Anal skin tag surgery - anyone have it with local anaesthetic?
Posted , 8 users are following.
I have suffered with a large anal skin tag for for number of years now after having 2 babies. I was meant to have surgery to get it removed on the NHS but cancelled the op after reading the horror stories on here and having a small baby to look after at the time. The tag is getting bigger and is a nuisance every day. I have never had an op before and I am petrified of having GA for the procedure. Has anyone had the skin tag removed using local anaesthetic? I've had 2 episiotomy which were dreadful so I'm hoping this won't be much worse. any advice greatfully received! thank you
0 likes, 35 replies
jo41689 martine18560
Edited
Hi, I have been in the exact same situation as you! Got an episiotomy too, which got infected, and it was one of the worst pain i've ever felt in my whole life. Please be reassured, an anal skin tag removal is not as bad as this!
I got a large anal skin tag removed last month, which had been bothering me for 10 years, and the procedure+recovery was so easy and straightforward, I was pleasantly surprised as i was expecting 100 times worse than what actually happened!
I went to a private clinic to get it removed with local anaesthetic, no stitches, just an open wound. The procedure lasted 5-10mns (I wonder why some people get it done under general anaesthesia to be honest, but i guess everyone does it differently) and it cost £900.
Once the anaesthesia wears off, that's when it became quite inconfortable but I personally only needed painkillers for the first 24h. It bled for a few days, and going to the toilets wasn't even that bad! After 3-4 days i was moving and looking after my daughter almost as normal (I just couldn't really run after her or carry her for too long -she's 3yo). I took antibiotics for 10 days and then just applied vaseline to help soothe the wound.
It's been a month now and i completely feel like myself again and the swollen bump from the wound is almost gone! Don't hesitate if you have any questions 😃
martine18560 jo41689
Edited
thank you very much for your reply that has filled me with confidence 😊 oh my that sounds awful what you went through with the episiotomy. They messed my stitches up with my first and for 6 months it would ache and throb if I stood too long or walked too far. So pleased to hear that it isn't as bad as going through that. I have an app in May to see the surgeon again and I really want this done under local. Like you say for something that is going to be so quick it seems very drastic being knocked out which scares the life out of me! The surgeon was saying it would be better for me for dignity reasons. I was expecting to be told it could be frozen off or banded so had a shock when he said surgery and then bottled it after reading so many horror stories.
jo41689 martine18560
Edited
Poor you. The pain from episiotomy can definitely be traumatic and I understand why you would be scared of going through the same thing again. Regarding your surgeon comment about your "dignity", I find it a bit odd, sure it's not very pleasant to have someone staring at your butthole for 10mn but if you don't mind having it done under local anaesthesia I really hope you can get it!
The procedure was even carried during my very first appointment with the doctor and I think it spared me a lot of unneccessary stress. I was in and out within 30mns! The most uncomfortable part was the injections (they did two around the tag) but nothing unbearable. Reading all those bad experiences almost made me change my mind as well but I'm so glad i went through the whole thing and got it done. You definitely won't regret this!
martine18560 jo41689
Posted
I've got to get it done the tag is getting worse I had hoped I could just live with it but I can't so I'm definitely going to have the horrible thing cut away. I know I don't know why he said that.. I take it you lie on your tummy and they deal with it like that? with him going on about dignity I was wondering whether your lying there with legs in stirrups like you are when you give birth? I think he could tell that I was very embarrassed about it when he was looking at the app so whether he has said it because of that I'm not sure. I've never had an op before and the thought of having GA for something that's going to take 10mins seems very extreme.
Morgan1234 martine18560
Edited
In regard to procedure, you lay on your tummy and they open your butt cheeks with tape. I felt embarrassed but realized that the colorectal surgeon does this for a living and skin tags are SO common!! I am almost at week 8 of post op. Im still swollen but i think its getting better. Good luck with the procedure!
alex93193 jo41689
Posted
Hi! How did your skin tag looked like? Was it placed on narrow string of skin (petiole) or was it wide?
justice659876 jo41689
Posted
Do you have scar tissue? and how big was your skin tag? Do you still have a wound?
ally06189 martine18560
Posted
Hi there,
I had 2 large skin tags removed 8 weeks ago. I put it off for 12 years because I was worried but omg best thing I've done. I'm still healing, still a bit of swelling but my recovery was 10/10. They gave me numbing gel and I didn't use it, popped a few panadol but other than that there was not alot of pain. I had them removed while I had a colonoscopy though so I was asleep. Be aware that there is ALOT of swelling and it can take up to 3 months to heal. I'm week 8 and still have a small lump but it looks so much better than before.
Morgan1234 ally06189
Posted
hi! i went to message you to check in and private messages have been disabled! You are almost at 9 weeks post op, right? how is it going?
ally06189 Morgan1234
Posted
Hey! That's so odd that they've disabled messages. I'm 9 weeks P.O on Friday and not much has changed for me or I can't see much of a change. I started using the hirudoid cream, I'm on Day 2 so too early to tell if it's working but ill update! How are you going?
Morgan1234 ally06189
Posted
I am 8 weeks post op tomorrow! I thiiiiink mine are getting smaller not by much but I do think so. I reached out to the other doctor office and they don't accept my insurance. So the consultation would cost $400 and up to $8000 for the procedure! If I don't see much of a change in a week, I think ill call my surgeon!
ally06189 Morgan1234
Posted
That's fantastic!! I have everything crossed that they're getting smaller and healing. I've been trying not to look as much because when I look every day I can't see the changes but if I do it every few days I definitely can if that makes sense.
WOW, $8000?! That's crazy! I'd definitely call the surgeon. If you aren't happy with what the surgeon says you can always seek a second opinion. That's an insane price.
martine18560
Posted
thank you all for your comments and advice it is much appreciated. I had my app at the hospital today and the doctor said it has to be done under GA 😤 I questioned why I couldn't have it dine with local and he said it would be far to painful and GA was the only option.
JCW1980 martine18560
Edited
I just had a rectocele repair, hemorrhoidectomy (3) and skin tag removed 6 days ago under local anesthesia and it wasn't that bad. Just make sure afterwards you move often, drink alot of water and eat alot of fiber, so that your 1st BM isn't painful. My pain has been very tolerable. I have mostly felt pinching and chaffing. I do have a stitch poking out of my bum and it pokes my crack but all in all I have found that keeping gauze in my crack helps eliminate the pain and keeps the area dry so that it doesn't chafe.