Vaginal Skin Tags or Genital Warts?

It can be hard to tell the difference between vaginal skin tags and genital warts. They can look and feel similar – and they are both often distressing as well as annoying.

The key difference is that warts are contagious. If you have genital warts, then you’ve caught them from somebody and are at risk of passing them on too.

Skin tags are benign flaps of skin and are not contagious, but can be nonetheless annoying and distressing.

Genital Warts

Genital warts are a symptom of HPV (human papillomavirus).

They tend to appear in a patch with several lumpy bumps of skin.

HPV is a very common sexually transmitted disease. When genital warts appear, they can be very irritating and can cause pain, discomfort, and itching; although sometimes they are only annoying in a cosmetic way due to their appearance (which in itself can cause great concern).

Genital warts can also be embarrassing and cause awkwardness with partners.

Vaginal Skin Tags

Vaginal skin tags are tiny flaps of skin that appear in the vaginal area. They are thought to develop due to friction i.e. clothing or rubbing skin causing overgrowth of the skin, which develops into protruding skin tags. They can sometimes develop during pregnancy or as a consequence of weight gain.

Skin tags are not contagious at all, but as with genital warts, the appearance of them can be very upsetting and worrying for clients.

Diagnosing Skin Lesions

If you are concerned about genital warts or vaginal skin tags, it is best to get a proper diagnosis, so that you can understand your treatment options. These lesions tend to be fairly small and are not in an area that you can easily see, which makes it difficult to self-diagnose.

It is best to consult a doctor or specialist for advice.

The NHS offers free sexual health clinics where they can carry out a full set of screening tests for STD’s (sexually transmitted diseases) or STI’s (sexually transmitted infections). Find sexual health clinic contact details.

However, the resources to treat patients are limited. Treatments offered tend to be topical i.e. creams or liquids, which can take a long time to work and can also cause irritation. surgery or freezing (cryotherapy) tend to be more efficient means of treatment for genital warts; but are not always available on the NHS.

The NHS doesn’t tend to offer treatment for vaginal skin tags as they are classed as a cosmetic issue, rather than a medical problem.

Private clinic treatments for genital warts and vaginal skin tags

Doctors and surgeons at Cosmedics’ London Mole Removal Centre offer treatment for both genital warts and vaginal skin tags. They can often provide same day treatment through their ‘See & Treat’ service.

• Cryotherapy (freezing) – Simple warts or skin tags are frozen off in a procedure known as ‘cryotherapy’ which uses intense cold to destroy the growth. Treatment may involve 2-3 sessions to ensure complete removal of the wart.
• Laser or skin surgery – Large and resistant warts or skin tags can be treated either using more aggressive techniques, involving laser or surgery with cauterisation to seal the wound. Usually treatment can be completed in just one session.

Treatments are completely pain-free thanks to use of modern local anaesthetic. Patients are provided with full aftercare guidance and a followup appointment is included where recommended.

Book an Appointment

London Mole Removal Centre offer appointments at a choice of 5 private skin treatment centres based in London and Bristol. All consultations and treatments are carried out in person by doctors who are specially trained in the latest laser and skin surgery techniques and are highly experienced in the field. Most skin lesions can be removed at the same appointment as the consultation, but there is no obligation to proceed unless and until both the patient and doctor are completely happy to do so.

For more information or to book a consultation, please complete the form on this web page or call 020 7731 3791.