Finally healing from hemorrhoids can be such a huge relief but other complications such as developing anal skin tags can follow right after. Find out about how to shrink hemorrhoids skin tag naturally, and safe methods of getting rid of the skin tags that crop up after hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoids are blood vessels in the anus and rectum that are swollen with blood much like varicose veins. They are hard lumps that have symptoms like itchiness, pain, discomfort, and rectal bleeding.
Hemorrhoids appear when the blood vessels of the rectum and anus are put under a lot of pressure that they become engorged. The factors that lead to such a situation are:
Chronic diarrhea makes you pass stool more frequently than usual and this strains the rectum and anus so their blood vessels may swell up. Frequent moving of bowels also means that you’ll be wiping just as frequently and this irritates and inflames the anal area.
When waste takes a long time to pass down the gut, it loses moisture and hardens so it becomes difficult to pass out of the rectum and anus. This makes you struggle when you move your bowels, straining the anorectal blood vessels.
As pregnancy progresses toward the end, the fetus gets heavier and rests on the pelvic floor which puts a strain on blood vessels in the rectum and anus and this often leads to hemorrhoids. The drastic hormonal changes during pregnancy also contribute to the unusual swelling of blood vessels in the entire body and the rectum and anus could also suffer this fate.
Pushing a baby out through the birth canal puts immense pressure on the rectum and anus so hemorrhoids are likely to develop after childbirth. Luckily, they don’t stay for too long after that.
Being obese means that your body has to put up with more weight than it was ever intended to. This puts a lot of strain on the blood vessels in the lower parts of the body. Hemorrhoids may, therefore, develop as a result.
Tissues of the rectum and anus wear out as you grow older and this places them at great risk of developing hemorrhoids when subjected to pressure. This is why half the population of people over the age of 50 suffer from hemorrhoids.
Some exercises that make you hold your breath and tighten your anal muscles like lifting weights strain the anorectal region. If you also often carry heavy objects, you will also experience the same.
Other exercises that put a strain on the blood vessels of the rectum and anus include cycling and horseback riding. Read more about hemorrhoids causes here.
You can shrink hemorrhoids using both natural remedies and medical procedures depending on their size and response to treatment. At-home remedies are mostly for external hemorrhoids which are those in the anus while medical procedures are mostly done on internal hemorrhoids which are those in the rectum. The medical interventions can also be done on external hemorrhoids.
Aloe Vera
Aloe vera is a powerful anti-inflammatory natural remedy. Its gel can be applied directly to hemorrhoids to reduce their inflammation and soothe pain and irritation.
Warm Bath
Fill your sitz bath or bathtub with warm water so that you can sit in it to soak your anus. The warm water enhances the flow of blood in the blood vessels of the rectum and anus so it reduces inflammation.
Essential Oils
Many essential oils possess anti-inflammatory benefits so they can be used to shrink the inflammation in hemorrhoids. Some of these essential oils are lavender, thyme, peppermint, bergamot, clove, hemp, eucalyptus, rose, and fennel essential oils.
You should never apply any essential oil directly to the hemorrhoids. They are very concentrated solutions that will irritate the sensitive skin even more.
Cold Compress
Ice is often used to relieve pain and inflammation in case of a bruise or injury. It’s very good at reducing inflammations so it will shrink your hemorrhoids. Put ice inside a clean towel and press it on your hemorrhoids for about 10 minutes.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is not only a skin beauty product but it’s also a remedy for skin conditions. It has powerful anti-inflammatory benefits so it will shrink your hemorrhoids when you apply it.
Sclerotherapy
This is a method where a doctor injects a chemical into a hemorrhoid so as to form a fibrous tissue that obstructs blood flow. This causes the hemorrhoid to shrink or die and fall off.
Coagulation Therapy
This is a surgical procedure that focuses intense beams of light or heat on the hemorrhoids. A fibrous tissue then forms in the area to block blood flow so it dies and falls off.
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy makes use of frozen nitrogen to freeze hemorrhoids. This cuts off their blood supply and a few weeks after the procedure, the hemorrhoids shrink and fall off.
Since hemorrhoids are swollen blood vessels, when they shrink, they may leave behind skin that’s stretched out which eventually turns into a skin tag. Find out the difference between skin tags and hemorrhoids here.
Skin tags are painless, soft, benign growths on the skin that are commonly found in skin folds. They are very common and the estimate is that about half of all adults have one or more of them. Other types of skin tags develop as a result of skin rubbing against the other in areas in the body with folds like the armpits, eyelids, underneath the breasts, or the neck.
There are ways you can remove skin tags at home with naturally available ingredients or with products readily available in drugstores and in online stores. They include:
Tea tree oil is an essential oil with antimicrobial properties and it’s also effective on skin tags. It works by drying up the skin tag so that it doesn’t receive blood supply so it shrinks up.
To use tee tree oil as a remedy for skin tags, put a few drops of it on a cotton ball. Place it on the skin tag and put a bandage to secure it in place. Leave it on for 10 minutes and repeat this thrice a day. It should fall off after several days or weeks.
