Keratosis, Skin Spots, Warts, Benign Growths and Moles

BENIGN GROWTHS & MOLES

Everyone has skin growths. The dermatologist is the expert on determining which are harmless and which should receive attention.
This article is not a substitute for a medical exam. If you have any serious skin issues or concerns, you need to consult your physician.

Moles

Everyone has moles, from a few to several dozen. Most people think of a mole as being a dark brown spot, but moles have a much wider range of appearance. They can be raised from the skin and very noticeable, or they may contain dark hairs. Having hairs in a mole doesn’t make it more dangerous.

Moles can appear anywhere on the skin, alone or grouped. They usually are brown in color and can be various sizes and shapes.  Special cells that contain the pigment melanin cause the brown color.  Facial moles are probably are determined before a person is born. Many of those that form in childhood and early adult life are now thought to be due to sun damage. Some may not appear until later in life, but moles that appear after age 50 should be regarded with suspicion. Moles may darken, which can happen after exposure to the sun, pregnancy and sometimes during therapy with certain steroid drugs. Moles can be safely removed for cosmetic or medical reasons.

Blood Moles

These are benign growths that consists of small blood vessels. These tumors can be located anywhere on the body. Some of the different types include spider angiomas, cherry angiomas, and angiokeratomas. We do not know the cause of most types of angiomas.

Age Spots

Multiple small brown spots that may appear on wrists, backs of the hands, forearms, and face could be solar lentigos. These are also called “liver spots” or “age spots” and occur later in life. The are flat and evenly colored.

Keratosis

After a person reaches middle age, he or she may acquire other dark areas that are not moles. The brown, wart-like growths that appear on the face or trunk and look as if they have been stuck to the skin may be seborrheic keratoses. Seborrheic keratoses are non-cancerous thickenings of the outer layer of skin. They may be just one growth or clusters. They are usually brown but can vary in color from light tan all the way to black. They’re different sizes as well –anywhere from a fraction of an inch in diameter to larger than a half dollar. A main feature of seborrheic keratoses is their waxy, pasted-on, or stuck-on look. They sometimes look like a dab of warm brown candle wax that has dropped onto the skin. Others have a rough surface.

Actinic Keratoses, also called solar keratoses, are caused by sun damage. They occur on body areas that have been heavily exposed to sunlight or exposed a little bit often for a lot of years. The face, hands, forearms and the V of the neck are the most common areas for actinic keratoses. They may get sore a times. These growths are more common among pale-skinned, fair-haired, light-eyed individuals. They are flatter, redder and rougher than seborrheic keratosis. Actinic keratoses are pre-cancerous, which means they may become skin cancers. The risk has been estimated at 1% per spot, per year,

WARTS
Warts are caused by a viral infection of the cells found in the top layer of the skin. The name of this virus is the human papillomavirus HPV). Warts are skin-colored and feel rough to the touch. Hand warts are usually found around the nails, on the fingers and on the back of the hand. They are more common where skin has been broken and in the areas where fingernails are bitten or hangnails picked. Foot warts are usually on the soles of the feet. These warts are called plantar warts (this has nothing to do with farming-the bottom of the foot is called the plantar side by doctors). Flat warts are much smaller and are less rough than hand or foot warts. They tend to grow in great numbers — 20 to 100 at any one time. They can occur anywhere, but in children they are most common on the face. In adults they are most often found in the beard area in men and on the legs in women. Skin irritation from shaving probably accounts for this.

Watch out for…

Melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer. Melanomas are often, but not always, very dark brown to bluish-black growths. Melanomas may be confused with seborrheic keratoses or moles because both can become very dark. It is wise to have any growth that turns dark or becomes irritated checked by a dermatologist. Early detection of skin cancer is the best way to assure successful treatment.

Information by : Dermatologist, Robert M Rosen, D. O.

Are Over-The-Counter Wart Treatments Safe?

You can’t damage yourself with these treatments. If you get salicylic acid on normal skin, it can cause burning or redness but never infection or scarring. All you have to do is stop using it on irritated areas, and the skin returns to normal. Still, it’s probably better not to use salicylic acid on sensitive areas like the face or groin, where it’s likely to make nearby skin raw and uncomfortable.

