Skin Tags Research Paper

Improved Essays
Skin Tag CancerChris Gibson Skin Tags
Many individuals with skin tags often become concerned about cancerous skin tags. According to dermatologists, skin tags are not cancerous growths and are not capable of becoming cancerous. Skin tags are benign growths of skin protruding from the epidermis, often occurring on the eyelids, armpits, breasts, and groin. These growths often occur in individuals over sixty years of age, but can occur at any age.
Skin tags are formally known as acrochordons, and are classified as tumors; however, skin tag tumors cannot become cancerous. Dermatologists classify skin tags as benign skin growths, i.e. tumors. Unfortunately, many individuals mistakenly associate the classification of “tumor” with malignancy.
…show more content…
The overgrowth is of the epidermal skin, which eventually overlaps the dermis causing a skin tag to form. The collagen fibers of a skin tag are more loose and swollen than normally formed collagen fibers. As a result of the abnormally formed structures within skin tags, skin tags often have no hairs and will not develop moles. Skin tags tend to form in the armpits, genitals, and underneath the breasts for this …show more content…
As mentioned, skin tags are less common among young individuals; a result of healthier collagen and overall epidermal vivacity. Individuals with diabetes and women who are pregnant are also more prone to develop skin tags.
Why Remove Non-Cancerous Skin Tags
Because skin tags are benign growths, leaving skin tags untreated does not increase a any risk of these skin tags causing cancer. Removing a skin tag is something which can be done at the discretion of the victim of the skin tag. Although not life threatening, many skin tags are quite unsightly. Skin tags can range in diameter from a few millimeters to over one inch. Golf ball sized skin tags have been documented, although skin tags of this size are somewhat rare.
As skin tags can increase in size, skin tag removal often highly desired. For this reason, skin tags are often removed by individuals before they become too unsightly. Additionally, removing a small skin tag is much easier than a larger skin tag; hence it is prudent to remove skin tags earlier rather than

Related Documents

  • Decent Essays

    Dermatologist Biopsy

    • 241 Words
    • 1 Pages

    Today I shadowed a dermatologist. I was surprised at how many pts the dermatologist sees in a day. Most of the pts were elderly and in for a skin examination. The first pt came in for a bald spot that appeared to be scarring. After a thorough examination, the dermatologist also found a suspicious spot on the forehead that appeared to be a basal cell.…

    • 241 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Solar Elastosis Essay

    • 499 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Solar or actinic elastosis is a condition associated with chronic ultraviolet damage superimposed on aging skin. It presents as a yellowish thickened appearance to the skin which is bumpy and covered with furrows. The condition is due to the accumulation of disordered elastic tissue in the upper and middle layers of the dermis, which are most susceptible to sun exposure. In this way solar elastosis is a biological indicator of the degree of ultraviolet-induced skin damage the individual has sustained, being a protective or compensatory response.…

    • 499 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Opening: When you have an injury and after it is healed, some scars will appear. If they grow lumpy and larger than the wound- they called keloid scars. Anyone can get them. But they keloid usually more commonly occur in people with dark skin. Examples are people from Africa- Caribbean, Asian-…

    • 534 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    This simply indicates that the keratin in the cells helps prevent fluid loss from the body. Many have argued whether or not tattoos are hazardous to your health. A tattoo is created by puncturing the dermis layer of the skin and injecting ink. Not all cases are the same, and as a result some individual’s skin can reject the injected ink. Immune response scarring and removal pain increased risk of redness and bleeding effects of tattoos on the Integumentary system.…

    • 620 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Essay On Psoriasis

    • 527 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The national Psoriasis Foundation identifies five official types of psoriasis. Seven and a half million people in the U.S. suffer from some type of psoriasis. There are also subcategories, which may appear differently according to the place they are located on the body. The five types of psoriasis are guttate, plaque, pustular, inverse and erythrodermic.…

    • 527 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    There are 3 major skin cancers; melanoma, basal cell, and squamous cell cancer. Melanoma begins in the melanocytes and occurs mostly in people with fair skin, red or blonde hair, or blue or green eyes. Melanoma can form on any part of the body but usually occurs on the skin of the head, neck, shoulders, and hips of men and is often found on the lower legs, shoulders, and hips of women. Melanoma rarely forms in people with dark skin, but in cases where it has it is most commonly found on the…

