Anal skin tags (possible tmi)

[Whoknows36]

Hi.

Whilst pregnant on dc I suffered very bad piles. Since then I've had the odd flare up and what I thought were constant piles. My gp referred me to a bowel consultant where I had a camera examination and was found to have internal piles and external skin tags. Apparently these are left over old piles!! My internal piles were banded and even though I still get flare ups they aren't too bad.

But I'm really embarrassed about the skin tags, i dont feel clean and they make my sex life suffer too. Does anyone know how I can get these removed?

The banding was so painful I didn't hang about long enough to ask the gp.
Thanks

[Hithere74]

I gad 2 removed very recently. Read so many horror stories but pleased to say it was nothing like that.
Had them removed under general, both very large. No pain after, just a bit of discomfort at times but more due to adding up my bum! I was terrified of first bowel movement and stupidly tired nit to eat to delay it resulting in constipation but it was not painful, just bled. Took fibrogel after and good diet and all was well

[LouiseJameslondon]

Thanks for sharing, I'm having mine removed on Thursday. I'm super nervous, but hopefully will go smooth... would love to hear how the ladies who there's removed recently got on? Will update post surgery!

[Hithere74]

I had it done 7 weeks ago. Recovery was fine but I dfinately needed the week off work, just to rest really and go to the toilet in the comfort of my own home.
It was nothing like the horror stories I'd read on the web, thank goodness. Only thing that surprised me was how long I still had to wear gauze on the area, I only stopped using it last week, but that wasn't a problem.
I'm disappointed they are still there, but they are much smaller. I don't regret having it done at all.
Good luck

[Minime85]

HAd one removed in October. I agree that was not the horror I was expecting. Get a sitz bath and bath in it after each time you open your bowels and a couple of extra times for first few days. I used sacking liquid in mine and warm water. I used it for two weeks. It really helped soothe and heal. Get plenty of gauze from chemist and eat really well for soft stools and take the stuff they give you for after. I can't remember name of it but it's a gel to have to help soften things. Good luck. I had two weeks off work which I needed and then had to sit on a cushion at work for a long time/sit on the side of my bum cheek

[LouiseJameslondon]

So had my surgery today, not feeling too bad. Just a bit uncomfortable and sore (haven't had a bowel movement yet...) I've got a sitz bath! So will start using that tomorrow. I've got 10 days booked off work, so hopefully will be back to normal by then! 😊

[LouiseJameslondon]

Okay, so now I'm 3 days post surgery. Touchwood everything seems to be healing okay, I'm still taking it easy not doing much around the house. My first bowel movement was very painful, but now they are just more uncomfortable, but getting easier with everyday. I'm just wondering when did everyone start to look 'normal' down below, I'm still very swollen and it almost looks worst. Sorry if that's too much info!

[Minime85]

Was at least a week and a half and over two before I dare to touch it beyond putting the cream on if been given by doctor. Keep up sitz baths and I used savlon liquid in warm water not sacking! As per typo in last post. Mine still felt uncomfortable for a good three or four months and I'm still conscious of trying to keep bowel
Movements softer. I kept up pain meds too for first week but then cut cocodomal out as that can cause constipation

[Nj83]

Thought I'd add my thoughts, had the op to remove about 6 tags yesterday 2 right on the entrance/exit (which term is right lol) of the Anus.
Procedure fine, day 1 today, first bowel movement as described, consultant said I'd wonder why he left the porcupine up there....he is right I'm definitely thinking that!

They've not mentioned stool softeners or gel nor extended time off work?! I've got ibuprofen and co codamol for a few days but I can drive after 24 hours and am back in work tomorrow.

Thankfully sitting seems alright at the minute and just need to make sure I can shower or bathe after the loo.

So far so good altho a fair bit of blood this morning after movements, to be expected I guess.

My view is it will definitely be worth it, they were driving me nuts not being able to simply get clean.

Good luck all,

[megletthesecond]

Thanks for this thread, glad everyone is in the mend. I'm going to have to have this done in a year or so. IBS ruined me and now it's under control I've got the damage to deal with.

[Gingerbread123]

Thank you all ladies, I'm having this procedure on Thursday and am get it in a panic about it given some horror stories, I'm glad I read to the end of the thread with happier results. I'm a bit scared because of the ga, it seems a bit extreme but then again not sure it'd be that great to be conscious for it either. Given the happier stories are more recent I'm hoping this means some how they've changed the procedure and I'll be OK too? My dd is only 7months, I'm due back to work soon and hoping to be healed by then.... Also hoping most importantly that I can still manage with her on my own whilst healing! Eek! Thanks again all, it's so appreciated just to know I'm not the only one and it makes everyone feel as unclean and seems to affect everyone sex wise too! Just such a horrible thing to go through! Xx

[Gingerbread123]

update op went smoothly, I took painkillers for first couple of days as a preventative nd was prescribed lactolose to help make trips to the toilet easier. I haven't had any excessive pain and the bleeding stopped in first few days (save a drop or two after using the loo). I had a reaction to the preventative antibiotics on the second dose so was advised to stop taking them. A week and a half after op no sign of infection so all good. I'm so glad I did it! X

[Minime85]

Really glad it went well. I didn't have antibiotics wait her but bathed in a sitz bath to prevent infection. I would say keep taking lactolose for a while. I reduced my dose but kept taking it just to allow to heal well

[Skintagsnomore]

Hey there,
I guess my nick name works ? I had surgery yesterday to rid mylselfof 2 large skins from left over pregnancy piles. I've lived with these blighters for 15 years . I thought that I just had to live with it but after my third and final son , I decided that enough was enough and I couldn't cope with the size it had grown to.