It generally is recommended that salicylic acid not be used in people with diabetes or in areas where there is poor circulation (because of concern about how normally the skin can heal; however, in practice, salicylic acid is withheld only when there are clear signs of ongoing inflammation of the skin).

Likewise, nonprescription freezing products are also safe but must be used carefully and only according to package instructions.

Are wart treatments effective?

Above all, wart treatments require patience. How well wart treatments work is another matter. Warts can appear and disappear without an identifiable cause and may disappear on their own without treatment. Some warts sprout offshoots near the main wart, and others don’t. Some hurt, and others are painless. Certain warts, even of the same type, respond to treatment, while others (even on the same person at the same time) don’t. All treatment methods often require many sessions over weeks, months, or longer to succeed.

Here is a practical approach to the treatment of warts:

• • Plantar warts: Warts on the bottom of the foot feel deep, but they are still within the superficial layer of the skin. Salicylic-acid drops and plasters help remove the thick overlying callus and make the wart feel less like a marble in your shoe. Nonprescription aerosol freezing may be used as well.
  • Common hand warts: These are typically unattractive, although not painful. Salicylic acid can make them smaller and go away in some cases, as can nonprescription freezing.

1. If you can ignore your warts, do so. Eventually, they’ll go away (although eventually can mean a long time — even months or years).

2. If you have an easy case (a single wart on the face or one or a few on the hands), see a doctor for a quick freeze or electrical zap. This method is simple, almost painless, and non-scarring.

3. If you have a hard case, you can start by treating the warts for a few weeks on your own. Examples:

If you have an all-but-impossible case, don’t try too hard. You don’t want to make the treatment worse than the disease. Examples:

• Warts under the nails: These are extremely resistant to treatment. One or two tries by the doctor are worth a shot, but if they fail, putting acid on them yourself just makes them look rough and unattractive.
• “Mosaic” warts: Tiny, so-called “seed warts” can proliferate by the dozens or hundreds all over the sole of the foot. They don’t usually hurt, and they rarely respond to any sort of treatment, although in this case, too, one or two tries at treatment may be in order.
• Flat warts: These are small, flat, flesh-colored pimples and may be numerous on one part of the body (for example on the face, arms, or groin). Getting rid of them by a light application of salicylic acid or other method is easy enough, but they have a tendency to recur.

Wart Treatment by Type of Drug and Procedure

The new advance in treatment of genital warts has been imiquimod (Aldara). This encourages the patient’s autoimmune system to attack the wart. This is particularly helpful in the moist areas of the skin or mucosal surfaces.

Salicylic acid
Salicylic acid can be applied either in the form of plasters or as liquid on to the warts. This will break down the thickened skin on the surface. It is more effective if the area is covered. These are useful for warts on the hands, knees and feet. They do turn the skin white. They can be used in combination with paring of the warts. Treatment with these at nighttime and covering with duct tape can be effective although slow.

Podophyllin

Podophyllin has a long history of use. It is useful mostly in genital warts. It should be applied very carefully on the warts, trying to prevent spread on to normal skin. It should be washed off after a few hours. There is irritation usually for a few days. Repeat treatments are usually required. A more purified form of podophyllin called podophyllotoxin is available for patient use. It can be used once or twice daily for a few days in succession. This produces some irritation. It has the advantage of not being as irritating as podophyllin and can be applied by the patients themselves.

Vitamin Acid

Vitamin acid (Tretinoin) is a vitamin A preparation. It is used in the treatment of acne and photo damage. Vitamin A products tend to regulate the surface of the skin, generally trying to keep the epidermis behaving normally. It may also cause some inflammation. In some individuals it can help reduce or even eliminate warts.

Cantharone

Cantharone (cantharidin) is derived from an insect. It can be very helpful in children but the application is painful. Inflammation and
blistering usually occurs later in the day, after application. Multiple treatments may be required. There are two concentrations. The
stronger version combines Cantharone with podophyllin and salicylic acid. Very occasionally the blistering reaction can be quite severe
and associated with swelling and pain. It is often very effective even in resistant warts.

