HPV, or Human Pappiloma Virus, causes warts but not skin tags. Skin tags are caused by friction, not HPV. You can differentiate between a wart and skin tag by their appearance and also the symptoms. Warts caused by HPV usually occur on the genital area, the anus, or the mouth and have an appearance similar to that of a cauliflower. What you have would be a wart if you also experience a burning sensation or itching around the genitals, discomfort during intercourse, bleeding, and tiny grey, red or pink bumps around the genitals. Women should look out for symptoms like abnormal vaginal bleeding or increased vaginal discharge.
Skin tags are no more than ½ inch in size, and are attached to the skin by a stalk. Also, skin tags usually appear on places that rub against the clothes. So, you are likely to have them under breasts, on the waistline, armpits, neck, and groin area. If it's a skin tag, you don't have to worry about it, as these are benign and asymptomatic growths that cause no harm. However, if it’s a wart caused by HPV, you need to get yourself tested, especially if you practice unprotected sexual intercourse, or have multiple partners. You should first get the growth checked by a dermatologist to ensure what kind of skin growth it is.
There are common treatments for most skin growths like warts, moles, and skin tags. Vitamin E is a product that helps get rid of most skin problems. You can apply it on the lesions regularly to make them disappear. Break a capsule of Vitamin E and apply the oil along with crushed garlic on the affected area. Then bandage the area with an adhesive tape. This will make the tag or wart fall off. Another effective remedy is soaking the affected skin in warm water for approximately 20 minutes, patting it dry, and applying apple cider vinegar with the help of a cotton ball. Leave the vinegar on for about 20 minutes and then wash the skin off. Onion and garlic are also very effective in getting rid of warts or skin tags. You can rub crushed garlic on the affected skin about four times a day. This will make the growth disappear in about four weeks. Alternatively, apply the juice of onion about thrice a day till the growth disappears. You can also chop a raw onion, cover it with salt, and place it on the growth overnight with the help of adhesive tape.
answered by G M