Anyway I feel sick with the pain and I'm hoping that tomorrow I start to feel better.
After a bm earlier It was worse than giving birth 😩
I would definitely recommend having someone around as being a single mum of 3 boys it's been really hard doing normal things .
Hope it will be worth it X

[Emeal123]

I had surgery to remove a very large tag yesturday on a day case, I was absolutely dreading it after reading some painful sounding stories!! Luckily so far it's not been too bad. Achey and uncomfortable, not able to sit down properly need to lean to the side. Just been for my first bowel movement, was uncomfortable but not unbearable and cleaned off in the shower afterwards. Still bleeding slowly so just been wearing a sanitary towel and have sat in a warmish salt water bath to help with infection and healing. Pain relief I've just been alternating ibroprufren and paracetamol and it seems to be ok so far!

I am single parent to a 2 year old and thankfully my mum has been able to help out, unable to pick him up and can't sit in his room comfortably at all, legs a bit shakey but think that's because I'm so squeamish from the thought of the procedure I experienced! Wasn't horrendous just undignifying but surgeon and nurses were lovely and actual procedure took no longer than 10 mins under local anaesthetic!

Hoping the pain isn't going to suddenly kick in at all! Good luck everyone xx

[Wantitgone]

Glad I found this thread!!
I have an appointment for 2 weeks time to see my GP and hopefully get referred for surgery, if not Im willing to go private.
The horror stories have scared me a little bit although im glad to see some have been ok.
Has anyone noticed anything coming back after a while?? And is it really really necessary to have time off work??

Im guessing this is a mainly UK site?? Did everyone's GP remove it or were you referred to a hospital specialist or go private? I know mine is going to say dont worry about it, its a cosmetic procedure but its really shaking my confidence sex wise so im going to ask for a referral and go private if i have to

[Minime85]

Hi. I was referred in end to hospital after 6 months of Misdiagnosis. I had it removed under general anesthetic. It was not the horror I read at all. You have to be sensible though with diet and cleaning afterwards. I do seem to have another one coming but mine from IBS and my symptoms don't stop so there is a reason.

[Wantitgone]

So i saw my GP yesterday who was so nice about it all, she's referring me to the hospital so look into getting it removed as she could see its making me so uncomfortable so yaay :) She didnt give me a time frame but roughly how long might a referral take?

[Minime85]

That's great about referral. Mine was about two months as so busy for those clinics where I live. Op then was due to be two months after that but I had to postpone due to work commitments. Good luck

[Em2727]

Hey all. Please can anyone who has had this done help me. I'm 27, had everything you could imagine for 10 years...fissures, haemorrhoids and 2 external skin tags.

2 days ago I had everything basically chopped off. My butt looks terrible :( the main reason I needed it done was because of the pain and the lengthy cleaning job it took after every toilet visit :( I just want to be normal again and not have to worry about leaving the house and forgetting my essentials incase I need the toilet.
But of course the other reason is that I want down there to look 'normal'...I'm sure you can understand where I'm coming from. I don't want to be self conscious about it anymore either.

So, for those that have had this done....will it look normal again? It's still lumpy..horirble looking. I fear there will still be lumps there when it heals? Can anyone tell me different from their own experience? Please. Thank you

[Em2727]

Also advice on cleaning would be greatly appreciated...currently I've just used cooled boiled water with salt and dabbed at the wound and dried with a hairdryer to avoid touching it! But I don't feel like I'm getting to it. I'm scared of putting myself in a bath...what's is a sitz bath? Can I just do a bath of salt and cooled boiled water?

[Minime85]

Hi em how are you today? I'm a year in, in fact this time last year I was where you are. Things are much better but it did take over 6 months to settle completely I think. It's not perfect but much neater than before and so much more comfortable and clean but take it slow with recovery. Keep up diet and keep stools soft. I got a Sitz bath from amazon but can just put a very shallow amount of water in the bath. My doctor said to use warm water and liquid savlon. I did that at least three times a day for a week and then when I was back at work I did it twice a day at least. Leave to dry or pat with a towel. Mine was an open wound for about 4 weeks I think before completely closed.

[Em2727]

Thank you //Minime85 I'm very tender. I went to the toilet for the first time last night. It was quite sore! but cleaning afterwards was worse. Had a warm shower, sat in a bath of salt and warm water but had to use my hands to balance me as I can't properly sit in the bath! I still wasn't clean...so again showered and bathed. Just a nasty experience. After that I was sore but I'm only taking Ibrupofen when in bad pain and antibiotics. I don't want to have anymore lumps down there :( I got the shock of my life when I looked! But I can tell it will be easier to go to the toilet in future, no more remembering wipes and taking 20 mins to clean. If I ever have children (dreading that now after this!) Then one minor but important thing I'll teach them is to never strain on the toilet and give them a great varied diet. If only I had been taught the same.
How long did you need off work? Is this the worse it's going to get or during healing does it get worse?

[Minime85]

I had a week and a half off of work. It does get easier yes and it will have been worth it. Just keep up the diet and the baths. Good luck.

[SunEgg]

Hi,

I was just wondering how some of you got on with post-surgery. I have a couple of tags and it is becoming harder to keep them clean. I am thinking about getting surgery too but I am worried about post-op, will it actually heal up and not flare up? I am also planning to get pregnant in a few months time, and wondering whether I should wait till after birth to get these removed or just do it now, as I am taking a long break from work this summer. Thanks

[Littleredbrickmammy]

Wait until after you give birth. I had 2 removed 6 years before getting pregnant. Post op wasn't too bad just very uncomfortable and first stool not fun. But after pregnancy and birth got another 2. Saw the hospital about another issue involving that area the doctor pointed out I had them but said it would be best to leave removal until I was sure I was not going to have another baby as it was likely they would come back.