Skin tags are extremely common benign growths, yet they can point to serious underlying health issues. Though skin tags themselves are harmless, they are often a sign of metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and diabetes. The good news is you can shrink and eliminate skin tags and address the root causes naturally through diet and lifestyle changes.
What are Skin Tags?
Skin tags, also known as acrochordons, are small, soft, skin-colored flaps of tissue that hang off the skin by a stalk. They typically occur in skin folds and areas where skin rubs together, such as the neck, armpits, groin, and eyelids.
Skin tags themselves are harmless – they are not cancerous and do not become cancerous. They range in size from 1 to 5 mm and can be solitary or occur in large numbers. Skin tags often run in families and are thought to have a genetic component, meaning you are more prone to getting them if your family members have them.
The True Cause Behind Skin Tags
Though skin friction is believed to play a role, the most significant factor leading to skin tags is insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol levels that increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
Insulin resistance, meaning your cells do not respond normally to the insulin your body produces, underlies metabolic syndrome. It causes a rise in insulin levels in your blood as your pancreas tries to compensate.
Studies have found a direct correlation between the number and size of skin tags and insulin resistance. The more skin tags you have, the more likely you have metabolic issues. This explains why skin tags often develop or get larger when people gain weight – increased body fat leads to greater insulin resistance.
Dangers of Metabolic Syndrome and Insulin Resistance
Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance cause high blood sugar levels and inflammation within the body. If left uncontrolled, they can progress to even more harmful conditions:
- Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes – Chronic high blood sugar can cause prediabetes, which eventually leads to type 2 diabetes if blood sugar levels continue to rise. Diabetes significantly increases your risk of kidney disease, nerve damage, vision loss, heart attack, stroke, and other complications.
- Fatty Liver Disease – Insulin resistance promotes fat storage in the liver. Over time, this excessive fat accumulation can cause permanent liver damage.
- High Blood Pressure – Insulin resistance disrupts the normal dilation of blood vessels, leading to hypertension. High blood pressure is strongly associated with heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.
- Obesity – The imbalance of insulin and blood sugar drives fat storage, especially unhealthy visceral fat around the abdomen. Excess body fat, particularly around the middle, raises the risk of chronic disease.
The development of skin tags serves as an early warning sign for metabolic syndrome long before diabetes and its complications occur. That’s why it’s so important not to ignore them.
Natural Ways to Get Rid of Skin Tags
While skin tags can be removed through cryotherapy freezing or surgical excision, the lesions will often recur unless you treat the root cause – insulin resistance.
Fortunately, you can reduce insulin levels and reverse metabolic imbalance through simple diet and lifestyle measures:
Follow a Low-Carb or Ketogenic Diet
Dramatically cutting carbohydrates lower blood sugar and insulin levels. Many people report their existing skin tags shrank and eventually fell off after going low-carb or keto.
A low-carb diet restricts daily carb intake to less than 130 gm while keto limits carbs to 50 gm or less to induce fat-burning ketosis. Focus on healthy fats, protein, non-starchy veggies, nuts, seeds, and berries. Avoid sugar, grains, starch, and processed carbs.
Exercise Regularly
Exercise helps restore insulin sensitivity so your cells can uptake glucose efficiently. Aim for 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week. Weight training is especially beneficial for improving insulin response.
Lose Weight if Overweight
Each pound of fat loss reduces insulin resistance. Gradual weight loss through calorie reduction and exercise gives your cells a chance to regain normal insulin sensitivity.
Fasting for 14-18 hours daily gives your pancreas a needed break from producing insulin. Periodic 24-36 hour fasts provide even greater metabolic benefits.
Manage Stress
Chronic stress raises cortisol and inflammatory markers, which disrupt insulin signaling. Make time for relaxing activities like meditation, yoga, or nature walks.
Lack of sleep is linked to insulin resistance. Most adults need 7-9 hours per night. Establish a nightly sleep routine and avoid electronic devices before bed.
Take Control of Your Metabolic Health
Left unchecked, insulin resistance and metabolic imbalance lead down a dangerous path of worsening metabolic disorders. Skin tags act as an early indicator of these silent processes.
Rather than ignoring skin tags or simply removing them when they appear, take charge of your metabolic health. Follow a low-carb diet, exercise, lose excess weight, and make other positive lifestyle choices. These steps will help normalize your insulin, blood sugar, cholesterol, and other metabolic markers.
As your metabolism heals, your skin tags will shrink or fall off. More importantly, you’ll substantially lower your risk of prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, high blood pressure, and other chronic illnesses.
Workout and Fitness News
Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your email inbox.
Thank you for subscribing.
Something went wrong.