Skin tags, also known as acrochordons are usually harmless skin growths, which may occur on different parts of the body including eyelids, armpits, chest, neck, the area under the breast, buttocks etc. They are made up of blood vessels and collagen surrounded by a skin layer. They are often ignored unless they are in a more prominent area of the body like the face or neck or interfere with one’s daily activities like shaving.

Skin tags/flaps tend to occur in areas where skin undergoes friction like clothing, jewellery etc. The hereditary factor involving skin tags is not definite, but some do have an increased susceptibility to skin tags. They also occur more frequently in obese people, diabetes, pregnant women possibly due to hormonal changes, middle-aged people, high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure . Contrary to popular belief, skin tags aren’t contagious.

Symptoms Of Skin Tags:

• Skin tags often go unnoticed, especially if they are small in size or the unexposed areas of the body.
• They usually do not show any symptoms, unless they are large ( >5 cms ) and bleed under pressure or are painful.
• The appearance of skin tags varies from person to person.
• They might be smooth or irregular in shape and soft to touch.
• The colour varies from skin colour to brownish to slightly red.
• They are often raised from the surface of the skin on fleshy stalks.
• They vary in size from as small as two mms to as large as a grape ( > 5 cms ).

How To Remove Skin Tags?

The smaller skin tags may fall off on their own due to friction. Some people opt to remove them due to cosmetic reasons. Depending on the issue, you can either use home remedies to get rid of them or get them removed by a dermatologist. Nowadays, many over the counter ointments and devices are also available for skin tag removal. Take a look at the various treatment options available for skin tags, including professional removal and home remedies (1).