cutaneous soft fibromas. The identification of HPV 6/11 in these lesions, which are benign proliferations of the skin, further expands the spectrum of HPV-linked lesions.
  
Introduction


Introduction







Human papillomavirus (HPV) is known to be the most ubiquitous of the human viruses. Over 100 HPV types have been identified till date. In healthy population, most of these HPV types appear to establish a latent infection of the skin, mostly as normal flora residing in hair follicles. The numerous HPV types differ in their biological properties and oncogenic potential. Types with high oncogenic potential (which always express the early proteins E6 and E7) are able to transform keratinocytes on their own. [1] The HPV genome usually remains episomal; but in transformed cells, the viral DNA is frequently integrated into the host DNA. [1]

Skin tag, or soft fibroma, is a common benign condition, which consists of a bit of skin which projects from the surrounding skin. [2] Histologically, skin tag is a polypoid lesion with overlying mildly acanthotic epidermis. There is a loose, edematous fibrovascular core with mild chronic inflammation. Fibroepithelial polyps, or acrochordons, often develop in areas of skin friction. Certain HPV types are found to be associated with the pathogenesis of benign lesions like papillomas of larynx, conjunctiva; respiratory papillomatosis [3] ; etc. We undertook the present study with the aim of establishing the presence of low-risk human papillomavirus types 6 and 11 using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) systems in a benign cutaneous lesion like skin tag in a tertiary care hospital setting in India.

[Gill1964]

I have had the same experience as you all, a skin tag that my GP suggested was a genital wart. It emerged quickly over only two-three months and it grew to become over 1 cm. Luckily the gynecologist at the hospital said it looked nothing like a wart.
I had the skin tag removed from my labia last week by the gynecologist using local anesthesia. Then she cauterized (use high heat) the wound to close it.
I can assure you that the effect of such a procedure is very painful. I can't sit properly, I can't wear any clothing that rubs on to the wound, I can't lie on the side in the bed because the labia is getting 'squeezed'. It swells up during the day and it stings. I feel a little bit sorry for myself and I'm annoyed about not being able to function properly nor going to work.
All I can do is to walk carefully around in my flat like a cowboy, wear a track suit that sags and wait for the test results from the hospital.

Have any of you had a similar medical procedure carried out? What I would like to know is how long does it take before the wound heals?

Yngvild

[Marcie00]

First I just got mine burned off aka cauterize. Second, I am so glad I found this blog post on skin tags on labia because it helped me know how normal it is.

Now I want to share my experience of my skin tag on my labia. At first it just seem like extra skin hanging loose then a year later it developed into more of a real skin tag looking thing. Next which is where I got scared, I went out of state  on a business trip to Florida and I realize that it started bothering me and then hurting me every time I wiped after peeing. Eventually during my trip it ended up turning really red and then finally black and then it stop hurting.

I have to admit this really scared me and I could not wait to come back to see my doctor. When I did he explain to me that it was nothing more than just a skin tag and he could cauterize it. Being a little skeptical of somebody burning me down in my private parts and most sensitive areas I decided to postpone it and do a little bit more research and this is how that I found this blog. I knew I had to take it off and it scared me so much because of everything I’ve read which people said in the Internet said that once you burn it off it will hurt for a couple of days and for it to heal it’s going to be uncomfortable. I honestly wasn’t ready for that and I didn’t want to do it but I had to do it because it was so uncomfortable already I rather have it taken off than living with the uncomfortable pain.

Fast forward into the doctors office I made up my mind to take it off he said it I wasn’t going to feel anything and sure enough  the only thing that I felt was the sting of the needle when he put the sedative.
Now let me explain a little bit because I have very little tolerance for pain so for me it hurt a lot when he put the sedative after that I felt absolutely nothing.

And now three days postop, since the day I got out of the doctors office I haven’t felt uncomfortable I haven’t felt pain I haven’t felt anything which surprised me so much because I even asked the doctor for a quick sedative since I was starting to panic but all in all guys for me getting my skin tagged burned off by my doctor did not hurt whatsoever. Hope that helps others that are thinking of doing it.

[phfdcjjnn]

I m 17 years and got a skin tag on labia minor when I was 15 or something .I showed it to the doctor she said its normal apply exist it will go off itself,but nothing like that happend .now I m tensed what should I do what r these skin tags for .please help me.

[marymary770]

I have labia very longer than normal, I guess. I have what looks like skin tags all over them. My husband doesn't mind my long labia (I'm guessing they're around 2-3 inches long). But sometimes the tags get irritated and they hurt a little. Sometimes they will bleed a little. My dr's haven't said much. But I haven't been in a few years.

[savannahleclaire2596]

I'm  an 18 year old girl that did some research so don't take my advice 100%. Still go to the docs. This sounds like vestibular papillomatosis, it is NOT an STD. No one knows much about it except it's a normal post of some woman. There are different types if vaginas. These little skin colored things come in rows, usually 1-2 mm in diameter. For men this is called pearly penile papules. They are usually around the edge of the penis, you see it with men that aren't circumcised, most of the time! You can get them layered off, if you're to worried about them. They aren't cancerous or anything.

