Anal skin tag removal
Posted , 50 users are following.
I wanted to post my experience because I read a lot of horrible things about anal skin tag removals.
I thought I had a hemorrhoid. I bled and felt the little lump. I lived with it for 4 years until it got too irritating. I booked an appointment with a colorectal doc who did a quick physical exam and told me I have an internal hemorrhoid and an external skin tag. She said they don't remove the internal hemorrhoids unless they really have to because the recovery is difficult. She said the external skin tag was created from a fissure when I was constipated. I had chemo 4 years ago for ovarian cancer so that is when I was most constipated.
She said the skin tag could be removed in office with shots in the anal area. Um, no. She then said, because I have a previous cancer diagnosis and my aunt died of colon cancer, I qualified to get a colonoscopy. She could take it off the skin tag during the colonoscopy. She would cut it off and cauterize it.
I decided to do it. I was told I would need a week to recover.
The prep was the worst. I got through 7/8ths of the prep before I threw up. Then I waited two hours to drink the remaining prep. The next day I felt nauseated but didn't throw up again.
The colonoscopy portion went ok. The IV was fine because they gave me some numbing medicine. I have had a lot of IVs and they are way easier with the numbing shot first. However, when I was in the procedure room, the anesthesiologist pushed the meds through my IV way too fast, it totally burned, way more than it burned with chemo. Then I quickly fell asleep.
I woke up afterwards with gauze in my bum. They sent me home and I drank a milkshake to calm my stomach, then I went straight to sleep. I woke up later and ate a small dinner and took a normal dose of Miralax. Then I took a bath. I tried removing the gauze early on in the bath but it hurt. So I waited for the bath water to let the gauze float off. Then it didn't hurt.
That night I took another normal dose of Miralax. The next day I pooped, but it didn't hurt. It was very loose. So daily I have been told to take 3 baths a day AND after every poop. I have been taking two doses of Miralax a day and it has totally worked to keep my poop loose and pain free. My doctor had said to take a different stool softener but I know Miralax works for me so that is why I am taking it.
My doc gave me a SPRIX prescription. It is an anti-inflammatory pain reliever that is a nasal spray. Follow the directions and it won't burn as much. Holding your breath is key. I have found it to be helpful in reducing the swelling of my anal wound and the pain has decreased.
I am on day 3. So far, little pain and I am up doing laundry, etc. I will update when my week is up.
I think the baths are key to not getting an infection in the anal wound. I want to avoid an infection at all costs.
0 likes, 105 replies
candice43816
Posted
Full disclosure: I only had one anal skin tag removed. I am a stay at home mom so I have the time to bathe multiple times a day.
melissa18864 candice43816
Posted
I just had this done today. I had two small skin tags removed. I look in the mirror today and it looks worse than before. A large bump right in the middle of my hole and the skin tag was actually above that. How long does it take to start looking normal down there again?
bryony39083 melissa18864
Posted
hey, i know its been a while since you posted this but im just looking for some advise please? i had 2 anal skin tags removed 2 days ago, a bit of back story one was about the 2cm long and another a bit smaller. I’ve constantly been looking in the mirror and the largest one seems smaller but other than that it doesn’t look any different, I’m panicked now and I just wondered from your comment if it was just swelling and it settled?! Any help would be much appreciated! Thank you so much 😃
marie69052 bryony39083
Posted
i know its been a couple years but im going for a hail mary and seeing if youre still active, i got a skin tag cut off 2 weeks ago and it still looks like the tag is still there and more round. how did yours end up healing?? is this normal??
chris2 candice43816
Posted
Many years ago I was concerned about a lump near my anus. I decided to get myself checked out at a sexual health clinic here in the UK and was told it was a skin tag. They froze it off there and then. It didn't even hurt much.
Mitushi candice43816
Posted
can you write more about managing pain after surgery? How long after did it stop hurting?
when having a BM! did it feel like a fissure?
I cant imagine how they expect healing when one has to have a BM!
sunny44803 candice43816
Edited
I had 2 skin tags one big one the size of my thump nail and the other one was a small one. I had one of them for like 5 years but recently it grew a lot, so i decided to do something about it. READING these stories online really scared me , people talking about pain worse than giving birth. I cancelled my appointment, but then this insecurity really f****d me up. I got a laser skin tag removal 2 days ago and i feel nothing. Sometimes i feel a bit of pain but its 1/10. i went to the washroom too that wasnt bad, the skin tags hurt more than this and my bum finally looks normal. I would recommend everyone to do it and not read these online stories and get scared. I am making a journal of my journey and i have pictures too. For people that need motivation and want to know a story of someone who went through it. I almost had a panic attack at my appointment at the doctors she even told me to leave if i want to but i went with it. I AM SO GLAD!
martine18560 sunny44803
Posted
i am booked in to have a large anal skin tag removed in July and i am petrified! i cried at the pre op ive worked myself up so much. The surgeon will be putting me to sleep, cutting it away and leaving it to heal on its own. They have said that its going to be painful afterwards. Ive read horror stories online people saying they wish they hadnt had it done because it was so painful and im on the verge of canceling and just living with the discomfort i dont know what to do for the best
melissa18864 sunny44803
Posted
Right after you had this done did you have a swollen hard bump? Right now it looks worse than it did before but maybe it’s just swelling and that will go away?
