🧬 What Are Skin Tags?

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🧬 What Are Skin Tags?

Skin tags (medically called acrochordons) are soft, benign (non-cancerous) skin growths. They're made up of collagen fibers, blood vessels, and a thin layer of skin.

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🔍 Common Features of Skin Tags:

Feature	Description
Appearance	Soft, flesh-colored or slightly darker; can be smooth or wrinkled
Size	1–5 mm typically, but can grow larger
Shape	Often appear as small flaps or hanging growths
Location	Neck, armpits, groin, eyelids, under breasts, and sometimes genitals
Cause/Risk Factors	Friction, obesity, aging, diabetes, pregnancy, genetics
Contagious?	❌ No, they are not contagious

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💡 Are They Harmful?

Usually not harmful or painful, but may:

• Get irritated by clothing or jewelry

• Bleed if cut or pulled

• Affect self-esteem if on visible areas

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🧪 Diagnosis

• Typically diagnosed visually by a doctor

• Rarely require biopsy unless appearance is unusual

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💉 Treatments for Skin Tags

Method	Description & Notes
Cryotherapy ❄️	Freezing the tag with liquid nitrogen; falls off in days
Cauterization 🔥	Burning off the tag using electric current
Excision ✂️	Cutting it off using sterile scissors or scalpel under local anesthetic
Ligation 🧵	Tying off with a suture to cut off blood supply
Topical Creams 💊	Not FDA-approved; over-the-counter products may help small tags
Home Remedies ⚠️	Apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil, etc. — anecdotal use only; may irritate skin

⚠️ Note: Home removal is not recommended for tags on eyelids or genitals. Always consult a dermatologist.

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🧬 When to See a Doctor:

• If the tag is painful, changes color, bleeds, or grows rapidly

• For proper diagnosis if unsure it's a skin tag

• For cosmetic removal or frequent recurrence