Hope I helped!

[WolfAssassin16]

I will be 15 years old on Thursday and for a couple years I've had this skin tag-like bump at the very top of my lips and I have no clue what it is. it almost looks a little bigger but then again it doesn't. Is it possibl a skin tag? Can i get them at my age? What should I do? I've never been to a female doctor and i have no clue how to deal with this. Please help

[Justme831]

I'm 30 and within the last 2 months I have had the same little skin tag things pop up. There are three now and it freaked me out (thinking cancer bec they look nothing like warts) a little until I started researching the Internet. I'm going to have them removed when I go in for my yearly check up this month. The article above on hpv 6/11 case studies was interesting but I'm leaning more towards the skin irritant/friction cause behind them. The vibrator comment got me thinking too. Nothing has really changed in my life lately except for my brand of razors. Sorry for this tmi - but I've always been a shaver and was wondering if my switch of razors has anything to do with it. Anyone else using the Schick hydro silk razors? I've been trying to figure out what is in their "water activated moisturing serum" but can't seem to find anything on it.

[Takenforgranted87]

how long did it take to heal? and what did you put on it to keep it clean? I just got mine removed yesterday and they put iodine on it and I think it is like kinda goozing. It doesnt hurt anymore just want to make sure to keep it clean so it doesnt get infected.

[Kalo52007]

UPDATE:

Okay, so I didn't like looking down there much once I got the sking tag, but it started hurting a few weeks ago after one night my fiancé and I had sex, and I guess it got twisted and was starting to come off. But it was too painful to pull, and I was going to have to wait until pay day to get medicine or see a doctor. So for two straight days, it was painful to even sit down or move in my sleep, then one morning I woke up and the pain was gone. I felt around and it had finally fallen off! It's been almost exactly a year since I got it, and it's finally gone. But, other tiny ones have began forming around the lips, which worries me. At least this one is gone, because it was around my clitoris, but any skin tags will still worry me.

For anyone else with the same problem, I know it's embarrassing but everything will be okay. Even if you're too embarrassed to see a doctor (which I should have), it might eventually fall off, but who knows how long that will take. So I do suggest seeing a doctor, or rubbing the Apple Cider Vinegar which I'm going to try if these other skin tags get any bigger. I wish the best of luck to everyone!!

[skintagphobia]

It is very unsettling to discover a skin tag anywhere in or around the vagina. I freaked out at first, then me and my boyfriend quickly ruled out genital warts from the pictures on the internet. I pulled off the first one I found. Several weeks later I discovered several more had grown right inside the entry to my vagina. This week I have a very irritating yeast infection. On the second day of the yeast infection while applying the cream that comes with the yeast infection medicine, I found that I spontaneously within the matter of two days grew so many skin tags all around my vagina and on the patch of skin in between my vagina and anus. I have Lyme disease and have been researching if there is any connection because my immune system is already weak. I have not found out much. I don't want to go to the hospital because I think this can be resolved by a gyn doctor. I am frustrated, afraid of what could be causing this sudden explosion of growths, and really embarrassed by it. Reading your posts has been very helpful. The internet is very comforting sometimes. I stopped crying as I read more and more of the posts. Just to be safe, I will also get tested for all STDs. The Lyme disease has affected almost every part of my body. This just may be it rearing its ugly head again somewhere new.

[ohdear1980]

All I have to say is, thank God for the internet! I felt a strange lump on my inner labia and started freaking out, thinking it was a tumor or herpes or something! I had just gone to Planned Parenthood for a pap smear like 4 days ago, so this thing seemed to have just popped up overnight! I didn't want to go back to the doctor, so I tried the 'snip' solution a couple commenters put on here. After a shot of whiskey, I cleaned the area, put on Anbesol (numbing gel for gums and teeth), tied it with dental floss (that was a bit tricky and took a while), then cut it off with sanitized scissors. It was a lot less painful and nerve-wracking than I thought....though, I just did it like half an hour ago, so don't know what the repercussions will be! I put Neosporin on it, and have a pad on, plus tissue for the bleeding. It was probably stupid for me to do, but I don't have insurance and I just couldn't sleep knowing that that 'thing' had just sprung up! Glad to know I'm not alone and wish you all the best and please keep sharing how it turned out! Thanks.

[Kalo52007]

I have had the same thing for almost a year now, and reading all these comments, I am so happy to know I am not alone. It makes me feel like less of a woman....I have had the same partner for almost six years now and he has seen it and says he will always love me no matter what, and it doesn't bother him. He never makes me feel bad about it at all, but I just cant stand it. We still have an active sex life but it's always in the back of my mind, holding me back somewhat. I really need help with this but don't want to go to the doctor. It doesn't hurt unless it gets rubbed on a lot, but the psychological effects are too much for me.