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy is the use of liquid nitrogen. This can be applied either with a Q-Tip or it can be sprayed on to the skin. It causes destruction by freezing water inside the cells. This damages the cell causing death. It is painful to apply and there is blistering associated with this. Multiple treatments may be required. Thawing and freezing again makes this therapy more effective. It can be a problem in dark skin in that it can either increase or decrease pigmentation, which can be permanent. This treatment can be used in combination with other therapies.

Electrodesiccation

Electrodesiccation is the use of an electric needle to burn warts. It usually requires a local anesthetic. It does have a potential risk of scarring. Very large warts can sometimes be scraped off before they are cauterized.

CO2 Laser

The CO2 laser has been used for many years. It essentially vaporizes water in the skin and causes destruction. It leaves a hole in the skin which will heal. There is often scarring with this technique. Other lasers such as the pulse dye laser are easier to use. The yellow light is absorbed by blood in the vessels that feed the warts. This is a similar laser used in the treatment of red birthmarks. The pulse dye laser at a high power setting can be effective particularly if multiple pulses are used in succession.

Aldara

Aldara is an immune response modulator. It boosts the patient’s immune response to viruses. It can also encourage the production of a
lasting immune memory. It has been available in Canada since 1999. It works best in the genital area as penetration into the skin is easier. When it is used elsewhere it often has to be covered to help with penetration into the skin. It has been shown to work well particularly in women. It is applied three times weekly. There will be some inflammation associated with this. The results may be enhanced by combining this with liquid nitrogen. This drug has added a very significant tool in treating genital warts.

Wart Treatment by Type of Wart

Treatment will depend in part on the location, the age of the patient, as well as the size and immune status of the individual. The treatment choice will depend in part on previous experience of the patient and the patient’s preference. Many of the treatments can be uncomfortable and therefore difficult to use in children.

Treatments can be either destructive as in the use of liquid nitrogen or most recently there is an immunological approach to boost the patient’s own immune system.

Common Warts

Liquid nitrogen cryotherapy is most commonly used in those who can tolerate the pain. Repeat treatments are frequently required. Excising or scraping off these warts is less desirable as it will scar. The use of pulse dye laser or very occasionally the Co2 laser can be used in resistant lesions. Cantharone can be used particularly in children as it is more easily tolerated. Other treatments involve the use of immune therapy. Substances such as DNCB involve painting the substance on the warts in order to develop an allergic reaction. This immune allergic reaction will be useful for destroying the wart.

Flat Warts

Flat warts frequently occur on the face and on the legs. Care needs to be taken not to use a treatment that will have a high risk of scarring. Very light liquid nitrogen cryotherapy can be used.

It is important that shaving is done very carefully or is stopped for a while as this is known to spread these warts. Treatments such as Aldara have been used. Topical treatments such as vitamin A acids (Tretinoin) can sometimes be of benefit. Efudex cream has also been used.

Plantar Warts

Plantar warts can be stubborn. Because of their location aggressive use of liquid nitrogen cryotherapy is difficult in that it can not only be painful but swelling and soreness can prevent walking for a number of days. Often paring the warts by thinning them down can be helpful. The use of salicylic acid preparations that are applied daily and cover the affected area will eat away at the surface of the wart allowing it to be pared down. This may make it more responsive to liquid nitrogen. The use of duct tape to soften the lesions in some individuals can be in itself curative. It appears that changing the water content and making the skin mushy enhances the patient’s ability to eradicate these warts. Treatments such as surgery and scraping of these warts is discouraged as scars can sometimes be painful on the weight-bearing parts of the foot. The pulse dye laser can be used once the wart has been thinned as it does not produce scarring. Occlusion combining these therapies with Aldara cream in some individuals is helpful.

Genital Warts

Genital warts are usually sexually transmitted. It is important that woman be checked to rule out any atypical changes on the cervix. Small warts can be treated with liquid nitrogen although this is uncomfortable. Podophyllin or podophyllotoxin can be applied every few days and this can be helpful.

Identifying Skin Lesions - Warts, Moles and SebKs

By Van Le |  While freckles can add to a person’s beauty and uniqueness, other skin lesions such as large moles, skin tags, warts, and seborrheic keratoses can be unsightly and embarrassing. Most lesions are malignant (non-cancerous), however, it is important to be aware of and track any skin abnormalities on your body as a preventative measure.

