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Community Story: Skin Tags

In this blog, a Comfortable In My Skin sister shares her experiences with skin tags.

When I was about 20, I was washing myself when I felt something that I hadn’t noticed before. I grabbed a mirror and had a look. It was a small fleshy growth on the inside of my outer right labia. I wasn’t too alarmed as it wasn’t painful or itchy, and it felt like the same skin texture as my labia skin. I had already had a pap smear booked for the following week, so I thought while my gyno was down there checking out my cervix, I would ask about it – just in case.

Throughout the week, although my gut feeling told me it was going to be okay, I couldn’t help but turn to Doctor Google. I was researching all sorts of STIs, infections, and abnormal growths. By the time, my pap smear appointment had arrived, I was convinced that I had all the diseases under the sun.

My gyno was almost done with my swabs when I asked for her to look at the growth. It took her less than two seconds before she said “Oh that! It’s just a mole or a skin tag – nothing to worry about”.

I almost laughed because it seemed so obvious now that I couldn’t believe I didn’t assume the same thing. She offered that if it bothered me, she could remove it, but I didn’t think it was needed. I had plenty of moles and skin tags over my body, so another one, even if it was on my vulva, didn’t seem like a big deal – it just meant that I had to tell my doctor to check it whenever I have my moles checked for skin cancer/melanoma.

Since that appointment, I have never had an issue with it. I’m not ashamed or embarrassed by it. I’ve had plenty of sexual partners and no one has asked me about it (whether they have noticed it or are too embarrassed to ask about it). I honestly have become so fond of it, and I love that it’s there.

Everyone’s body is unique and vulvas are no exception to that.