Top 5 Facts About Skin Tags

Skin tags are very common skin lesions and are basically a small part of the skin that hangs from the surrounding area. They are benign lesions, so are non cancerous and rarely cause any damage, problems or discomfort. However, the most common places for skin tags are around the neck, eyelids, armpits and upper chest. Because of this you may find that your clothes rub against them regularly, and in some cases this may cause some pain and an inflammation of the area. This is still nothing to worry about but you may want to consider having skin tags removed if this is the case. They are more common in women than men and middle aged people than young people but anyone can get them.

1. A skin tag is purely skin. There is an overlap of outer skin that encases an inner layer of skin. For this reason they are rarely harmful and any paid or discomfort from skin tags is usually because they have been rubbed or irritated regularly.

2. It is most common to find skin tags around the neck, upper chest, shoulders, armpits, eyelids and the groin. Wearing a collar or walking can skin tags that are in the wrong place and this is why most people consider removal. The removal is a very simple procedure that in some cases can be completed by your physician.

3. A skin tag can be removed by using liquid nitrogen to freeze it off or through a simple surgical procedure. This procedure will only usually involve a local anesthetic to numb the area around the skin tags although depending on the place and the size of skin tags a general anesthetic may be the preferred option.

4. Skin tags are benign, meaning they are non cancerous. It is very unusual for a biopsy to be performed on skin tags but this may be an option that your physician wants to look at. A biopsy means that a small part (or the whole area) of the skin tags are sent away to the laboratory to be tested.

5. While the operation is painless and very straightforward there is no need to have skin tags removed unless they are getting rubbed or irritated on a regular basis. You should seriously consider whether it is absolutely necessary before requesting a removal.

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Photos of Skin Tags on Neck

A skin tag is a harmless tumor that looks like a piece of hanging skin. It is usually narrow where it connects to the skin and then grows to a larger ball or oval. The medical name for a skin tag is "acrochordons".

Skin tags range in size from absolutely miniscule to roughly the size of an eraser. Their color is usually the same as the skin but occasionally they may vary a bit. Although they are small tumors they are not malignant and usually are not indicative any other type of problems.

These annoying extensions of the skin can be unsightly. They are usually very soft and often painful if twisted or irritated. Middle aged people are more susceptible to skin tags and they are much more common in women than in men. However these growths are very common in so much that approximately half of the population have them in some parts of their body.

They tend to form in areas where there is a lot heat, friction and moistness. These areas are usually when the skin rubs against the skin or the skin rubs against clothing.

They most commonly occur:

• On the neck

• On the eyelids

• Under the armpits

• Under the breasts

However they can occur in a variety of other places.

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