subject: What Causes Skin Tags And Can You Get Rid Of Them? [print this page] Skin tags are small pieces of especially profuse skin attached to the outer layer of your skin. These skin growths are formed from deposits of collagen and blood vessels which happened to be trapped in a thicker piece of skin. Plainly stated, skin tags are an overgrowth that occurs in the outermost layer of your flesh. These skin growths typically protrude from your body as if they are hanging off of it, and because of this, the common name for these bothersome developments is skin tags. To the medical community, these are termed acrochordon, filoform or cutaneous papillom.
These unsightly skin growths can appear on any part of the body. The most common locations for skin tags happen to be creased areas (like the armpits, eyelids and neck), or places prone to frequent rubbing from clothing, like your groin and chest. While normally between 1.5 and 5 millimeters in size, it is possible to have a larger tag. They can be the same color as your flesh or have a somewhat darker coloring. Whether hanging by a peduncle (a thin piece of skin which attaches the tag to your flesh) or simply protruding from your body, the shape of these skin growths also varies.
Many people who suffer from these unsightly skin growths wonder what causes skin tags. Although there are a few known possible causes for them, medical professionals don't even know for certain what causes skin tags. Because of this, no specific advice has been made on how to avoid them.
It is believed that people who have weight issues are more at risk of developing these growths. Insulin fluctuations also seem to influence their occurrence, so a large number of pregnant women complain that they suffer from this annoying skin condition. Aging also seems to play a factor in the prevalence of these skin growths as most of those who have them are in their middle age.
Those who suffer from skin tags find them worrisome and ugly to look at. While cosmetically unpleasant, it is good to know that these developments are superficial and pose no medical risk to you. They are not cancerous, and can be removed if you wish. You can cut off these pesky appearances by yourself with the use of scissors or clippers. It is safer, however, for you to find a topical or internal treatment for your skin growths or visit to your doctor or dermatologist to have them excised.
