Should You Be Worried About Skin Tags? A Dermatologist Explains

As dermatologists, we get many patients asking questions about skin tags. They’re incredibly common, with up to 60% of people getting one or more during their life. 

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As dermatologists, we get many patients asking questions about skin tags. They’re incredibly common, with up to 60% of people getting one or more during their life.  The medical name for them is acrochordon and they look like a small, flesh-colored growth that hangs from a stalk. Sometimes they’re a slightly darker shade than the surrounding skin.

While they might be an annoyance and unsightly, skin tags are generally nothing to worry about from a health perspective. However, there are some instances where they might need further investigation (we’ll get to that in a while).

Skin Tag Causes

While skin tags can be attributed to various reasons, such as rubbing clothes or where folds of skin rub together, many appear for no obvious reason. However, there are some medically known triggers, such as:

  • Insulin resistance (diabetics)
  • Any other kind of metabolic syndrome, such as high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol.
  • Hormonal changes, such as those experienced during pregnancy and the menopause.
  • Genetics. You’re more likely to get them if a blood relative also has them.

One thing you might see attributed to skin tag growth is being overweight. This is not strictly true, as the mere fact of carrying excess pounds is not a cause. Rather, it’s the friction that occurs when rolls of skin constantly touch and move, therefore creating the habitat where they tend to form.

When are Skin Tags Dangerous (potentially) and What to Do About Them

There are some—albeit rare—scenarios when we need to consider if skin tags are dangerous. Red flags that might cause us to investigate further would include one that’s:

  • Getting substantially bigger.
  • Becomes painful.
  • Bleeds.
  • Develops into multiple tags.

In such cases, we’d look to remove the lesion and send it off for a biopsy. This is a test that will determine if there are any cancerous cells present.

However—and this is important—the vast majority of skin tags themselves are not cancer, pre-cancer, or generally anything to worry about. Very rarely, a cancerous growth can mimic the appearance of a skin tag during the early stages. But this will highly likely progress in one of the ways mentioned above, meaning that you’d notice the change and seek a professional opinion.

OK, so let’s get onto how we treat skin tags—if, indeed, they require treatment.

Removing Unsightly Skin Tags

Skin tags are an extension of the surface of the skin. As such, they contain blood vessels, so can bleed and potentially provide an opening for bacteria if not professionally removed.

A dermatologist knows how to remove skin tags safely, reducing or removing the risk of both scarring and infection. Once gone, they don’t usually return. 

We’ve got four removal methods to choose from:

  1. Freezing them off—a process called cryotherapy.
  2. Using heat—cauterizing.
  3. Cutting them with a blade—surgical excision.
  4. Tying them to cut off the blood supply—ligation.

The method used will depend on where it is on the body, the size of the tag, and/or the size of the stalk. All the processes are relatively painless, although you may experience a little discomfort for a few seconds. Cryotherapy is the only removal method that may, depending on the size of the skin tag, sometimes require an additional session. 

Because skin tags are so common and, very often, look simple to remove, people sometimes think they can just snip them off at home. There are multiple reasons why you shouldn’t do this.

  • You might mistake a potentially cancerous lesion for a skin tag.
  • They are likely to bleed, sometimes uncontrollably. 
  • Inexpert removal is more likely to lead to a significant scar.
  • A dermatologist uses sterile instruments and aseptic techniques to reduce the chance of any infection.

And, very importantly, if you decide to try and cut a skin tag off at home, it’s going to hurt! We’ll make sure that appropriate numbing techniques are used and that you have the right post-procedure care to prevent any unwanted side effects.

At Bayou City Dermatology, we use the most advanced methods of removal. We’ll expertly assess the tag to ensure that it is one and, once diagnosed, offer the most appropriate treatment.

Discover more and book a consultation at https://www.bayoucitydermatology.com/services