5 Things You Need to Know About Skin Tags

1. Flesh-Colored Growths

Skin tags are actual flesh-colored growths of skin that hang from the body and can be as small as the head of a pin or as large as a grape. They are usually smooth or slightly wrinkled. Skin tags connect to the body via a "stalk" and can form singularly or in clusters.

2. Forms in Skin Folds

The most notable spots for developing a skin tag include under the armpits, along the neckline, in the groin region and under the breasts. However, skin tags can develop almost anywhere on the body where there is constant rubbing of the skin or clothes. No one knows their exact cause.

3. Sign of Aging

Although anyone can develop skin tags, they are mostly an acquired condition; in other words, skin tags are not usually present on babies and they are more prevalent in the elderly. Overweight people tend to have more skin tags, as a result of friction between extra folds of skin. Pregnant women may also develop skin tags, thanks to a rise in hormone levels. Doctors believe that some people are just prone to skin tags and will experience periodic re-growths, despite removing them.

4. Snip It Away

Dermatologists and general doctors routinely remove skin tags largely for cosmetic reasons or because they can be physically uncomfortable for the patient. There are several ways to remove skin tags. Doctors can cut, freeze or burn off small skin tags, sometimes without using any anesthesia at all. To remove large skin tags, the doctor first treats the area with a local anesthetic. Some people attempt to remove skin tags at home by tying a piece of dental floss around the stalk to restrict blood flow to the growth. After a while, the skin tag usually falls off. Doctors discourage this method, however, and any type of home removal, as there is an increased risk of infection. Doctors prefer cutting away the skin tag, despite the minor bleeding, because the procedure is fast and produces instant results. Freezing or burning the skin tag does not always remove the skin tag and it sometimes requires additional treatments. Healing is quick, typically within a day, and there is no scarring or permanent skin damage associated with removing the skin tag.

5. No Need to Worry

Even though skin tags are benign, non-cancerous growths, doctors may still send them to the lab for examination. Occasionally, other skin growths mimic skin tags, including moles and warts. A biopsy can determine exactly what the growth is and rule out the rare possibility of a cancerous mole or wart.