I was wondering if it would be safe to try one of those 'All Natural' skin tag remover medicines. They say you just rub it on the affected area and it will eventually fall off. I'm just so afraid about that fluid entering my vagina though, and my fiancé is too. Even if it's alll Natural, I'm scared it might cause an infection or something. I'd like to see what other people think, or if they have tried it. I read the comment about Apple Cider Vinegar and am thinking about trying that too...but would that have any harmful effects on my vagina? That might be a stupid question but I'm just scared and trying to figure out a natural way to get rid of this. Thanks so much for any feedback!!

[Siato]

I thought it was yeast infection because of the burning itch, but each time it gradually goes down to just an irritable itch and I find these bumps and a weird looking thing on different parts of my libia. My fiance, whom I've been together with for five years, and I looked up pictures of genital warts and what not, but none of the pictures looked anything like it.

My fiance said that it looked like skin tag and here a link that I've come across. Hopefully it'll help.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/67317.php

[Siato]

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/67317.php

[N2K]

Question, are any of your alls skin tags literally right next to your clitoris? I have what appears to be a skin tag next to my clitoris, it only hurts or gets irritated/itchy when my panties or panty liner rubs it. Appeared shortly after finding out I was pregnant, looks NOTHING like genital warts and I've been with the same partner for 4 years. Currently 29 weeks pregnant.

One of the easiest ways to get rid of skin tags at home is to use Apple Cider Vinegar. The reason so many people find this one of the best ways to get rid of skin tags is because it is a natural product and it is well known for its healing properties. The best way to use apple cider vinegar to remove skin tags is to get a cotton ball and soak it in the apple cider vinegar. You then need to hold the cotton ball on the skin tag for about a minute or so and then do this three times a day. In order to see results from this method you will have to repeat this process every day for around ten to fifteen days. After this period you should notice that the skin tags should be starting to fall off. If you want it to fall off sooner you can tape the soaked cotton ball on with a band-aid or medical tape and leave overnight. In the morning wash the area and put Aloe Vera on it to sooth the skin. This works with warts too.

[some1whonos]

First of all I have had hpv but it did look more like cauliflower. It showed up when pregnant the gyno did cyro in the office it didn't hurt very much this was when i was in my 20's. My husband was my first and only at the time. I also ended up having endometrisosis , dysplasia of my cervic & tumors in my one ovary. I had three surgeriesI done with a scope threw my belly button and two little holes in my stomach. I have 4 children 2 with my 1st husband(he was an alcoholic & became abusive) & 2 with my second husband that I've been married to for over 20yrs. Anyways I had to have a hysterectomy a yr after my 4th child. So if you think you might have HPV please get checked because in some women it can lead to cancer so make sure you have a pap done it can save your life. Anyway 2yrs ago when I had surgery for my sinus I noticed skin tag on the right liba I went into planned parenthood(was the 1st time I went there, we have crappy healthy ins. & friend recommended them)anyways she said it wasn't hpv but I said I didn't want it there so she did an acid treatment there please don't try it at home, they put stuff around the area so it won't damage the other skin and them numb it then do the acid treatment, you have to go back a wk later if it doesn't fall off which I did but for $120 total for both visits it was done with, it was a little uncomfortable for those 2wks but I could still get around and do stuff. Recently I had a bad UTI & was having trouble with my asthma had to take 2 antibiotics and streroids well low and behold with all the burning down there I noticed another skin tag so I have another appoint to get it taken care of. What I want to share also with HPV stress on the body, pregnancy , surgery etc lowers the immunities and a lot of time that when it appears. I was thinking that maybe that was why the skin thing came up too. I had been walking and jogging a lot prior to my UTI so I'm wondering if it could be a combination of the friction and stress we are under & lower immunity due to illiness.  

Please get checked if you don't have insurance call planned parenthood they treated me very nice it wasn't like there was a bunch of people hanging around looking at you when you went in for an appt. a lot of the younger girls come in and get their birth control pills there for cheap.  And when it comes to HPV  actually 75% of people in the reproductive age have been affected with it at some point in their life. Some people have stronger immune systems then others and  may never show any signs of it or any problems. So in less you and your partner were virgins when you first had sex you could have it even if your partner only had sex with 1 person before you.

[AyNonymous]

I'm curious (as I too have the skin tag issue) - how many posters on here use a vibrator? Knowing that friction is the cause of skin tags in other area of the body, the location of my skin tag is eight where I use the vibratory the most. I'm thinking this could be the cause of mine. Granted, I only use it about once or twice a month, I still think this could be the cause and am interested to know if anyone else thinks there's a relationship between the two. My theory would be that right-handed women would have the skin tag to the right of the clitoris and the left for left-handed women. Please weigh in!

i had the same problem mine were boils caused from wearing pads, try soaking in warm or hot water 3-times aday and apply vagisil several times aday they will go away. once i stopped wearing them i never got anymore.

[Ltulo]

I have the same thing on my labia minora. I noticed it before but figured it would either go away or continue to not bother me. I have have multiple std checks done from routine ob/gyn appointments. But I recently had sex with my boyfriend and it hurts not. I looked at it and it looks irratated and it feels almost as if its been torn from the skin a little bit. Has anyone had that problem before? I am going to make an appointment soon to have it looked at but it makes me nervous.