Sentinel skin tags are perhaps one of the most annoying skin tags that you can have. A sentinel skin tag occurs on a fissure over the rectum.
A sentinel skin tag may be particularly annoying and uncomfortable. This article will discuss preventing them from forming, the removal process, and the recovery process after you have them removed.
Preventing Sentinel Skin Tags
As mentioned earlier, a sentinel skin tag occurs directly over the rectum. This can only occur on an anal fissure, but it does not always occur on every anal fissure.
Scientists do not know exactly what causes a sentinel skin tag to form. With this in mind, the best way to prevent them from forming is to prevent an anal fissure in the first place. If you already have a fissure, then you should attempt to make the anal fissure disappear as quickly as possible to prevent a sentinel skin tag from forming in the future.
Preventing Anal Fissures
An anal fissure is simply a tear in the rectum. They are quite painful and make going to the restroom much more difficult.
The simplest way to prevent one is to have soft stool. Now, the best way to have soft stool is to eat a diet with plenty of fiber and water. If you consistently have a hard stool, then taking a stool softener or laxative may help.
If you already have an anal fissure, then you will want to make it heal as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, there really is nothing you, or your doctor, can do to immediately heal the fissure. Time is the only option.
However, you should still focus on having a soft stool to prevent worsening of the fissure and anal pain from occurring. The best way to do this is through the use of stool softener, high fiber food, and lots of water. If you do that and wait, then the fissure will eventually heal over time and your symptoms will subside.
Removing a Sentinel Skin Tag
Most skin tags are relatively harmless growths and are only removed for cosmetic reasons. For instance, if you have a skin tag on your face, then you probably want it removed. It will not hurt or cause you discomfort, but it will draw attention that you most likely do not want. The same applies to skin tags that appear on other sensitive body parts.
Sentinel skin tags are the complete opposite. No one will see your sentinel skin tag. However, it may be painful over time, make passing stool difficult, and may even become itchy. Removing it is the easiest way to solve any physical discomfort you may be experiencing and ease your other symptoms.
Unfortunately, you cannot just apply apple cider vinegar or a bandage to that area of your body like you could with a regular skin tag because it just will not work. The apple cider vinegar method will result in pain at worst and be very difficult at best.
Do not pick your sentinel skin tag. That is the absolute worst thing you can do as it will result in bleeding and be extremely painful for you. Plus, it will not fully remove the skin tag.
You will have to have your doctor remove the skin tag. The actual process of removing the skin tag is not difficult; however, the entire process might sound strange when described to you.
The doctor has a few different options for removing the skin tag. All of these options involve local anesthesia, so you will not feel anything other than pressure.The first option involves the doctor using liquid nitrogen to freeze the skin tag off of your body. Cryotherapy kills the skin tag,and it will fall off within a day or two.
While cryotherapy is a painless option, it is not instantaneous. You will also have to deal with the dead skin tag for a few days, which can become itchy and annoying.
Another option involves the doctor cutting the skin tag off with a razor-sharp scalpel. They will then add some anti-bacterial soap and a dissolving bandage to the open wound to prevent infection. This option is instantaneous, and you will walk out of the doctor’s office without a skin tag.
The final option is for the doctor to use a laser to burn off the skin tag; this is another instant removal method. Additionally, it does not leave an open wound at the site of the skin tag. Most doctors do not offer this treatment option though.
Sentinel Skin Tag Recovery
Recovering from your sentinel skin tag removal surgery is relatively painless and simple. Your doctor will probably recommend that you not move around too much for a day or two following the procedure to prevent any chafing, pain or bleeding. Plus, you will feel uncomfortable if you move around too much, so you probably will not to move around anyway. You may even have to miss work the day following your skin tag removal surgery.
The doctor will also tell you to take some laxatives, drink lots of water, and eat lots of fiber for loose stools, so you don’t irritate the surgical site.
The total recovery time for most people is two or three days before they’re feeling at 100%. Most people will feel fine a few hours after the surgery, but they still need plenty of time for the healing process and to recover fully.
You should also avoid any strenuous activity or heavy lifting during the healing process as you will be more at risk for developing hemorrhoids, which is not a problem that you want to have after just having a sentinel skin tag removed.
Final Thoughts
Sentinel skin tags are one of the most painful and annoying skin tags that you can get. Unfortunately, no home remedy exists for removing them. You either wait for them to disappear, which can take months, or you have surgery to remove them.
On the bright side, sentinel skin tags are not cancerous nor are they particularly dangerous. They just make your life a lot more miserable and going to the bathroom will become very uncomfortable.