Cutaneous skin tags are small growths that appear most often in middle-aged people. Skin tags are flesh-colored and hang from your skin from an attachment called a stalk. The growths are sometimes also called soft fibromas or papillomas and are not cancerous. You can't always prevent a skin tag; some of them develop with no known cause. Following a healthy lifestyle might prevent you from developing health conditions that increase your risk of developing skin tags.
Step 1
Maintain a healthy body weight to prevent skin tags. The National Institutes of Health explains that being overweight increases your risk of developing a soft fibroma, in part due to friction that occurs when your skin folds rub together. The more weight you carry, the larger skin folds you tend to have. Consult your doctor to develop a healthy weight loss plan.
Step 2
Choose a wardrobe that fits correctly. Wearing clothing that is either too large or too small may rub against your skin and produce friction, which can lead to chafing and possibly skin tags.
Step 3
Get checked for diabetes and insulin resistance when you have your yearly physical. According to the New Zealand Dermatological Society's online resource Dermnet NZ, people who do not process insulin properly, or those who have diabetes, are more likely to develop skin tags. A simple blood test can measure your glucose levels and lead to diagnosis and treatment, if needed.
Step 4
Become vaccinated against HPV, the human papilloma virus, if you are a female between the ages of 11 and 26. The CDC recommends that girls and women protect themselves against HPV and possibly cervical cancer and genital warts through a series of HPV inoculations. Medical News Today states that having HPV can also increase your risk for skin tags.
Step 5
Refrain from bulking up for weightlifting or other sports with steroids. According to Medical News Today, if you frequently use high levels of illegal steroids for bodybuilding purposes, the collagen under your skin could form clot-like growths that can lead to skin tags.
