# Anal Skin Tag - Remove it? or medicate it?



## karma_hunden

Hi guys,

I have a problem. I thought everything was going well until almost 2 months ago I start having anal pains which I thought was a hemorroid...well it sort is...turns out I also have a fissure about an inch inside.

My actual question is that this hemorroid appears to be a blend between a hemo and a skin tag...I consulted a gastro expert in crohns and he recommend it not to remove it because it will most likely not heal or have a hard time doing so thus styain open sort of like an ulcer. 

Tomorrow Im going to see a proctologist and I am worried this two expert decisions (the proctologist's vs the crohn's doc) will clash if the proctologist decided to remove it. I really would like to do so but as the doc said it wasnt a good idea. 

So I wanted to know what has anybody done and what as the outcome and what they recommend for this kind of situation?

Thanks!


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## butt-eze

Sounds like it's not a good idea to remove it.  I was told that removal is only cosmetic.
Please share what the proctologist suggests.


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## karma_hunden

Thank you Amy, will do.


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## uab grad student

I'd say leave the skin tag... the fissure is more worrisome.  Is the fissure healing?  If they remove the skin tag there is a chance they could damage the anal sphincter risking incontinence, which is probably the main reason your doc doesn't recommend you mess with it.  BTW, if you are having pain/discomfort from the fissure, I would recommend sitting in a hot bath... it is a simple thing to do but it really helps.


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## Jeff D.

I've had a skin tag before and after several years it fell off on its own.  Don't remove it because it can cause worse problems.  I hope your fissure heals soon.  I hate those things.


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## kello82

ditto on what the others said, i would NOT risk removing it.

that being said, i have had one removed hahaha 

i was under for a fistula surgery and my surgeon (was the first time i was under with that surgeon, had just switched from peds) and when i woke up he told me that he jsut chopped that sucker off!
i was like uhhhh ok?? i was very concerned about it from what i had been warned by my prev surbeon and GI's but it really healed up just fine.
it hurt like a B for a while though.
also, should be noted that my butt was in fairly good shape at that point, if my crohns was in a stage of extreme inflammation, i think it could have been a lot worse. but that surgery happened to be in a bit of a lull in the action.


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## My Butt Hurts

My colo-rectal surgeon said to not bother having them removed because they would just grow back.
I also read on here somewhere that it is dangerous becasue of a huge risk of infection.
However, like Kello - I had fistula surgery.  I asked my doc to chop them off while he was down there, and he did.  And they grew back.

Surprisingly, they seem to have disappeared since I have been in remission.  Maybe that's the answer right there.


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## acg101

Hi Karma - I deal with the same anal pain which turn out to be  fissures. During my last scope my GI recommended that I dont remove the tags because it might cause complications. I treat it with "PROCTOZONE-HC 2.5% CREAM 30GM"  and/or "LIDOCORT/HC 3-2.5% KIT" which is verry effective because it has lidocaine which removes the pain in munutes.
best wishes
acg


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## Sue-2009

I get them too!  OOOUUUUUCCHHH!!  They are so painful!  I agree with acg101, use the ointment above.  I also use the ever favorite Calmoseptine.  I have a tube in most every bathroom and don't leave town with out it!  I hope you get some relief,.  THat is an awful pain to have.    ((((Hugs)))))  SUe


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## Mountaingem

I second Sue-Calmoseptine is the best thing EVER  for skin tags/anal fissures. I will say this, your disease may not be fully under control as long as these things trouble you (I mean every day in a lot of pain, drainage, etc., not the run-of-the-mill stuff).
The GI gave me Proctofoam to use for 14 days and that seems to help, but what really nuked it for me is Remicade. Now I only have trouble occasionally, like on a driving vacation.


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## braveheart

I had a perianal abscess once.  A pain in the ass (literally).  It was drained and that gave me a big releaf.  Then it dissapeared slowly in a couple of weeks.

I don't know if the same procedure can be done in your tag.  The draining procedure was really easy.  They did it in minutes, just few local anesthetic.  In an hour I was ready.

I hope you get well soon.


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## karma_hunden

hi Guys,

UPDATE:: On last tuesday the 18th I had the procedure done to drain the abcess I had. Turns out I had a fistula and well, the skin tag that is sourrounding a fissure....dont remember the exact name but its called a "sentinel" somethign (tag/hemorroid/papillae)...because outside its skin but as it goes in there is a fissure. 

The mayor pain is gone now that they drained it...they left a drainage there which is a rubber band that goes from the fistula-->inside the fistual canal-->comes out the side of my anus--->into the anus and finally ties up again into the fistula...like a circle...that is supposed to stay there for 6 weeks which is driving me crazy...not even healing is  relief...they told me to oint vaseline to reduce the pain when I go to the bathroom and a suppository called CANASA that is suppsoed to help heal the fistula...


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## karma_hunden

The proctologist said he would not cut the skin tag because they rarely heal well much less with crohns patients...he says with time it will delate and possible even diminish


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## Nyx

I've had skin tags for years and it seems that as soon as one goes, another one appears!  They don't hurt me though, so I don't really worry about it...Who's looking at my anus anyway?  lol


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## Mountaingem

Nyx said:


> I've had skin tags for years and it seems that as soon as one goes, another one appears!  They don't hurt me though, so I don't really worry about it...Who's looking at my anus anyway?  lol


That's exactly what I was thinking Nyx-you mind reader lol. The only person that'll know it's there is your GI and he's all up in your business anyway.


