On the skin of men, women, and children, growths can form. These are usually benign, and do not cause much of a threat. In some severe cases, however, they can be aligned with maladies such as diabetes, HPV, and other issues. These skin issues are known as tags. Skin tags are nothing to be concerned about, unless they are the result of a serious ailment. If there is an extreme case, or you feel that you’re getting skin tags as a result of something far worse than a benign element, you may need to see a professional.
For patients that are dealing with certain types of arthritis, skin issues may appear. For instance, those that are dealing with rheumatoid arthritis, may feel that they are getting tags due to the issue. Are skin tags and rheumatoid arthritis related? That’s the question that many people ask, and the answer is actually quite interesting.
What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
The first thing that should be understood about this issue is that it’s an autoimmune disease. It’s a disease that attacks the cells of the body, especially the joints. It causes severe pain in the hands, legs, knees, and shoulders. The joints start to become inflamed, and can even cause loss of mobility in those that are diagnosed with this issue. There is no cure for this issue, but there are medications that can stop the pain and help avoid major issues involved with joint stiffness. That’s where things can get a little complicated. In some instances, you’ll find that the autoimmune disease can affect skin cells around the joints, including elbows, hands, and other areas. Since the immune system is compromised, you may see formations form on the skin, including some areas where you may see skin tags.
Skin Tags and Removal
Autoimmune diseases cause the body to harm itself, and in the case of arthritis, the inflammation can bring about some issues on the dermis. Medications that are aimed to stop the pain, can also cause a rash, and even tags to form on the skin. These are benign, mind you, but they can be uncomfortable and unsightly. Getting rid of them can fall into two major methodologies, however.
The first is to look for over the counter, essential oils, and then apply the oil to the skin. You can utilize concentrated options such as, tea tree, lemon, oregano, garlic, and coconut oils on the tags themselves. Applying these topically three times a day, for several days can help the tag dry out and fall away without incident.
The next solution, however, is to see a dermatologist. They can determine if the rash and tags are related to your rheumatoid arthritis medication, and will prescribe a topical cream. If the cream is not enough, they’ll lance the tags, or freeze them to ensure that they are removed. You’ll then be given a medication to help thwart reoccurrences of this issue. While not everyone will deal with side effects of this autoimmune issue, some will find that rash and tags do in fact form as a result of the arthritis diagnosis.