CONDITIONS
Anal Skin Tags
Anal skin tags are fleshy bits of that occur on or around your anus (back passage). They are common and completely harmless. However they might be confused with external haemorrhoids, perianal warts or anal fibroepithelial polyps. Rarely they might cause local irritation and if very large leave you feeling unhappy and prevent you feeling clean.
Causes
It is though that people who are overweight are more likely to be afflicted by skin tags and women are more prone towards developing skin tags, compared to men. Anal skin tags are usually formed as a result of imperfect healing from anal fissures (tears), previous anal surgery, perianal haematomas and from complicated or difficult childbirth.
Treatment
Most skin tags do not need treatment unless they are very troublesome. It is however important to see a doctor to be sure that what you think is a perianal skin tag is not warts, haemorrhoids or even malignant or cancerous growth.
Excision of anal skin tags is a very simple operation. It involves cutting of the skin tags individually under local or general anaesthesia. However it is not possible to guarantee a perfect cosmetic result as wounds around the anus do not always heal perfectly.
Anal skin tags might not be treated in the National Health Service if they are small and considered to be a cosmetic problem. Likewise many health insurance companies consider skin tag removal as a cosmetic procedure and might not cover the costs. You could seek advice from your GP or a colorectal surgeon in the first instance.