Whether visible to the people around you or not, having a skin tag (referred to as an acrochordon in medical terms) may make you feel uneasy and self-conscious. They're strange, unattractive and just make you wonder what in the world is going on with your body. Fear not, though, for a dermatologist can come to your rescue.
What Skin Tags Are
Although they may look menacing, these small protrusions are usually harmless flaps of overgrown skin that form to cover glandular matter, odd bumps, and other things your body may not know what to with. They contain fat and nerve cells, along with other components typically found in epidermal tissue, such as collagen and blood vessels. Since they are technically part of your skin, any attempt to remove them yourself would result in bleeding and, possibly, infection.
Where And Why You Might Get Them
Skin tags can emerge anywhere on your body but are most often seen in areas where there's constant friction, like under your arms, upper thighs or groin, neck, and even on your eyelids, where everyone can see them. Generally, there is no explanation for the malformations; they may be the result of an over-active immune system or simply erroneous culminations of cells. If there's any concern that a skin tag might be more nefarious than the annoying blemishes that they usually are, they can easily be biopsied.
When They Might Be Dangerous
Most skin tags are small and stay small; however, they're sometimes misdiagnosed as benign growths, when in fact they're not. If your growth bleeds, keeps growing, changes shape and or color, or causes you pain, it could be more of a medical than an aesthetic issue. See a dermatologist or your primary care physician right away if the growth you suspect is a skin tag is causing you anything more than annoyance. Any anomalous growth on your body should be identified quickly, to catch potentially harmful conditions in their earliest stages.
Eliminating Skin Tags With The Help Of A Dermatologist
Once a dermatologist has confirmed your diagnosis of skin tags, the decision to remove them can ensue. Depending on where they are and how many you have, the procedure should be relatively quick and practically painless. Through different methods, the skin doctor can effectively rid you of the off-putting growths:
- Surgical removal, via instruments and an anesthetic, either topical or local
- Burning at the stem, to minimize bleeding and cut the circulatory life of the tag(s)
- Flash-freezing with liquid nitrogen, applied with a spray or swabbing tool
You might need a follow-up visit, to ensure no regrowth has occurred and that your skin is on course for complete healing.
Skin tags shouldn't be a big deal, because you can safely get rid of them with professional help. Don't feel ashamed and don't worry too much that something big and bad is going on with your body. Simply contact a dermatologist, let them know what's going on, and then ask how quickly they can solve your problem.
For more information, visit a website like https://eastcarolinadermatology.com.
Dermatologists spend day in and day out helping patients improve the looks of their skin. Their primary goal is to get your skin healthy, but did you know that they also want you to feel confident? Skin problems like acne and psoriasis can leave patients with a lack of confidence. For some patients, this lack of confidence is so profound that they barely leave their homes. In helping to ease your skin conditions, dermatologists hope that you also get your confidence back. You can learn more about the work these doctors do on this website. Remember that by working with a dermatologist, you can improve the health of your skin and of your mind.