‘What is a skin tag?’ is a question that concerns
millions of people since nearly every second person has
one or more of these tags on his/her body. Appearing mostly
in adult life, a skin tag is an abnormal, though benign,
growth of skin cells that make a smooth or slightly wrinkled
mass on various parts of the body. Skin
tags more commonly grow on neck, in or close to the
armpits, near the eyelids, in groin folds, and on the
upper part of chest (under breasts in women). The right
answer to ‘what is a skin tag?’ also includes
the size and growth rate of the tag; skin tags start small
(less than 1.3cm) and grow very slowly. Dermatologists
usually prefer to answer the question ‘what is a
skin tag?’ by referring to various kinds of benign
skin growths. Skin tags are described as small and
soft flaps of skin that have the same (or slightly different)
color as that of the surrounding flesh.
Who Gets Skin Tags?
Closely related to the question ‘what is a skin
tag?’ is that of the people who are likely to
get it. The answer simply is ‘anyone’. At
some time in their lives, nearly every second person
(or 50% of a population) gets skin tags. While not present
at birth, i.e. acquired at some point later in life,
skin tags
commonly appear in adult life. They are particularly
common in middle aged people and tend to increase among
older people up to 60 years of age. Among children,
especially toddlers, skin tags more commonly appear
on the neck and the underarms. People who are overweight
are more likely to develop skin tags. In addition, pregnant
women usually get more of these growths, mainly due
to the elevated levels of certain hormones.
Health Risks of Skin Tags
Now when you have a basic idea of ‘what is a
skin tag?’, it is natural to wonder if these prevalent
skin growths are precursors of any serious health problem.
It’s good to tell you that they are not harmful
in any way. Skin tags are completely benign extra bits
of skin that don’t even cause the slightest irritation.
However, if they are irritated or twisted with hands
or some object, then they, like normal skin, may cause
discomfort or some pain. It also happens when they get
rubbed by clothing or snagged by jewelry items.
Removing Skin Tags
An important topic related to the question ‘what
is a skin tag?’ how
to remove skin tags. Now one may ask why remove
skin tags if they are benign? The obvious reason is
that most people having these skin
tags want to make their skin look smooth and spotless.
Skin tags are thus removed easily by different medical
techniques (freezing, burning, and cutting off) but
also by a number of home/herbal remedies.
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