Skin tags are little growths of skin that come out like a tag. They can occur anywhere on the body but are often found on the neck or groin. Skin tags are harmless and can be removed either with a small blade or by a surgical technique called electrocautery.
Electrocautery just means a loop with electricity in it which can cut. Skin tags have very few nerves and are rarely painful when removed.
Radiofrequency involves a similar technique but uses radio waves.
Skin tag removal is a quick non-invasive, no stitches procedure to remove unsightly skin tags, warts, moles and other lumps and bumps from the face and the body.
Electrocautery or radiofrequency surgery is a safe and quick treatment that uses energy waves to pass through the skin to remove lesions. It seals the skin by cauterising the wound, stopping bleeding before it starts as it cuts away the lesion.
A variety of electrodes are used depending on the type of lesion, e.g, fine needle, wire loop or scalpel blade, among others.
What can you expect:
A local anaesthetic will be injected with a small needle, so the procedures are generally well tolerated.
Immediately after removing the lesion, the skin will be flat and pink and healthy looking.
There will be a scab which will form and the scab will fall off within 5 – 10 days.
The skin will gradually come back to its normal colour, leaving a minimal scar or no scar at all.
The removal will give you a bit of swelling, bruising and redness in the area where the treatment was carried out. There will also be some tenderness for a few days til the area heals. However, thanks to tissue coagulation, it is unlikely that there will be any bleeding during this treatment or anytime after.
Healing is quicker too.
Patients can go by their normal activities straight away but remember to keep the area dry and clean until it heals.
