A skin tag develops on parts of the body that are prone to friction against other skin surfaces or outfits. Skin flaps appear as soft hanging skin flap that has either a stalk or peduncle. Medical experts are yet to ascertain the particular cause of skin tags.
Doctors, however, claim that friction is the major cause of the skin condition. Body areas prone to constant friction are groin, neck, eyelids and armpits. Doctors may refer to skin tags as a cutaneous tag, soft fibroma, fibroepithelial polyp, Templeton, cutaneous papilloma, fibroma pendulum, and fibroma molluscum skin tags.
Certain research indicates there’s a correlation between skin tags development and Human Papilloma Virus. Skin tags may also develop in an individual due to hereditary reasons, it may be as a result of a genetic component. Skin tags are benign small growths that develop as skin folds or creases.
What Are the Symptoms of Skin Tags?
Physical Appearance of A Skin Tag
A skin tag can either be smooth or irregular when you look at the growth. These growths are raised from the rest of the skin on either stalks or peduncles. Skin tags are normally slightly brown or flesh-colored. These skin tags first develop as tiny growths that are flattened and have pinhead bumps. As time goes by, there are tags that retain their original small size while others tend to increase in size. Skin tags can range from 2mm to 1cm in diameter while others go to the extreme of 5cm.
Even though it is difficult to notice a stalk attaches to a skin tag on an underlying skin surface, tiny small tags can form like raised bumps on your skin. Twisting a skin tag at the point of its blood supply will turn it either red or black. Skin tags are likely to bleed if it gets caught up in an outfit. On their own skin tag are rarely painful and don’t develop as a symptom of other skin condition. There are unique instances whereby individuals suffering from diabetes develop a skin complication known as acanthosis nigricans that is often related to skin tags development.
Are Skin Tags Dangerous?
Fast facts on skin tags
- Skin tags are harmless growths that occur on the skin surface.
- Skin tags usually develop where the skin either creases or folds.
- Some of the methods for skin tags removal include excision, cryotherapy which is surgical removal and over the counter (OTC) therapies.
How Do I Know if its a Skin Tag?
What are skin tags?
Skin tags are benign skin growths that may resemble tumors, you can remove them if you feel uncomfortable or when you feel it is interfering with your physical appearance. Skin tags are made up of ducts and fibers with a thick skin bordering the growth.
Areas Where Skin Tags Occur on the Body
Many times skin tags go unnoticed and you’ll only recognize them if they develop in parts that are conspicuous or areas prone to constant friction.
- eyelids
- Groin
- armpits
- upper chest
- under the breasts
- neck
Size of Skin Tags
If you’re suffering from tiny tags, then you may be lucky enough for them to rub off or fall off easily. There are large skin tags may burst when you apply pressure, therefore be careful with these kinds. Development of skin tags is common, affecting about half the population of humans. It is a skin condition common among women, the elderly, individuals suffering from obesity and diabetes.
You don’t have to visit a doctor since skin tags are harmless. There are people who visit general practitioners to remove their skin tags, especially due to cosmetic reasons or when the tags cause irritation when rubbing against accessories and clothes. When you visit a doctor to remove your skin tags, they will use a surgical blade or cut them off through burning (cauterization) or freezing.
The skin tag surface can be irregular or even sometimes smooth. They are often raised on fleshy peduncles or stalks. Skin tags are slightly brownish or have the color of flesh. They start small, flattened like a pinhead bump. Some skin tags stay small, while others grow bigger. Their diameter can range from 2 millimeters to 1 centimeter. Some skin tags can reach 5 cm in diameter.
Who Is At Risk Of Skin Tags?
Why Skin Tags Occur?
The cause of skin tags according to medical experts isn’t clear. However, skin tags may occur when blood vessels and collagen clusters get trapped beneath thick skin such as skin folds and creases that form due to friction between skin surfaces. Collagen is a class of protein that exists within the human body. Areas prone to skin folds on your body are groin, armpits, and neck where your skin surface rubs against another part of your skin. This is the main reason why individuals with excess weight are more prone to extra skin folds as well as skin chafing. Here are some of the groups of people likely to suffer from skin tags:
- A major cause of skin tags is susceptibility as a result of genetics, you may need to confirm if close relatives suffer from skin tags.
- Skin tags can occur in both males and females.
- Individuals suffering from type 2 diabetes and people suffering from obesity are likely to develop skin tags.
- Pregnant women are equally prone to skin tags due to their hormone levels changing frequently.
- There are individuals that randomly suffer from skin tags.
- Skin tags likewise come from a case of hyperinsulinemia which is a state of excess insulin in the blood.
- Certain individuals suffering from Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) are likely to develop skin tags on their body.
- Individuals with gonadal steroids imbalance are prone to the development of skin tags particularly when there’s a shift in the balance of progesterone and estrogen hormones within their bodies.