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## acg101

Nyx said:


> I've had skin tags for years and it seems that as soon as one goes, another one appears!  They don't hurt me though, so I don't really worry about it...Who's looking at my anus anyway?  lol


yeah, skin tags come and go. generally my gi recommends that I leave it alone. so I agree with you, who is looking at our anus... lol
best
acg


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## karma_hunden

who knows some people have some kinky relationships!


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## Nyx

I'm in a kinky relationship...I make my bf call my skin tag "the  peanut".....lol  how's that for kinky????


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## razz

I embraced mine, named it Wilbur.  He does have a fissure under him though.

My GI said he could refer me to a surgeon...but I think I'll leave it.  Sometimes it def feels worse than others...maybe one day Wilbur will just drop off? lol


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## acg101

Nyx said:


> I'm in a kinky relationship...I make my bf call my skin tag "the  peanut".....lol  how's that for kinky????


lol lol lol


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## pb4

I shared this in another post in this section as well but since it pertains specifically to perianal crohn's skin tags, I wanted to share my experiance with them on this post as well...

my perianal crohn's skin tags were mistaken for hemmies, and the stupid sugeon banded them (tied them off) while they were in a flare (large and hard and painful), this was 19 yrs ago now and the skin tags have stayed (never shrinking down like they did when they first appeared in my teen yrs), if she hadn't banded them then they more than likely would have shrunk down again either on their own or apparently with the help of rectal meds (don't ever mess with perianal crohn's skin tags, they're the biggest pain in the ass literally).


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## CodeBrown

For all you kinky Crohnies, I'm so glad to know that I am not alone...my tag is named Roy.  It has taken some time, but my husband has come to accept Roy as part of the family.   I did talk to my surgeon about Roy and we decided Roy is a keeper, even though he can be a pain in the arse from time to time.


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## vtvicki

My elephant ear is named Herman!!!:ysmile:


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## LisaL

I have more than one anal skin tag.  About 2 months ago I had a fissure, fistula and abscess and tremendous pain.  In the end the abscess and fissure and fistula were dealt with one one of the skin tags was removed as it was highly infected.  The surgeon said she would only remove that one skin tag and not touch the rest as they tend to heal poorly.  In the end I have healed well, but it did take a long time, and I still have two more skin tags that are just going to remain.


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## sshelledy

We affectionately refer to my skin tag as my button.i didn't realize how common anal skin tags were until reading all the comments here. I'm going to have to talk to my husband about giving my button a real name now.


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## Angelzig

OMG!!!
I'm so glad that other people have issues with skin tags!

I have awful ones, and really wanted them removed  (27 year old girl, very body concious). My partner has said "yeah your ar*e does look weird, really painful" and trust me, our relationship ain't kinky!

I was told that they would remove them if I wanted, but they would just cut them, maybe stitch and leave them to heal - I said no thanks I will live with my weird ar*e, even if it is painful most of the time because I removed a small tag from my inner thigh, and know how much that hurt! Also, I wouldn't trust my local hospital, so unless I get some serious infection issues, my tags stay!


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## Angelzig

PS, an ex referred to them as " a lump of chewing gum stuck to your bum"

Lovely, no? LOL xxx


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## Bunkermariah

My lover and I have named my tag roger, just to have an input lol


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## Basmah

I have only had a skin tag once, never got close enough to name it. However, my donut seat for whenever i have an abscess is named Chester.


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## Essieluv

I have had two skin tags for a while. Before I was diagnosed, I saw a jerk of a surgeon who chopped them off (while I was awake!!!!) but it never healed up, and they did not ever fully go away. The pain made me want to say some nasty words, I'm telling you. Stupid doctor thought that was my problem, and sent me on my way. Well, once I went to the ER a few weeks later, I found out I had an abscess and a fistula that were the real problems, and that my skin tags should never been "removed". Still fuming about that one. Anyway, I still have two lovely friends on my bum, and my new and wonderfully nice surgeon said to leave them alone. However, I am just wondering what it feels like for you guys when your skin tags act up? It's just that, I've always had so much perianal disease that I don't know what pain belongs to what, if that makes sense? Oh, and I am totally naming them....time to brainstorm


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## evanichole

Haha NYX is funny. 

I have a skin tag as well..yep...same spot AINT LIFE GRAND?!  For me its really only a cosmetic thing and I would love it removed, but my doctor advised against it because of issues of it just coming back and the fact it most likely won't heal well in that area of the body.

My husband doesnt mind it bit I sure as hell do! 

I feel your pain.


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## archaeopteryx

I found out a few months ago that I have a skin tag there, too. I went in for an abscess and fistula, and the surgeon noted the tag. I had thought it was a hemorrhoid. My surgeon also recommended leaving it alone due to the poor healing in that area for anyone, let alone a Crohn's patient. So it stays, and since everyone here seems to be naming theirs, I think I'm going to name mine Mac for undisclosed reasons


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