Skin Tags
Do you have small, flesh-colored growths on thin stalks on your neck, armpits or groin? You may have skin tags (acrochordon).
Do your skin tags make you uncomfortable or self-conscious?
Do your skin tags become irritated by rubbing against clothing or jewelry?
Don’t worry; skin tags are harmless lesions.
Many people find them unsightly and prefer to have them removed.
Skin tags are a common issue.
An example was a kindergarten school teacher that had a skin tag located on the side of her neck. She reported she was very self-conscious of this growth because frequently her students would make comments and ask what it was.
This caused a great deal of embarrassment for her.
During her visit, treatment methods were discussed.
Skin tags may be removed by snipping with scissors, freezing with liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy) or destroying it through the application of a small amount of electrical current (electrocauterization).
The mutual decision was made to have the provider use scissors to remove the skin tag.
Once the procedure was complete the patient was relieved and surprised how easy and quick the procedure was. Also, this stopped her students from commenting on the growth.
Skin tags are not harmful and usually do not require treatment, but sometimes can resemble other conditions like seborrheic keratoses (a noncancerous tumor), warts or molluscum contagiosum (a skin virus).
The providers at Advanced Dermatology advise that you seek evaluation if you are not sure what the lesion is, if the skin tag changes color or appearance, or if it becomes irritated or painful.
It is important to note that you should not try to cut or otherwise remove the skin tag yourself. It can bleed a lot and is susceptible to infection. Instead, seek the help from one of our providers at Advanced Dermatology.
