Skin Tags: Causes and Prevention

What is a skin tag? It's actually a harmless skin growth that can happen to anyone at any time, male or female, and are more a cosmetic annoyance than anything else. Most common on the eyelid, neck, face, armpit, or under the breasts, a skin tag is simply a hanging piece of skin that can be caused by genetics, weight gain, or most commonly, friction on the skin.

More than half of the human population will report having had or currently having a skin tag at some point in their lives. Prevention is mainly in lacking friction to occur on certain areas of the body most prone to skin tags (the neck and the eyelid) and in trying to maintain a healthy weight. A skin tag that is smaller will actually often rub off on its own without the host even noticing it was there. For most skin tags, however, they can be a general annoyance, but one that is easily removed.

A doctor or dermatologist removes a skin tag by numbing the area it is in and then cutting it off. Often people attempt to remove their own skin tags, but run the risk of infection (and pain) in doing so. Skin tags are not contagious on the body and cannot be transferred to another person, and even overweight babies can get them. People most prone for skin tags are women with large breasts and overweight individuals, although anyone can (and most likely will) get a skin tag at some point in their lives. A skin tag can occur anywhere on the body and a person can have more than one skin tag at a time.

When encountering a skin tag, be careful not to rub at it, itch it, pick at it, or otherwise irritate it, as this can cause infection. If somehow the skin tag tears but does not completely come off the body, cover it with a bandage to prevent snagging and seek professional removal. Removing a skin tag on your own can lead to infection, scarring, or both.

Source:

http://www.medicinenet.com/skin_tag/article.htm