Alternate Names : Skin tags, Acrochordons, Fibroepithelial polyps
Definition
Cutaneous skin tags are small, usually harmless (benign) skin growths.
Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Cutaneous tags are very common skin growths. They usually occur after midlife and are usually harmless and non-cancerous (benign). The tag sticks out of the skin, and may have a short, narrow stalk connecting it to the surface of the skin.
Cutaneous tags are usually painless and do not grow or change. However, they may be irritated from rubbing by clothing or other materials. Cutaneous skin tags are more common in people who are overweight or who have diabetes. They are thought to occur from skin rubbing against skin, so they commonly form in skin folds.
Pictures & Images
Skin tag
Skin tags are small growths of tissue on the skin’s surface. They are usually benign and painless and do not grow or change. They can be found most anywhere on the body but are usually located on the neck, armpits, trunk, and body folds. The growths may be surgically removed by freezing (cryotherapy), or electrically burned off (cautery).
-
Cutaneous skin tags : Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
-
Cutaneous skin tags : Symptoms & Signs, Diagnosis & Tests
-
Cutaneous skin tags : Treatment
Review Date : 12/11/2009
Reviewed By : Michael Lehrer, MD, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network; Linda Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
