The question is: “As I have gotten older, I have noticed
more and more skin tags sprouting in odd places on my body. What are they,
exactly? And is there anything I can (and should) do to get rid of them?”
اضافة اعلان
They can pop up in unusual places: on your neck, under your
arms, maybe even around your groin.
And for many people, they can be extremely irritating —
especially if they get caught on jewelry or clothing, or if they occasionally
bleed.
Research suggests that more than half of adults will develop
at least one skin tag during their lifetime.
The good news, said Dr Angela Lamb, a dermatologist at Mount
Sinai in New York City, is that they are harmless. “They’re completely benign,”
she said. “They have zero malignant potential.”
But because skin tags can be associated with other
conditions, it is important to understand how to identify them and when to
speak with a health care provider.
What are skin tags, and why do they develop?Skin tags are soft growths that protrude from the surface of
your skin. They can vary in appearance but are usually about the size of a
small pebble or a grain of rice, and can be flesh-colored or darker.
Because skin tags can sometimes resemble the lesions
associated with skin cancers, it is often wise to see a doctor if you are not
sure what kind of growth you have. “Anything that’s concerning you, any new
growth that’s extending from the skin, it is a good idea just to get it checked
out,” Lamb said.
As for what causes skin tags, nobody really knows, Lamb
said. They are more likely to pop up as you age and tend to appear on parts of
the skin that rub against each other.
They are more common in those who are pregnant, so hormones
could play a role, Lamb added. They also tend to be genetic, so “if your
parents had skin tags, you’ll probably have skin tags,” she said.
Some research suggests that the presence of skin tags is
associated with insulin resistance, a precursor to Type 2 diabetes.
“If you’re getting a lot of them,” said Dr Whitney Bowe, a
dermatologist based in Westchester County, New York, “you might want to bring
it to the attention of your doctor,” who may recommend blood work.
How to get rid of skin tagsBecause they do not pose any harm, there is no need to
remove skin tags, Lamb said. However, some people like to remove them because
they find them unattractive or annoying.
The safest way to remove a skin tag is with the help of a
dermatologist, Bowe said, although she noted that skin-tag removal typically is
not covered by health insurance.
One method involves numbing the surrounding area with a shot
of lidocaine, then cutting the tag off with sharp, curved scissors. The wound
is then treated with a chemical substance that stops any bleeding and helps to
prevent infection.
Another common in-office removal approach is
electrodessication, Bowe said, which involves numbing the area with lidocaine
and then using a special instrument to direct an electrical current to the skin
tag, killing the tissue, she said.
In a third approach, known as cryotherapy, a physician dips
a tweezerlike instrument into liquid nitrogen and pinches the base of the skin
tag, which essentially destroys it and causes it to fall off within a few days,
Bowe said. The freezing itself doesn’t hurt, she said, but you might experience
some pain as the tissue thaws afterward.
After a skin tag is removed by a doctor, it is best to cover
the wound with a thin layer of an ointment such as petroleum jelly and an
adhesive bandage. The skin will usually heal within a week, Lamb said.
There are a handful of popular home remedies for removing
skin tags, but dermatologists do not recommend them. One involves cutting off a
skin tag’s blood supply by tying a piece of string or dental floss around the
base, causing it to die and fall off.
“The problem with doing that is that there’s a high risk of
infection,” Bowe said, because germs often infiltrate the wound after the skin
tag falls off.
Another popular yet ill-advised home approach involves
dabbing an acid, such as apple cider vinegar or salicylic acid, on a skin tag.
“You’re literally burning the skin tag off the skin,” Bowe said. But “you also
tend to burn the surrounding skin,” she said, causing damage that can lead to a
darkening of the skin, which can persist for months.
Lamb added that people can also experience strong reactions
to the acid, including allergic reactions, which could cause scarring or an
infection.
Although many people prefer to have their skin tags removed,
managing them can sometimes feel like a game of whack-a-mole, Bowe said.
“If you’re prone to skin tags,” she said, “they will
probably grow back, or you’ll get new ones.”
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