Research shows that skin tags are more susceptible under these conditions:
- High cholesterol levels or any other form of Dyslipidemia
- High blood pressure or hypertension
- Obesity
- Studies have also shown a close relation between skin tags and elevated high-sensitive C-reactive protein (due to inflammation) plus insulin resistance.
This indicates that skin tags can be a sign of cardiovascular, atherosclerosis disease, risk of insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome.
How Are Skin Tags Diagnosed?
Skin tags are diagnosed through observation, these skin conditions have a particular characteristic. You don’t have to undergo diagnostic studies such as laboratory tests to find out whether or not you are suffering from skin tags. According to skin specialists like dermatologists, you may need your skin tag dissected for the purpose of microscopic diagnosis since there are other skin conditions more severe than skin tags but have similar signs. There are certain kinds of warts, moles e.g. nevi, and harmless skin growths like seborrheic keratosis. Rarely does a cancer growth resemble that of a skin tag.
Can You Remove A Skin Tag Yourself?
Removing Skin Tags
Before trying to remove your skin tag, consult a dermatologist. If your skin tag is becoming uncomfortable, visit any general practitioner (GP) so he or she can remove it without causing you pain. Skin tag patches are either frozen or burnt off just like the removal process for warts. Skin tags can also be removed surgically through the use of local anesthesia.
Burning or freezing skin tags may lead to temporary skin discoloration and irritation, and the tag may fail to drop off and you may need to go further treatment. The benefit of removing skin tags through surgery is you will remove it completely, the procedure may result in minor bleeding. GP suggests that people with skin tags that have narrow bases can remove them on their own through this method:
- Cutting off using small sterile scissors that is sharp.
- Tie the base of the skin tag using dental floss to limit the blood flow then make it fall aka ligation.
Should You Remove Skin Tags at Home?
Home Remedies for Skin Tags
If you’ve been wondering how to remove skin tags on your own, know you’re not on your own. A lot of individuals try to get rid of skin tags while at home, this is not the best idea. Burning or cutting a part of your skin knowingly may result in permanent scarring as well as contamination. The best approach is visiting a doctor to handle this situation.
A visit to the doctor is rare when you’re suffering from skin tags. However, if you choose to remove a skin tag you can do so by using common items in your home. A majority of home remedies need you to dry your skin tag for it to shrink then it will eventually drop off. On their own, skin tags are benign growths. According to data from the American Academy of Dermatologists, developing many skin tags could be a sign of internal system imbalance such as diabetes. That’s the reason you need to visit a GP for professional consultation if your skin tags become more pronounced.
Treatment Options For Skin Tags
Surgical Procedures for Skin Tags
Skin tags may drop off by themselves due to constant pulling and irritation. The sure way of eliminating skin tags, however, is visiting a dermatologist and have your tags removed through a minor surgical process.
Reasons For Removing Skin tags Permanently Through Surgery
The location of your skin tag will likely influence the mode of treatment you will choose. The common reasons people opt for skin tag treatment options is their physical appearance, for instance, does skin tag on one eyelid distract you constantly? The second reason people like to remove skin tags is when they form on regions of your body that experience a significant amount of friction from accessories and clothes, resulting in bleeding and irritation.
Cryosurgery Operations For Skin Tags
Cryosurgery is one of the treatment options for skin tags, it involves burning off of the tags, destruction of skin tissue using heat known as electrocautery and freezing the skin. If your skin tags are hanging, cut them off using medical scissors. The surgical processes above are simple, causing less pain, minimal scarring and minimal recovery time. There are rare instances however where skin tags grow again and new growths forming. Even though skin tags are benign growths, they can be distracting and discomforting. Just like with any unusual growth on your skin, you should go visit a doctor or dermatologist for professional recommendations.
What can a Doctor do for Skin Tags?
Skin Tags Doctor Removal
Skin tags won’t fade on their own. If you want to remove your skin tags, you will need to visit a general practitioner (GP) for effective treatment. The process of removing skin tags is simple and easy; doctors will cut off skin tags using either a sharp blade or small surgical scissors and additionally opt for an electric cauterizing to stop the wound from bleeding. You should know that skin tags rarely result in medical conditions and aren’t cancerous growths.Usually, doctors can easily diagnose skin tags by observing growths. In case of any uncertainty, the doctor will cut a part of the tag and send it to a pathologist for a laboratory test aka biopsy.
How Do You Prevent Skin Tags?
To prevent skin tags, reduce skin friction, for example, avoid wearing necklaces that constantly rub on your skin surface to help keep new skin tags from developing. Even though once you’ve removed skin tags they rarely grow back, new ones can develop around the same region where the previous ones existed. Adopt a healthy lifestyle and diet, such as keep maintaining the consumption of sugar to a minimum which assists in the development of type 2 diabetes that has skin tag symptoms.
