Skin tag

What is a skin tag?

Causes of skin tags

Remedies for skin tags

References

What is a skin tag?

A skin tag (acrochordon, fibroepithelial polyp) is a small benign tumour usually found on the neck, armpit, trunk or groin. They also occur on the face, often on the eyelids. They tend to form in skin creases, or where there is rubbing on the skin. Usually they are the size of a grain of rice, though they can grow larger. The surface of a skin tag can be smooth or irregular.

They are usually skin colour, sometimes darker shades of brown or grey. The tag is often raised above the surface of the skin on a fleshy stalk called a peduncle. Skin tags are typically harmless and painless, though they can become irritated with touching, picking, rubbing by clothes or jewellery, or shaving. Skin tags are not malignant, and for most people they are a cosmetic problem rather than anything more serious.

Nearly half of all people have a skin tag.

Causes of skin tags

• Virus. Studies show the occurrence of human papillomavirus (HPV 6 and 11) in skin tags. (1)
• Those who are diabetic or pre-diabetic (suffering from metabolic syndrome or insulin resistance) have a higher incidence of skin tags.
• They are associated with seborrheic keratoses.
• Rubbing, touching, irritation.
• Skin tags are often inherited in families, so a genetic component is thought to exist. Women are more prone to skin tags than men.
• They are more common in women than men.

Remedies for skin tags

• Iodine is the first treatment to try, even better if you mix it with fresh garlic.
• Diet. Eliminate sugars and refined carbohydrates. This means all foods that have added sugar, all sweet fruits, all dried fruit, any fruit juice, bread, cake, biscuits/cookies, anything made with white flour, and all kinds of snacks, especially sweet snacks.
• Garlic.
• Apple cider vinegar.
• View remedies & comments contributed by visitors to Grow Youthful's Ailments & Remedies pages.

References

1. Gupta S, Aggarwal R, Gupta S, Arora SK. Human papillomavirus and skin tags: Is there any association? Indian J Dermatol, 2008. Venereol Leprol 74: 222-5.