Poppy123x sunny44803
Posted
hi, how can i see your journey? i have just went through this and im bit worried if everything looks well.
can you read my post
ray76884 sunny44803
Posted
hi, i realize this post is old but did you end up making the journal? my doctor is telling my the scarring of removal could be worse than the tag itself - how did yours end up healing? how big were they to start? any insight is appreciated
patient10760 martine18560
Posted
hi, I would like to see that pictures you mentioned. I'm 19F intending to do the procedure. please, please answer
patient10760
Posted
oh no, wrong person
bonnie95263 candice43816
Posted
i just had this 8 days ago and it looks almost worse than before the surgery! I have a hard lump in the middle of my bumhole now. Its half in and half out and its way harder than the tag was. Did anyone else experience this post op? Im literally going mad with the hand mirror. I still have one more to get removed but now im scared. It was fairly painful procedure but thats wouldnt stop me from getting it again but if this hard lump doesnt go away then i dont want the other surgery. Thanks pls i need advice
martine18560 bonnie95263
Posted
how are you getting on with the recovery?
miftyfresh bonnie95263
Posted
Hi, can you please let me know how you are now? I just had this 3 days ago and have the same thing. After going to the loo, I checked in the mirror and I have a lot of red lumps, hard and angry looking protruding from my bum. Please let me know how you're getting on, I am seriously upset
bonnie95263 miftyfresh
Posted
oh my i feel u on thisi was a lunatic with the hand mirror wish i wouldnt have been. caused myself more grief . i can confirm most of what youre seeing if it looks like my panicked post.. is post op swelling had follow up appointment and im healing fine scheduled for the final one on july 24 . put the mirror down and continue after care it goes away
bonnie95263 martine18560
Posted
thanks for asking MUCH better now extreme difference still slight hardness just inside anus but its all just temporary because of how sensitive the area is
miftyfresh bonnie95263
Posted
Thanks so much for reply. Was your lump bigger than the tag itself? Mine looks like a hemmy, but can't possibly be and there are multiple 'layers' of it - feel so yuck and I'm on holidays next week! Hopefully I improve asap
bonnie95263 miftyfresh
Posted
yes it was like worse than the original tag. the tag was at the top of my hole lol not inside and poking out. i was sure it was a huge hemmy or something . it was buigger after bms too. its swelling and most of it should go down but honestly after one full week post op i was freaking out. it wasnt gone and it seemed worse than after day one of surgery . it took 2 full weeks to look mostly normal again. i was terrified i did it for nothing but just wait.
miftyfresh bonnie95263
Posted
Thanks so much for reply. When did pain and discomfort subside for you? Still can hardly walk 4 days post op
stayc042302 miftyfresh
Posted
how are you both feeling now? I am on day 4 and in so much pain. I have a bump that hurts to touch also. did it go away? still in pain?
sallykkk bonnie95263
Posted
Hi Bonnie, did the lumps look like tiny pimples? I have a little lump that looks like a hard pimple and I wonder if it will go away on its own. I had my operation done last week 😦
thank you
bryony39083 bonnie95263
Posted
hey, i know its been a while since you posted this but im just looking for some advise please? i had 2 anal skin tags removed 2 days ago, a bit of back story one was about the 2cm long and another a bit smaller. I’ve constantly been looking in the mirror and the largest one seems smaller but other than that it doesn’t look any different, I’m panicked now and I just wondered from your comment if it was just swelling and it settled?! Any help would be much appreciated! Thank you so much 😃
Myers1987 bryony39083
Posted
Stop looking! The surgery left me with a skin tag too. I am 5 months post op from the surgery, 8 days for the tag. 3 stitches with the tag removal. Yes, it looks like I still have one but looks better than before. Today I pooped normal and not in hot water. It was totally smooth coming out where before the tag was in the way. Take your stool softeners and do whatever you can to not swell/keep swelling at minimal. Be patient. Do you have stitches?
