What Causes Skin Tags?

 What causes skin tags, those annoying and sometimes unsightly protrusions of skin? Sufferers of these hanging pieces of skin, especially prominent or irritated ones skin tags, may commonly worry that they’re an indication of something more severe.  
What Causes Skin Tags and What are They? The tags are usually narrow at the point they connect to the skin, and then grow to a larger ball or oval, but they’re mistakenly often seen as very similar to moles, which obviously can be an early sign of melanoma (especially when irregular). However, this is not the case – the vast majority of skin tags are benign (non-cancerous) and will not cause you any symptoms unless you scratch or rub them too hard or cut them when you are shaving – in which case they might burst. Which obviously might hurt – as might a twisted or irritated skin tag. That’s because skin tags are made up of nerve and fat cells, fibers, ducts and a covering or epidermis. Larger skin tags (they range in size from absolutely tiny to about 5mm) can burst due to pressure. They’re usually the same color as the skin, but they can vary slightly in tone.
How Do We Know What Causes Skin Tags? 
 There doesn’t need to be a reason why you’ve been singled out to bear skin tags, but certain factors can make it more likely that you will get them. It is believed that what causes skin tags is heat, moisture and friction between clothing and skin, or even from adjacent areas of skin – so overweight people are thought to be especially susceptible to them. It’s thought to be the reason they often occur on areas that fold, such as folds in the groin area or between the breasts, under the arms, on the neck or on the upper part of the chest. The older you are, the more likely you are to have them, though they do also sometimes occur in children. There may even be a genetic component; it’s possible that your genes could be what causes skin tags in your case. You’re also more likely to get particular types of skin tags if you have Crohn’s disease (particularly skin tags around the opening of the anus). Pregnancy can also bring about hormonal changes that encourage the growth of skin tags, especially between months four and six. They’re really very common though – about half of us will have them somewhere. What Causes Skin Tags: Skin Tag Removal Though most of us won’t be bothered by skin tags, if they’re somewhere prominent, especially on the face, they can be unsightly and distracting, so removing them might be desirable. Sufferers opting for skin tag removal can choose from extraction, suture, electro-cauterization, laser surgery, or cryosurgery. These are all surgical procedures and should only be carried out by a qualified doctor. However, there are various home remedies to remove skin tags.

Categories: Skin Tags