Skin Tags: Meaning, Diagnosis and Overview

What is Skin Tags?

Skin tags are small flesh-coloured or brown growths that hang off the skin and look a bit like warts. They are very common and harmless.
They are usually a few millimetres in size, although can be as big as 5cm, usually found on the neck, in the armpits, around the groin, or under the breasts. They can also grow on the eyelids or under the folds of the buttocks. They are thought to occur from skin rubbing against skin.
The medical name for skin tags is acrochordons.

Recovery Time

Skin tags are permanent growths unless you have them removed. Many people develop multiple skin tags. The growth usually does not grow back after it is removed.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is done by looking at the skin and sometimes, a skin biopsy may be done.

FAQs prepared by doctor

1. What are skin tags
Skin tags are small flesh-coloured or brown growths that hang off the skin and look a bit like warts. The medical name for skin tags is acrochordons.

2. What are the most common sites of these lesions?
They are usuallyÿfound on the neck, in the armpits, around the groin, or under the breasts. They can also grow on the eyelids or under the folds of the buttocks.

3. Are they painful?
No, they are harmless and not painful and does not grow or change.

4. How do these lesions appear?
Skin tags are very common and usually occur after midlife. They are caused by bunches of collagen and blood vessels which are trapped inside thicker bits of skin.

• Tie a thin string, a dental floss or a fishing line at the base of the skin tag and block the blood supply. This will cause the tissues to die and the skin tag will fall off eventually.
• Dabbing a cotton ball soaked in apple cider vinegar on the skin tag will turn it black and it will eventually fall off. You should avoid using this method on anal skin tags and near the eyes.
• Using fingernail polish over the skin tags repeatedly about two-three times a day is said to shrink the skin tags. As a fingernail polish dries off the skin tag will dry off and start to shrink within a week or two.
• Cover the skin tag completely with a small amount of duct tape, keeping it over the skin tag until it the tape loosens.

6. When shall one consult a doctor?
Consult a doctor if the skin tag changes color or becomes painful. Consult doctor immediately if a skin tag is twisted on its stalk, a blood clot develops within it or the skin tag becomes very painful.