What are skin tags?
Skin tags are small flesh-colored growths with smooth or irregular surfaces, hanging off the skin. These are usually 2 mm to 1 cm in size, some can be as big as 5 cm. Their number can range from 1 to as many as 100 in a single patient.
What causes the formation of skin tags?
Skin tags are commonly reported in obese people, more often associated with insulin resistance or diabetes mellitus. Women are affected more often than men. They are usually found in the axillae, neck, or eyelids. Skin tags occur more commonly in skin creases or folds in obese individuals, it is believed that they are caused by continuous skin friction against skin.
How are skin tags treated?
Skin tags can be removed by clipping with scissors, electrocautery, or cryosurgery. Skin tag removal is simple office procedure done under local anaesthetics. Usually there are no major complications and patient may return to work the same day. The patient is advised for weight reduction, but there is no evidence that weight loss may arrest the development of further skin tags. Also, there is no evidence that removing tags causes more tags to grow. Rather, some individuals have tendency of developing skin tags and may have new growths periodically. These patients may require periodic removal of tags at annual or quarterly intervals.
When should I be really worried?
Skin tags are invariably harmless tumors of the skin that cause no symptoms and do not become cancerous if left untreated. Most patients want it removed because of its cosmetic unacceptably or if it bleeds or becomes painful when it is repeatedly rubbed or scratched, by jewellery or while clothing or shaving. But sometimes, some other growths in the skin may also give a resemblance to skin tags. Always be wary of growths with irregular surface that bleed, grow, or display change in colour. These can require a biopsy to exclude other causes, including skin cancer.
Dr Monika Misra
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Good article.
Is the facility of removing skin tags available at your clinic?
Yes. We routinely treat patient having skin tags. We use the radiofrquency technique. It is almost painless & very quick.