Check-up skin tag

I’ve developed some small growths on my neck and under my arms. They don’t hurt, but I think they look unsightly. My mother has them as well, and she says they’re called skin tags.

A skin tag is a small, benign growth of skin. They are commonly attached to the underlying skin by a thin stalk, or in the case of very small skin tags, they may look like raised bumps on the skin. Typically flesh-coloured, they may appear brown in light-skinned individuals, and can vary in size, shape and texture. Acrochordon – the medical term for skin tags – typically occur at sites where clothing or jewellery rubs against the skin or where there is skin-to-skin friction. As a result they are more likely to develop under the arms, on the neck, upper chest or groin area. They may also develop on the eyelids. Although children can occasionally have skin tags, they are more common in middle aged and older adults. There is a genetic predisposition to developing these benign growths, with about 25 per cent of the adult population experiencing these tags at some stage in later life.

As skin tags can develop as a result of skin-to-skin friction, they are commonly seen in those who are overweight. In people with Crohn’s disease, skin tags may develop around the anal opening. These are known as perianal skin tags. During pregnancy, hormonal changes can stimulate the growth of skin tags, particularly during the second trimester.

Are they serious and should I have them removed?

Skin tags are not usually painful, are not dangerous, nor are they a symptom of any serious illness. If a skin tag gets twisted at the stalk, the blood supply can be interrupted and it may turn red or black. Skin tags may bleed if they get caught on clothing or are nicked by a razor while shaving.

Treatment of skin tags is only necessary if they cause irritation or are a cosmetic problem. They can be removed surgically or frozen off using cryotherapy. While skin tag removal is curative, if you are prone to developing them, then you are likely to develop more skin tags over time.

Repeat removal of skin tags may be necessary where further tags develop. Unfortunately, it is not possible to prevent the development of skin tags.