Anal Skin Tags: Symptoms, Causes, Recovery

What is an Anal Skin tag?

Anal skin tag, as the name suggests, is an extra growth of skin around the anus region, the end of the rectum. A skin tag is soft and completely harmless. The technically correct term would be perianal skin tags since they are around the anal ring and not on the anus itself.

While cleaning the anus, one can feel small bumps instead of an otherwise smooth area. The presence of this unexplained growth on the anus becomes a cause of concern. The phrase used most often is, "there is skin sticking out of my anus" because it feels soft and pliable as skin. This is nothing but an anal skin tag.

Usually, these anal tags are entirely painless. Anal skin tag symptoms include discomfort and itching. There is no shooting pain to the touch or while cleaning the anal region. A skin tag on the anus causes an odd sensation, like skin sticking out of the anus. Anal skin tags are benign, harmless, and continue to remain that way unless they get infected due to injury.

Anal Skin Tag Causes

There is no one clear cause for anal tags. They occur mostly following other disease conditions or certain habits like:

Treatment of active hemorrhoids or bleeding piles
Scrubbing your anal region too hard while cleaning
Use of long nails while cleaning
Rubbing the anal region too often. This causes the skin around the anus to grow abnormally.
Sudden weight gain due to lifestyle, eating habits, or diseases like diabetes
Crohn's disease or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Studies show that the presence of skin tags helps in the diagnosis of Crohn's disease.
Anal fissures

Also read: Homeopathic medicines for anal fissures

Anal Skin Tag Diagnosis

Most anal tags are non-cancerous. But it is crucial to confirm that the extra skin sticking out of your anus is indeed a skin tag. Consult a doctor and get yourself examined. The doctor will visually inspect the skin tag near the anus and diagnose it based on redness, texture, and growth. The physician may also ask about your medical history and bowel movements. When not sure, the doctor may ask for a skin biopsy to ascertain the diagnosis.

Removal and Recovery of Anal Skin Tags

There are two broad methods for the treatment of anal skin tags.

Recovery

In some cases, on treating the underlying condition, the skin tag gets resolved or instead regresses by itself. As with obesity and anal fissures, once the condition is treated, the anal skin tag resolves on its own.

Removal

Some cases of an anal tag may require surgical intervention. This is a relatively harmless and quick procedure that can relieve the discomfort of the anal skin tag.

Anal Skin Tag Prevention

Since there is no apparent causative factor, one can avoid the stress factors that can lead to an anal skin tag formation. Follow these simple steps to prevent anal tags:

Careful, gentle wiping around the anus
Avoid gaining excessive weight suddenly.
Maintain a high fibre diet to ensure soft, regular stools. This helps reduce your straining while passing stools and decreases the possibility of developing skin tags.

Difference Between a Hemorrhoid and Skin Tag

The main difference between a hemorrhoid and a skin tag is that hemorrhoids tend to be painful. Anal skin tags are relatively painless. They just feel uncomfortable. Hemorrhoids are engorged, inflamed, usually with bluish discolouration or reddish disposition. Hemorrhoids, more often than not, are associated with bleeding either while or after passing stools. One can feel the discomfort of an anal skin tag intermittently throughout the day, but hemorrhoids make it significantly uncomfortable and painful to sit normally for prolonged periods.

Difference Between a Wart and Skin Tag

The primary difference between a skin tag and a wart is consistency. Anal skin tags are primarily composed of normal soft skin. Warts are hard and dark skin segments, as they can appear in any part of the body. Warts found in the anal region are also dark. They are hard and not as soft and pliable as skin. They do not bleed but might appear to have a crust or a cracked surface. The skin tag has a broader attachment at the base, while the wart has a narrow, often pedunculated attachment. Both anal warts and anal skin tags are known to be benign and painless.

References

B A Taylor, G T Williams (1989) The histology of anal skin tags in Crohn's disease: an aid to confirmation of the diagnosis (National Library of Medicine) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2769004/