Skin Tags
Skin Tags in Hagerstown
While skin tags may be cosmetically undesirable, they are a completely harmless skin condition.
Most patients choose to leave these pieces of hanging skin untreated, but there are several options for removal if they become bothersome.
What Are Skin Tags?
Skin tags are flesh-colored growths that are attached to the skin by a stalk. They are benign, usually painless, and are not associated with any skin conditions are other symptoms.
Research has shown that up to 25 percent of adults have experienced a skin tag and their likelihood increases with age. They are most common in middle-age and older patients.
What Causes Skin Tags?
The rubbing of skin on skin or clothing against skin is the most common cause of skin tags. For this reason, skin tags typically occur on the underarms, neck, chest, groin, and eyelids.
Genetics and hormonal changes that occur during pregnancy have been linked to the development of skin tags. Being overweight or obese may also increase an individual’s chances of encountering skin tags, as they are caused by skin on skin friction.
Additionally, patients with Crohn’s Disease may develop anal skin tags, and those that are prone to diabetes may also be at a higher risk.
Identifying a Skin Tag
Skin tags usually present as a bump or flap of skin and can range from 1mm to the size of a grape. They may become darker in color and appear red or black if their blood supply has been compromised.
Skin Tag Diagnosis and Treatment
Most providers will diagnose a skin tag from a visual examination of the patient. While they pose absolutely no medical threat, patients may elect to seek treatment for aesthetic reasons.
Skin tags can safely and easily be excised with a blade, frozen with liquid nitrogen, or burned with electrocautery. While these treatments are curative, they do not prevent the formation of future skin tags.
To learn more about skin tag treatment options in Hagerstown or the surrounding Frederick area, contact us today to schedule a consultation.