Skin Tags

If you have bothersome or unsightly moles or other benign growths on the face and body they may be worth removing.

A skin tag, medically known as an acrochordon or fibroepithelial polyp, is a small benign tumor that forms primarily in areas where the skin forms creases, such as the neck, armpit, and groin. They may also occur on the face, usually on the eyelids. Skin tags are harmless, typically painless and usually do not grow rapidly. Skin tags are typically the size of a grain of rice, though there are some recorded skin tags that have grown up to 3 inches. The surface of a skin tag may be smooth or irregular in appearance and is often raised from the surface of the skin on a fleshy stalk called a peduncle. Microscopically, an acrochordon consists of a fibro-vascular core, sometimes also with fat cells, covered by an unremarkable epidermis. However, tags may become irritated by shaving, clothing, jewelry or eczema. Because tags are benign, treatment is unnecessary unless the tags become frequently irritated or present a cosmetic concern.

Seborrheic keratosis is a common benign skin tumor. It is usually prevalent throughout middle age and older-age and rarely during younger age. Seborrheic keratoses are not precancerous. They are usually raised above the skin and one can feel them even if they are flat. As seborrheic keratoses are benign, treatment is usually not required. Due to cosmetic reasons, most of the patients prefer some sort of treatment.

Your dermatologist can recognize the skin growth if it is a seborrheic keratosis by observation with naked eye. They may suggest a biopsy of the lesion for further investigation, which is done under a microscope. This would help to understand if the growth is skin cancer or not. Various treatment options are available for the removal of seborrheic keratoses. Treatment is decided based on the size and thickness of the lesion, skin type, family history, clinical suspicion for malignancy, and the dermatologist’s clinical observation and experience.

A skin mole is a grouping of cells that shows above the skin that is usually either darker or redder in appearance compared to the rest of the skin. It can show up anywhere on the body, from the face to the back to the legs. Some patients aren’t happy with the way that they look with skin moles and want them removed for cosmetic reasons. Removing a mole is a cosmetic procedure that only takes a few minutes, and won’t require an excessive period of healing. The mole tissue is gently excised using a surgical knife, and then the area is treated and covered so that it can heal properly.

Treatment Options for these Lesions

• Cryotherapy: Cryotherapy is the most common and readily available treatment option. Treatment with cryotherapy is effective and usually well tolerated by the patient. The dermatologist or primary care physician will first numb the skin and then use liquid nitrogen to freeze the skin growth, which results in cell death. After the treatment, the skin growth usually falls off within a few days or weeks. Cryotherapy is usually preferred when there is no suspicion of malignancy and no need to preserve a sample of the growth for additional tests or biopsy. It also has a low post-procedure care requirement for the treated area. There may be some pain at the treated area after the treatment. One possible side effect includes lighter skin at the spot from where skin growth was removed.
• Cauterization: An electric current or chemical agent is used to destroy abnormal tissue.
• Electrodessication/Curettage: The dermatologist or primary care physician will numb the skin and then use a targeted electrocurrent to burn the seborrheic keratosis. A surgical device called a curette is used to scrape away the remains of skin growth. In some instances, electrodessication and curettage are used individually. The risk of scarring is usually low with both techniques. However, following the procedure, patient would be required to take care of the wound till it heals properly.
• Shave excision: This technique is preferred when there is a need to preserve a sample of skin growth for further analysis in the laboratory. After numbing the skin, the dermatologist will cautiously shave off the growth and smooth the skin underneath with a surgical curette. The shaved growth would be further analyzed in the laboratory.
• Laser therapy: Lasers therapy is an alternative option to surgery. During the treatment with laser, the growth is burnt and the wound is sterilized and tissue is sealed at once. Although this technique is quick, the wound would be sore for a while afterward. Laser therapy is associated with good cosmetic outcomes.

All these procedures can usually be performed on an outpatient basis. Healing and recovery times vary for each procedure, but they’re relatively quick. The cost of treatment varies depending on the size and depth of the growth, as well as the number of growths to be removed.