Morgan1234 Myers1987
Posted
I have read through all these messages and wanted to ask for advice! I am six weeks post op. I had two skin tags removed. I went to my colorectal surgeon at week 5 for a follow up. She said the reason that there are still bumps is swelling. She felt around and said i had two small incisions still that needed to heal before i would see a difference. Well, three days ago, another bump popped up. it is huge and uncomfortable. Is it a new skin tag or possibly irritation that caused inflammation? I dont want to go to the doctor again unless necessary. My next follow up is in June. Did anyone here have this experience where it seemed to be healing properly then got worse?
rae20371 miftyfresh
Posted
hi, i know its been a while. i had tags removed and now i have one large red bump there. did your doctor say its normal? did yours go away? hope you are well
rae20371 Morgan1234
Posted
i have a red "bump" too. i am so worried i am going to have to get that removed as well. did yours heal? how are you doing?
Darling1010 Morgan1234
Posted
Morgan1234, how is it all going? Have you seen any swelling go down since posting this while you wait for your follow up? My surgeon stated my massive swelling should be better after 2 weeks but I'm on day 10 w/ hideous lumps and skin flap around it (looks worse than before surgery). Maybe we're slower to heal? I will be much calmer if I had a better idea of when my anus will be normal again but she never discussed swelling with me so it's hard to trust the process.
Morgan1234 rae20371
Posted
I am week 12 post op and i still have a large red bump on the top and a skin tag on the bottom. I went to my surgeon two weeks ago because I was worried I was not healing properly and my next appointment is not until June. She told me that it is still swelling. She said the large bump still had a small cut which is causing the swelling since it is not completely healed. I asked her what happens in June if the bumps have not gone down in size, she replied "surgery again." So, part of me thinks this isn't swelling because why would she need to do surgery on swelling? I personally think the whole tag wasn't removed. She is hesitant to do the surgery again, if i end up wanting it, telling me that its risky and we wont know how my body heals after the second removal. I might wait some time and go to another surgeon! I hope you're healing better than me!
Morgan1234 Darling1010
Posted
I don't think my doctor ever discussed how much it would swell either. I had follow up appointment at week 5 post op and it was so bumpy down there. She told me it all swelling and would all go away. She made my next appointment for June to make sure everything is okay. Two weeks ago, I saw a new bump forming and the top bump was still there and i have a tag on the bottom. She told me that "gravity pulls down" and "you are constantly aggravating the area every time you wipe" so it will take time to heal. She examined me and said the large top bump still has an open cut causing the area to swell. I asked what the next steps are if the bumps are still present during my appointment in June, she said she can do removal again. She seemed annoyed with me and is hesitant to remove again. She basically told me that the bumps are fine and its no big deal. I told her that the area looks exactly the same pre-surgery and i went through all of that pain for nothing. She shrugged her shoulders.
How are you doing today? My best advice is to stop looking. What's done is done! Give it a few weeks then look at it.
Darling1010 Morgan1234
Posted
Hey, thanks so much for sharing your experience. One thing I imagine I'm doing differently than most americans is that I use a bidet attachment at home instead of toilet paper for wiping. I only use TP to blot when drying off the area. My surgeon was actually thrilled when she learned about the bidet during our initial visit. At my 2 week post-op follow up, she agreed that the area looked much worse than prior to surgery and that it is all scar tissue. We scheduled another follow up a month later (mid-june) to check if swelling goes down and if not, then we approach surgery again in July but instead, she won't use stitches but leave open wound and inject sites with steroid to hopefully prevent this from happening again. I hate this but fortunately I have not experienced push back from her at all. The main reason I went in for the consult about surgery in the first place was to remove because I can't always use my bidet when I'm working at the office and TP always hurt the area as well as the fact I'm an active hiker and while I'm on trail, hygiene is d*** near impossible, making things worse. I did in fact consult with another surgeon prior to my surgeon's consultation, who was downright hateful and wouldnt even discuss it and shamed me for even wanting to correct the issue. So maybe my original desire for surgery set the stage for better support from her. I'm sorry your experience is so frustrating - I whole heartedly recommend a bidet instead of wiping and if she refuses to continue to help, definitely seek out another surgeon to see if they feel more apt to help. This is absolutely a quality of life issue! Hang in there!
Kelsey.h Morgan1234
Posted
Hey Morgan! Not sure if you're still active here at all but I'm in same situation you'd been in so just wanted to reach out. I'm 8 weeks post op (had stitches) and it almost still looks worse then before surgery. It's surprisingly swollen for how long it's been and starting to get nervous it's just not going to change. Can you tell me if your swelling ended up ever going down and how the end results was after a few months? Thank you!!