Skin Tag Causes And Treatments

Lily

B.R
Staff member
A large number of people are believed to have skin tags at some point of time in their lives. Skin tags can happen to anyone, but more frequently they crop up during adulthood and tend to increase with age. Skin tags are harmless growths on the skin that grow anywhere on the body. In medical terms they are known as ‘Acrochordon’ or ‘Cutaneous papilloma’. Skin tags generally appear in distinctive areas like underarms, neck, eyelids, buttock folds, groin folds and underneath the breast. They are benign growths. They differ in their appearances, the smaller ones can be flattened and dot sized growths, while the larger ones can be the size of a grape. Skin tags are generally smooth, lopsided and slightly wrinkled and brown or flesh colored. They dangle from the skin by a tiny stalk. As skin tags are harmless, there is no genuine curative reason to remove skin tags unless they act oddly, for instance suddenly growing in size and shape or changing color. Skin tags are thought to be unappealing and are one of the usual reasons for its cosmetic elimination. Sometimes a tag might be removed because of the irritation caused to it, resulting in bleeding or death of the skin tissue. By and large, skin tags are benign growths and non cancerous in nature. If they have to be removed, a doctor or dermatologist can help you treat skin tag. Read the article to know more about the causes and treatments of skin tags.


Information On Skin Tag

Causes Of Skin Tags

  • The exact cause of skin tags has not been known yet, but medical practitioners believe that several conditions are likely to favor their growth and appearance on the skin.
  • Males and females are equally prone to developing skin tags, but it is more common in females. As you grow older the occurrence of skin tags tends to become more prominent. Skin tags are present in different sizes and colors.
  • Skin tags are growths that are attached to the skin by a stem like peduncle that gives them a distinct look of a teardrop.
  • Skin tags are harmless growths, and some individuals are more prone to skin tags than others. Some of the unknown causes of skin tags are hereditary and obesity or increased weight.
  • Average weight individuals with larger breasts are more prone to skin tags underneath their breasts. Most of the skin tags fall on their own without any pain and some of them stay on once formed.
  • Skin tags generally show up in typical locations where the skin rubs against skin or garments. Chubby babies might develop skin tags around neck area where skin rubs against the skin.
  • Younger and older children might develop skin tags around their eyelids and underarm due to friction and recurring aggravation from playing and sports activities.
  • People suffering from Diabetes mellitus type - 2 are prone to develop skin tags. Medical practitioners believe that there is a connection between insulin problems and the growths.
  • Pregnant women and people suffering from gigantism also tend to show higher development of skin tags.
  • Many medical practitioners believe that the human papilloma virus is also responsible for development of skin tag, which also causes warts.

Treatments Of Skin Tags

  • Skin tags are harmless growths on the skin, and generally do not require treatment. If the growth is inconvenient and worrisome then you can decide on for medical options.
  • Tying of the skin tag at the tapered bottom with a piece of string or dental floss also helps in removing skin tags.
  • A procedure of freezing the skin tag with liquid nitrogen also known as cryotherapy is used to remove skin tags.
  • Electrically burning the skin around the wound after cutting off the tag called as cautery is also another method of removing skin tags.
  • It can also be removed with scissors under anesthesia or without it.
  • Some people tend to have new growths of tags sporadically, and might require intermittent removal of tags once or twice in a year.
 
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