Skin tags are small, skin-coloured pieces of skin that protrude from the skin on a narrow stalk. They start to form after the age of 20–40. There are many reasons why these growths appear. A sudden drop in the body’s resistance, viral infections, sudden weight loss or weight gain, pregnancy, the menopause, stress and hormonal diseases can cause skin tags to multiply rapidly. Skin tags are also called epithelial polyps.
The Effect of Hormones on Skin Tags
Skin tag formation increases during puberty, when the body’s growth hormones start working rapidly, or in old age, when some hormones are no longer sufficient. Spending too much time in the sun also speeds up this process.
Do skin tags turn into cancer?
Skin tags are usually harmless, but if they are not going to be removed they should be monitored. If they bother the patient, they can be removed with a very short procedure. Because those in the genital area may be associated with viruses, it is advisable to remove and monitor them.
Where are skin tags most often seen?
The location of the tags is not significant. Skin tags most often appear on the neck, in the male and female genital area and in the armpits.
Is there a link between skin tags and the HPV virus?
The answer to this question is both yes and no... As is known, there are more than 120 types of HPV, and very few of them cause genital warts and may have a carcinogenic effect. Studies claim that some skin tags in the genital area may also be associated with the HPV virus. Although they can look similar to HPV type 6, it is claimed that some HPV subtypes may also be a cause. However, the HPV type that causes skin tags is not the same as the HPV types that cause warts and condylomas in the genital area and have a carcinogenic effect. For this reason it is not correct to link skin tags with the risky condyloma lesions caused by HPV.
How are skin tags treated?
Among the medical methods used to remove skin tags, the most common is local anaesthesia by injection followed by cutting the tag off with a razor-like blade, carried out in a healthcare facility under specialist supervision. Even if a tiny mark remains, it is not of a kind that causes problems.
They can also be easily treated with the following procedures:
* Radiofrequency
* Cryotherapy
* Cauterisation
When do skin tags become significant?
If skin tags are very numerous and spread over the whole body, the patient must be investigated for intestinal polyps and hormonal disorders. If skin tags are not going to be removed and examined pathologically, they should be carefully monitored, because any structural change in a skin tag may be a sign of melanoma (skin cancer), in which case further investigation may be needed.