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