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What Are Skin Tags, What Causes Them, and How Can You Treat Them?

Skin tags are a dermatology condition that looks like a small flap of tissue that hangs off the skin by a connecting stalk. Skin tags are not dangerous. They are usually found on the neck, back, chest, armpits, under the breasts, and in the groin area. Skin tags appear most often in women, especially with weight gain, and elderly people.

Skin tags don’t normally cause pain, but they can become irritated if anything like clothing, jewelry, or skin rubs against them.

Causes

It’s unclear what exactly causes skin tags, but there are several theories. While this is true, there are some risk factors associated with skin tags. You may be at greater risk of getting skin tags if you:

• are overweight
• are pregnant
• have family members who have skin tags
• have insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes
• have HVP

Treatment options

Most moles and skin tags don’t require treatment. Some people want to remove them for cosmetic reasons or because they cause discomfort when they rub against something. There are multiple ways to get rid of skin tags, and here are three of the most popular methods.

• Cutting it off: Skin tags can be snipped off with a scalpel or surgical scissors. Some moles can be shaved off flush with the skin. Other moles have cells that go underneath the skin, so your dermatologist might have to make a deeper cut to remove the entire mole and prevent it from growing back.

• Freezing it with liquid nitrogen: Your dermatology doctor will swab or spray a small amount of cold liquid nitrogen on the mole or skin tag. You might have a small blister where the mole or skin tag was, but it will heal on its own.

• Burning it off: An electric current passes through a wire that becomes hot, and it’s then used to burn off the upper layers of the skin. You might need more than one treatment to get rid of the skin tag.

The American Society for Dermatologic Surgery released findings from a consumer survey that 70% of people, have at some time or another, thought about getting a little work done. If you want your skin tags removed or are thinking about another kind of procedure, Clearlyderm has a medical dermatology center, a surgical dermatology center, and a cosmetic dermatology center to meet all of your dermatology needs.