Freckles

Freckles are irritating for some and embraced by others. They are pigment cells that retain within the skin to form light brown spots, and individuals with lighter complexions are more susceptible to freckles since their skin contains less melanin. Freckles, also known as ephelides, can appear on the face, arms and other sun-exposed areas. Excessive and continued exposure to harmful UV rays can cause more freckles and cause them to appear darker. While they are harmless, it is important to distinguish between freckles and symptoms of melanoma, a type of skin cancer that can grow from an existing freckle. Consult your doctor if you notice any change in freckle size, shape and color.

Skin tags

Skin tags are pieces of skin that hang from the surface of a surrounding area. Like freckles, they are benign, but can cause irritation if located on an area that is exposed to constant contact, such as the eyelids or areas where they can be snagged by jewelry or clothing. Skin tags can vary from a small pin-point size to a large grape size. While some can fall off on their own, there are several ways to medically remove skin tags, including freezing and burning. There are home remedies as well as creams available on the market to remove unwanted and embarrassing skin tags.

Seborrheic keratoses

Seborrheic keratoses, another benign skin lesion, can form anywhere on the body, but is commonly found on the chest and back. They can be distinguished from other types of lesions due to their waxy, stuck-on-the-skin appearance and often described as brown candle wax stuck on the skin. While the cause is still unknown, scientists have found that they can be hereditary and not affected by sun exposure.

Warts

Most warts are skin infections caused by viruses of the human papillomavirus (HPV) family. Basically, warts are benign tumors of the epidermis (outer layer of skin), and can occur in people of all ages, but are most commonly found on children and teenagers. There are different types, including flat and plantar warts. Flat warts are small in size but can be high in quantity, can spread to other areas of the body by shaving or scratching, and can be transferred person-to-person by physical contact. Plantar warts grow on the heel, ball or sole of the foot, and pressure from standing or walking pushes them into the deeper layers of skin.

Skin lesions like warts, seborrheic keratoses and skin tags are often harmless, but they can be embarrassing. While they can be surgically removed, there are creams and ointments available on the market to remove and reduce their appearance. If you have further questions about a particular skin lesion, consult your doctor or pharmacist for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Van Le is a staff writer for the CSU Daily Titan and writing intern for Vivoderm Laboratories in Los Angeles, California. She is currently pursuing a Journalism degree at California State University, Fullerton.

For the latest findings on skin lesions and treatments, you can also link to http://www.dermatosispapulosanigra.net

Removing Warts with Cryosurgery

How can my wart be removed?

Warts can be removed in a number of ways. One way is called cryosurgery (freezing the wart). This 2-step process removes the wart without hurting the skin around it.

The first step is getting your wart ready to be removed. You can help with this step. The second step is freezing the wart, which will be done by your doctor in his or her office. You may need to have several freezing treatments before the wart is completely removed.

What do I need to do?

You must do some things on your own at home to get the wart ready for removal. Doing these things before you come to your doctor’s office can reduce the number of freezing treatments you need. You should do the following:

1. Every night for 2 weeks, clean the wart with soap and water and put 17% salicylic acid gel (one brand name: Compound W) on it.

2. After putting on the gel, cover the wart with a piece of 40% salicylic acid pad (one brand name: Mediplast). Cut the pad so that it is a little bit bigger than the wart. The pad has a sticky backing that will help it stay on the wart.

3. Leave the pad on the wart for 24 hours. If the area becomes very sore or red, stop using the gel and pad and call your doctor’s office.

4. After you take the pad off, clean the area with soap and water, put more gel on the wart and put on another pad. If you are very active during the day and the pad moves off the wart, you can leave the area uncovered during the day and only wear the pad at night.

What happens next?

After 2 weeks of this treatment, your wart will have turned white and will look fluffy. Your doctor will then be able to remove the white skin layer covering the wart and use cryosurgery to freeze the base (root) of the wart. If your skin reacts strongly to cold, tell your doctor before cryosurgery.

Cryosurgery can be uncomfortable, but it usually isn’t too painful. The freezing is somewhat numbing. When your doctor places the instrument on your skin to freeze the wart, it will feel like an ice cube is stuck to your skin. Afterward, you may feel a burning sensation as your skin thaws out.