Iodine shrinks skin tags by breaking down their skin cells until they are no longer there. For this reason, you should only apply it to the skin tag and avoid the healthy skin around lest it damages it.
When using iodine on a skin tag, apply coconut oil or petroleum jelly to the skin surrounding it so that the iodine doesn’t touch it. Then, dip a Q-tip in the iodine and apply it to the skin tag. Place a bandage on it to let it dry. Do this twice a day until the skin tag finally falls off.
Apple cider vinegar is acidic in nature so it will eat away the skin cells of the skin tag. Similar to iodine, this property also makes it dangerous on the healthy skin around it.
Dip a cotton ball in the apple cider vinegar and dab it over the skin tag. Then, cover the area with a bandage for 15- 30 minutes and wash it off afterward. Repeat this every day until the skin tag falls off. When the skin tag becomes darker, it means that it’s dying.
Using garlic is an effective skin tag removal technique that will reduce inflammation of the skin tag. It also improves the appearance of the skin since its antibacterial properties keep the skin clean and free from infections.
Crush 2 to 3 cloves of garlic until they become a paste. Apply the paste to the affected area and allow it to sit for another hour. Wash it off with soapy, mildly warm water. The smell of this remedy can be really strong but it’s a small price to pay for skin tag removal.
Pineapples have natural acid in them which can eat away at skin cells so you can use them to remove skin tags. Cut a pineapple into slices and blend the pieces to make juice. Dip a cotton ball in this juice and apply it to the skin tag. Repeat this twice a day until your skin tag disappears.
Baking soda is able to alter the skin’s pH levels and prevent the bacteria that cause the growth of skin tags.
To use baking soda as a remedy for skin tag removal, mix baking soda with a few drops of castor oil until it becomes a smooth paste. Apply the paste to the skin tag and leave it on for a few hours before washing it off. Use soap to wash it off completely because castor oil is very greasy and needs more attention to clean off.
Onion juice is an acidic solution so it works by breaking down the cells of the skin tag until it’s gone. Mix the onion juice with salt, apply it to the skin tag and leave it on overnight, covered with a bandage. In the morning, wash it off and repeat this every day. It should fall off within a week or two.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that fights free radicals that cause inflammation and wrinkles. When applied to skin tags, it helps in fighting them and making them vanish. You need to apply vitamin E oil every day until it falls off.
Banana peels help in drying out skin tags so that they don’t receive any blood. They eventually die and fall off. Therefore, you shouldn’t be too quick to get rid of old banana peels.
Take a piece of a banana peel and place it over your skin tag then cover it with a bandage. Do this every night until the skin tag falls off.
Ginger is choke-full of bioactive compounds that accelerate the healing process of your skin and its antibacterial benefits inhibit the bacteria that cause skin tags.
Clean the anal area first and dry it completely. Cut the ginger into pieces and rub one raw piece over the skin tag for approximately a minute. Do this once every day and don’t wash off the remnants but leave it so that it can work on the skin tag. This ought to remove the skin tag within a few days.
Manuka honey is non-peroxide and an antibacterial compound that’s very effective in removing skin tags. It cuts down on the oxygen to the area and stops the bacteria from thriving. This is why it’s so good at removing skin tags. The moisturizing properties of manuka honey also quicken the healing process and reduce the chances of skin tags leaving behind scars.
Apply manuka oil on the skin tag and cover it with a band-aid. Leave it for a few hours or overnight. Do this daily until the skin tag vanishes completely.
Drugstores offer a variety of creams that help in the removal of skin tags safely. They are
typically made with salicylic acid and tee tree oil which break down the tissues of the skin tags. These ingredients may irritate your skin so if this happens, stop using the cream and look for an alternative.
You can purchase an over-the-counter freezing kit from the pharmacy that allows you to carry out your own cryotherapy at home. It consists of a freezing spray that you can use on skin tags. It hardens the skin tag so it loses its blood supply, dries, and eventually falls off. It may take a few tries of using the freezing kit for the skin tags to disappear once and for all.
You must be careful not to spray the skin surrounding the healthy skin tag otherwise it will die too.
When you take steps to avoid getting hemorrhoids, you won’t have to deal with skin tags in the first place. The following are ways you can avoid getting hemorrhoids:
· Include plenty of fiber in your diet – Fiber adds bulk to stool and softens it so that you don’t have to strain to move your bowels
· Drink enough water – Water combines with fiber to soften stool
· Exercise –Engage in intense physical activity so that digestion is speeded and the stool comes out before it hardens. It also helps you lose the excess weight that’s placing too much pressure on the hemorrhoids.
· Don’t sit for too long – Sitting for long periods stretches the tissues of the rectum and anus so the blood vessels in them swell and bulge. Take breaks every once in a while.
Anal skin tags are mostly harmless and you can live with them. However, if they irritate you or are snagged by underwear, you can look into getting rid of them for good.
