Skin Tag - and maybe a few answers?

I, too, have a very large skin tag which protrudes out of my anus. I didn't even know it was there until my surgeon mentioned it many years ago. It never bothers me. I am vigilant about keeping the area clean and I guess that helps. I have no idea what caused it. On other parts of the body, skin tags (much smaller ones) seem to be caused by friction. Wonder if this might also be true for anal skin tags? Jan?

Well I did wonder if it didn't have something to do with the fact that we go so often and wipe frequently. I too am meticulous about keeping the area clean. But I've known it's been there for a while now, because I could feel it when applying cream, and of course once discovered, I had to investigate further with a mirror (sorry to be graphic). But if it is indeed the result of a fissure as my surgeon believes, I'll take that explanation because it might very well account for the other symptoms I've had over the past year and a half.

That being said, I wonder why removing them causes more problems? My surgeon was kind of vague, though I speculate it's because it would be unnecessarily invasive and healing might be difficult due to the area it's in and the fact that I can't really rest the j-pouch to keep sutures clean. But any other reason?

Skin tags can also arise from inflammatory processes. I won't use the "C" word but it's a common perianal complication. I don't know *why* but I've always heard from Crohn's patients that removing an anal skin tag is absolutely NOT OK and causes lots of problems (what they are, I'm not sure), so I would imagine the risk/reward calculation of removing an anal skin tag of unknown origin on an IBD patient just says don't do it.

Yeah, I was going to say the C word carries more risk of skin tags. When I got my fistula dx, the fact I did not have skin tags was noted. Having them pushes you closer to a Crohn's dx, sometimes, but not always... just like my stupid fistula hasn't secured me a Crohn's dx, either, because its formation can just sometimes be "bad luck."

I'm aware of the association as well, but thankfully, nothing in my situation has ever pointed to that dx. I mean, some of these things can be isolated, and as Rachel said, just plain bad luck. My brother had a fistula a few years ago, but he doesn't have Crohns or UC. But it's good to know that the skin tag doesn't have to, and in fact shouldn't, be removed. I'm pretty much done with procedures.

BTW, I've been told that any abdominal surgery raises the risk of a fistula formation, with or without IBD.

They are also associated with hemorrhoids.

Jan

Regardless of the skin tag -- and what it may or may not be from -- I'm glad you're feeling better! I hope it stays that way.

Gin

I know that this is a slightly skewed answer but skin tags are also associated with viruses when on the skin (not on mucosa like anuses and stomas)...I get them around the bra, near the armpits and on the neck or behind the ears...I saw a specialist for something else one day who gave me the name of a homeopathic product (the Lab is call Lehrring or something like that) that I take as drops every morning and night for 30 days...they all fell off (and my stoma didn't!!!!)...my memory is a bit fuzzy but I think that they also worked on plantar warts or maybe it was a different type of drop from the same company ( just ordered them from my pharmacy for that again...I was told that plantar warts were a sign of a weakened immune system!)...either way they work on everything but the growths on my stoma that my surgeon qualifies as granulation and burns off every time that he sees me. I keep extra cautery sticks on hand to burn them back about every 6 months. It doesn't get rid of them but at least they remain small and manageable. They are from the friction created by the tube being put into the stoma. If I don't burn them back they bleed like crazy and scare me to death if I don't know that they are there.
Sharon

I have them too - had them removed when I had my colectomy 21 years ago and had no issues with the removal. Note that I did not request the removal, it was a bonus snip.

However, they are back. Kind of wondered whether it's because of the seton in there, rubbing around. They do not present any problems, so I wouldn't consider having them removed, although I know that some people with "C's" have really huge ones and do try to get them removed.

Glad you are doing well!