Skin Tags
What are skin tags?
Skin tags are common, acquired benign skin-coloured growths. A skin tag is a small piece of soft, hanging skin that may have a peduncle, or stalk. They can appear anywhere on the body, but especially where skin rubs against other skin or clothing. Skin tags are harmless growths that can vary in number from one to hundreds. Males and females are equally prone to developing skin tags. Although some skin tags may fall off spontaneously, most persist once formed. The medical terms used to describe skin tag include acrochordon, fibroma, cutaneous papilloma.
What causes skin tags?
Skin tags affect both males and females. The most common causes of skin tags are friction, obesity, pregnancy, and genetics. During pregnancy, the development of skin tags is thought to be due to hormonal changes and increased levels of growth factors. The friction created by skin rubbing against skin, a side effect of being overweight, is what causes skin tags in certain people, and explains why skin tags often grow in body folds.
Skin tags are also more common in people with diabetes. Some people appear to inherit an increased susceptibility to skin tags. In rare cases, multiple tags can be a sign of a hormone imbalance or an endocrine imbalance. Skin tags are essentially harmless and do not have to be treated unless they are bothersome.
What do skin tags look like?
A skin tag is a small piece of soft, hanging skin that may have a peduncle or stalk. Skin tags form primarily in areas where the skin forms creases (or rubs together), such as the neck, armpit and groin. They may also occur on the face, usually on the eyelids. The surface of skin tags may be smooth or irregular in appearance. They are usually flesh-colored or slightly brownish. Skin tags start small, flattened like a pinhead bump. Some stay small, and some grow bigger. They can range in diameter from 2 millimeters (mm) to 1 centimeter (cm), and some may reach 5cm.
What treatment is available?
As skin tags are usually harmless, removal is normally for aesthetic or cosmetic reasons. They often go unnoticed, unless they are in a prominent place such as the face or neck. Large skin tags may cause irritation by repeatedly rubbing against clothing and jewellery or scratched during shaving. Removing a large skin tag from the face or under the arms can make shaving easier. Skin tags can be removed in a variety of ways. Multiple skin tags can be removed during a single session. The procedure can be done under local anaesthesia using creams or injection
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