Skin tags, which are a medical condition often referred to as an acrochordon, are exactly as their name would describe. These are small, soft, pieces of hanging skin that protrude from the body. The good news is that, although these are essentially small tumors that have formed on the skin, they are customarily non cancerous and cause no harmful symptoms. In order to better determine your risk for developing these growths, it is important to understand what they are and how they are caused.
The tags are comprised of a core of fibers, nerve sells, collagen, and epidermis that are growing outward from the body. Many believe the growths to be the result of collagen that has become trapped inside thicker bits of skin. They most frequently occur in places where skin naturally rubs together.
The most common locations for tags are the eyelids, the underarms, the groin area, the upper chest, and the neck. While this condition is generally diagnosed at an equal frequency between men and women, those who are overweight, diabetic, elderly, or pregnant tend to be at a higher risk of developing these small growths.
In most instances, the tags are painless and, in some cases, they go completely unnoticed. Many people will have the skin tags without even realizing it, and the hanging tags will fall off eventually without causing any pain. Majority of the time, these growths fall off on their own without any medical assistance.
However, occasionally skin tags will be large, or they will be in an area that will cause irritation to the individual. In these instances, there are ways that the tags can be removed with the help of a physician. The process to remove the excess skin are typically simple, out patient procedures that involve cutting the tag or using heat or cold to remove the skin.