    • 964 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Skin cancer is a major skin disorder that heavily effects the human body from the integumentary system to the immune system. There are three main types of skin cancer that is caused by the abnormal growth of cells within the skin. There is the basal cell carcinoma that starts off in the basal cells, squamous cell carcinoma that forms in the epidermis, and the malignant melanoma which happens when the melanin has become cancerous. Many people around the world have been diagnosed with one of these cancers and has suffered from how it has caused their bodies to change drastically.…

    • 972 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Skin Tag Research Paper

    • 449 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In other words, you may have to pay for this procedure yourself. Your doctor may use several different methods, and whether you use anesthetic or not is up to you. Your doctor may freeze them off, constrict the blood flow, or cauterize them or, they may clip them off after a bit of anesthetic is applied. Skin tags can grow a variety of areas and usually start appearing around middle age. Some small children will have skin tags, and some who are obese and possibly diabetic may see them more…

    • 449 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Skin Tags Benefits

    • 508 Words
    • 3 Pages

    There are several methods that we use to remove skin tags, starting with cutting it off with sterile surgical scissors. Other methods are freezing the tag with liquid nitrogen or burning it off with electric cautery. The most important thing we consider when removing a skin tag is to avoid or reduce any bleeding. Our specialist will explain each removal method to you and may recommend the best treatment for the location and size of your skin tags. Skin tags do not hurt, itch or have discharge, and there is no reason to have them removed if they are hidden and are not annoying.…

    • 508 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Basal, squamous, and melanomas cell cancer are the 3 main skin cancers. As I said before the main cause of getting skin cancer is too much exposure of the sun's ultraviolet rays. The main areas of skin cancer is the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms and hands, and on legs of women but also you get it on unexposed areas of the skin as palms, beneath your fingernails or toenails, and genital area. Symptoms of basal cell carcinoma is pearly or waxy bumps, and flat, flesh-colored or brown scar like lesions. In squamous cell carcinoma the symptoms are firm, red nodule, and a flat lesion with scaly, crusted surface.…

    • 711 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Skin cancer, the most common form of cancer in the United States, is defined as the uncontrolled growth of abnormal skin cells following unrepairable DNA damage to the skin. This DNA damage leads to cellular mutation and causes skin cells to multiply quickly, thus forming tumors and abnormal growths. There are several causes of skin cancer, including sunburn and ultraviolet light exposure throughout life with environmental and hereditary elements. Ultraviolet light, a type of electromagnetic radiation, is invisible to the human eye and comes from the sun. It is the foremost cause of skin cancer, associated with 90 percent of non-melanoma skin cancers and 86 percent of melanomas.…

    • 417 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Its thickness varies on the location in our anatomy. The integument consists of two layers known as the epidermis and the dermis, which rests on a fatty subcutaneous layer (hypodermis). The epidermis is the outer layer of the skin. The dermis is the second layer of the skin, beneath the epidermis. Skin cancer is an abnormal growth of skin cells and is most often developed on skins that are exposed to the sun.…

    • 1280 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Essay On Neoplasm

    • 465 Words
    • 2 Pages

    These neoplasms do not become cancerous and are not usually life threatening, but depending on its location, a benign growth may cause symptoms and signs if it presses on vital neighboring structures such as glands or nerves. This may mean treatment is required, which is usually surgery to remove the tumor without damaging any surrounding tissue. Other forms of therapy are medication and…

    • 465 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The risks of getting a tattoo are very high. If there is a possibility of anyone considering getting a new tattoo in the future keep in mind all things that could go wrong. There are some cases in which some don 't know they have gotten a bad tattoo, or even contracted a new infection from receiving a tattoo from an unsanitary shop, or even the possible mistake of cross contamination. Because of the lack of regulations on tattoo ink, tattooing can cause cancer, blood born diseases, and granuloma. Before the artist starts the new tattoo, they should always complete the paper work that is required to keep everyone involved safe from legalities.…

    • 1371 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Decent Essays

    After laser stretch mark removal the skin will be softer and will have the same color as the surrounding skin areas. Lasers will help eliminate uneven colors caused by scar tissue under the skin. A dermatologist or doctor can perform laser removal of stretch marks in their office. Most people require several or more treatments to remove all the striae that they have.…

    • 505 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays