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Skin Tags - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Definition:
They are small benign tumors that occurs in areas where the skin forms creases, such as the neck, armpits, and groin. They also occur on the face, usually on the eyelids. Skin tags are made up of loosely arranged collagen fibres and blood vessels surrounded by a thickened or thinned-out epidermis. They are harmless and do not become cancerous or malignant. They can become irritated if they are in an area where clothing or jewelry rubs against them, and they may be unsightly.
They protrude from the surface of the skin on a fleshy stalk called a "peduncle." They are consider as a projection of skin from the surrounding skin and may appear attached to the skin. Skin tags can vary quite a bit in appearance. They may be smooth or irregular, flesh colored or more deeply pigmented.Skin tags develop in both men and women as they grow older.
Skin tags are very common soft harmless lesions that appear to hang off the skin. They are also described as:
- Acrochordons
- Papillomas
- Soft fibromas
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Pedunculated
- Filiform
Causes of skin tags:
The main causes of skin tags are :-
- Acne: In a chronic condition, acne may cause skin tags.
- Hormones imbalances: Hormones abnormalities may also cause skin tags.
- Obesity: They tend to be more numerous in obese persons and in those with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
- Actinic keratosis: Actinic keratosis, may also lead to the condition of skin tags.
- Allergic reaction:Allergic reaction to a medicine amy also causes a skin change, or develop a skin tags.
- Autoimmune diseases : The autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and scleroderma may cause skin tags.
- Bacterial skin infections, such as impetigo and cellulitis may also a factor for the development of this disease.
- High levels of growth factors, particularly during pregnancy or in acrogmegaly, may also produce skin tags.
- Insulin resistance: Skin tags are also seen with increased frequency in patients with insulin resistance.
- Viral infections: The viral infections, such as chickenpox and shingles may lead to the condition of skin tags.
- Liver problems,such as hepatitis may also cause skin tags to develop in the body.
- Overexposure to the sun, such as a severe, blistering sunburn during childhood, may also lead to the condition of skin tags.
- Repeated exposure to X-rays, chemicals, and radioactive substances, are also the main factors of skin tags.
Symptoms of skin tags:
- A skin tag at first may appear as a tiny soft bump on the skin. Over time, it grows into a flesh-colored piece of skin attached to the skin surface by a stalk.
- The areas where these growths are present are neck, armpits, trunk, body folds or other areas.
- Usually skin is colored, o but may be darker sometimes.
- A skin tag is painless, although it can become irritated if it is rubbed a lot.
- New skin tags may form even if all existing tags are removed.
Treatment of skin tags:
Some important treatment of skin tags includes:
- Skin tags do not need treatment.
- The growth of skin tags may be removed by surgically.
- When a skin tag is irritated or cosmetically unwanted, treatment may be done by freezing the tag with liquid nitrogen, tying off the tag with a thread or suture so as to cut off the blood supply, or cutting off (excising) the tag with a scalpel or scissors.
- Some people have their skin tags disappear if they take chromium picolinate 200 mcg twice a day.
- Chromium polynicotinate can also be taken and is sold under the name Natrol ChromeMate .
Herbal remedies for skin tags:
- Vitamin E: Diets rich in olive oil and using safflower oil as a substitute for vegetable oil will provide much-needed vitamin E.
The following herbs have traditionally been used to treat skin tags:-
- ALOE GEL: The gel has antiviral & antibacterial properties.
- ASTRAGALUS: Use of the tincture or capsules boosts the immune system.
- BLACK WALNUT: The tincture is also used to treat skin tags.
- COMFREY :Creams and infusions can be used for the treatment of skin tags.
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