She adds that over-the-counter skin tag treatments aren't a good option either. "I caution against this since there's always the risk of pain, bleeding, incomplete removal and even infection." "Many of my patients ask if they can take them off at home," says Dr. Jih warns against removing skin tags at home. "Depending on the size, we either freeze or burn the skin tags off or numb the area and cut them off." Is it safe to remove a skin tag yourself?ĭr. "Skin tag removal is a quick office-based procedure," explains Dr. Also, some people are bothered by a skin tag's location or appearance.įortunately, removing them is a routine procedure for your dermatologist. Skin tags aren't dangerous, so they don't need to be removed.īut, as mentioned, some can become easily irritated and lead to bleeding. "Although rare, other types of growths that are more worrisome, such as basal cell skin cancers, can resemble skin tags in some cases."Ī dermatologist can examine the growth and confirm whether it's a skin tag or something else. "If you're unsure it's a skin tag, we always recommend getting evaluated," says Dr. Jih says that they aren't dangerous - as long as they are indeed skin tags. "People can also cut or hit a skin tag by accident, causing pain, irritation and sometimes even infection," adds Dr. They can, however, be quite bothersome, especially if they're larger or located in certain areas.įor instance, necklaces and clothing may get caught on skin tags on the neck. The good news is that skin tags are benign - aka, noncancerous. "Another distinguishing feature is that dermal moles can form anywhere on the skin, whereas skin tags predominate in the areas previously mentioned," Dr. They also tend to have a wider base and don't protrude in a stalk-like fashion. "But there are some differences that can help distinguish a dermal mole from a skin tag."įor starters, dermal moles tend to be larger and firmer. "Dermal moles are a particular type of mole that can be flesh-colored and, therefore, look like a skin tag," says Dr. In many cases, moles are much darker (tan, brown or black) than skin tags - but not always. "One of the primary causes of skin moles is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from either the sun or man-made sources, like tanning beds." "A mole is a collection of melanocytes, which are cells responsible for producing skin color, eye color and hair color," explains Dr. (Related: When Should You Worry About a Mole?) Moles can, too, and you might wonder how to distinguish between the two. Skin tags aren't the only type of growths that can arise on a person's skin. "While friction doesn't cause skin tags, it is a main contributing factor for skin tags to get bigger or irritated," adds Dr. The most common locations for skin tags to develop are the: Skin tags can occur anywhere on the body, but they do seem to predominate in skin folds or in areas of skin that frequently experience friction. Skin tags are also associated with metabolic conditions, such as: "Skin tags become more common with increasing age, and there may also be a hereditary component to them," says Dr. In these cases, they sometimes even look like moles. However, they can be darker than normal skin color. She adds that they're also typically the same color as your skin - they might even look like an extension of it. "These growths protrude from the skin, often on a stalk or pedicle." "A skin tag is a benign growth compromised of normal skin, blood vessels, fat and sometimes fibrous tissue," explains Dr. Ming Jih, a dermatologist at Houston Methodist, explains what a skin tag is, how to differentiate one from other types of growths - moles included - and whether you should worry about them. Is it a skin tag? A mole? Something else?ĭr. Anytime you notice a growth on your skin, your first thought might be: How long has that been there?
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