Skin tags can be a problem for anyone, but some people are more prone than others to get them. Those who are obese or overweight, use illegal steroids, are diabetic or have the human papilloma virus are highly prone to skin tags. Skin tags also frequently pop up as you age and during pregnancy. The only danger they pose is aesthetic, and they are generally easy for a doctor to remove.
About Skin Tags
Skin tags are small growths that pop up on the surface of the skin, Medline Plus and Women Fitness explain. Also known as acrochordons or fibroepithelial polyps, they resemble a small tag sticking out of your skin. Some tags are a uniform height while others have a wider top and thinner stalk. They are usually the same color as your skin, although they are occasionally a bit darker. Other names for skin tags include cutaneous tag or cutaneous papiloma; papilloma colli; fibroma pendulum, fibroma molluscum or soft fibroma; and Templeton skin tag, Medical News Today adds.
Size
Most skin tags are fewer than 0.5 inches in size, Medical News Today and Medline Plus say, although some infrequently grow to nearly 2 inches. Once a skin tag has reached its full size, it does not continue to get bigger unless it's constantly irritated by rubbing. Although skin tags won't grow larger with time, they won't get smaller or go away on their own, either.
Location
Skin tags have preferred zones where they are prone to grow, Medical News Today states. These include areas where skin rubs together, like on the eyelids, under the breasts and in the armpits. They are also common in the neck, upper chest and groin areas.
Development
Since skin tags start out about the size of a pinhead and generally stay quite small, you might not even notice them until they've reached their full size or have been around for years, Medical News Today and Medline Plus note. The first sign of a skin tag is a tiny bump that then sprouts into the taglike growth. The outer covering of the skin tag is skin and the inner core contains fat cells, nerve cells and other fibers and ducts.
Cause
No one is exactly sure what causes skin tags, but a few theories exist, Medical News Today and Medline Plus state. One theory is thick bits of skin trap blood vessels and collagen, creating the raised protrusion. Another says friction, or skin rubbing against other skin or something else like clothing or jewelry, is behind skin tags. Genetics possibly also play a part.