Healing after cryosurgery usually doesn’t take long. You will probably be able to enjoy all your usual activities while you heal, including bathing or showering. Cryosurgery leaves little or no scar. After the area has healed, the treated skin may be a bit lighter in color than the skin around it.

Source

Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff. American Academy of Family Physicians

Reviewed/Updated: 12/06, Created: 09/93

Genital Warts Detection

Since genital warts are not always visible, it is necessary that sexually active individuals undergo physical examinations from time to time.
Genital warts are skin bumps or skin growths, which can be raised or flat on the skin. These warts are caused by HPV viruses or human
papillomavirus.genital warts treatment Many people are concerned about genital warts but are not sure how to cure them.

The reason why these warts are not visible, nor are detectable, is that there are no symptoms for it.  They don’t cause skin itching or pain. They are almost the color of flesh, not to mention the fact that they are small in size and are found at the genital areas. It takes a physician to check with a magnifying glass to check if what a patient has are mere skin growths or genital warts.

It is important because when warts are left untreated, it can lead to cervical cancer for women and cancer of the penis for men.

Genital Warts…

* They can begin to retreat back into the skin until they vanish!

* They can begin to get mushy and dissolve away until there is no trace left

* They can simply dry up and flake off like a scab!

Everyone is in shock when they first discover their genital warts! The good news is that warts are very treatable. The most important thing with genital wart symptoms is to treat them as soon as you notice them. Seeking treatment should be your number 1 priority! Get rid of the embarassement! They may eventually go away on their own, but not before growing and spreading and becoming itchy and possibly bleeding.

Below is a home genital treatment guide based on all of the information we have collected and reports that GenitalWartsFAQ.com has online.

This is not medical advice, this is not to replace the treatments or directions of your doctor. This is something you can think about, maybe it’s midnight and your doctor isn’t open. We still do recommend that if you haven’t seen a doctor that you do so. We’ll start here.

What type of doctor should I see for Genital Wart / HPV treatment?
Depending on what area you’re in, the cheapest solution is to visit a clinic specializing in sexual transmittable diseases (STDs). Planned Parenthood is one such clinic.

Home Treatments that have in many cases reduce the spread or killed the genital warts
Before we cover the home treatments, we are going to make these recommendations that should go with any treatment that you choose.

* Quit Smoking
The carbon monoxide in smoke robs our body of oxygen, which is the most important part of the immune system. White Blood cells attack viruses and they require oxygen. Additionally, there are many other carcinogens and poisons in smoke that reduce the bodies ability to focus on it’s job – healing and preventing viruses and infections.

* Switch to cotton underwear
Genital warts thrive in dark and moist areas. Polyester and other materials do not breathe as well as cotton. Cotton will help prevent moisture from accumulating and keep the area more dry, which will keep the genital warts out of their ideal conditions.

* Get rest
Rest is important for the immune system. If you do not get rest, your body does not have the energy to perform all of it’s functions correctly.
“Sleep deprivation weakens the immune system leaving us more susceptible to other diseases and disorders like diabetes, cancer and even the common cold” – About.com Sleep Disorders

* Drink plenty of water
Sodas, particularly Diet sodas act as diuretics which remove more water from our body than they put in. We are 2/3 water, and water is how our body flushes toxins.

* Take a multi-vitamin
Most people are not meeting RDA requirements for vitamins. As well all know, vitamins are important to the function of all aspects of the body.

Vitamins to make sure you’re getting:

1. Vitamin C
“Vitamin C is an antioxidant that is required for at least three hundred metabolic functions in the body, including tissue growth and repair, adrenal gland function, and healthy gums. It also aids in the production of anti-stress hormones and interferon, an important immune system protein, and is needed for the metabolism of folic acid, tyrosine, and phenylalanine. Studies have shown that taking vitamin C can reduce symptoms of asthma. It protects against the harmful effects of pollution, helps to prevent cancer, protects against infection, and enhances immunity. Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron. It can combine with toxic substances, such as certain heavy metals, and render them harmless so that they can be eliminated from the body.” -

Prescription for Nutritional Healing

2. Zinc
“The immune system is adversely affected by even moderate degrees of zinc deficiency. Severe zinc deficiency depresses immune function. Zinc is required for the development and activation of T-lymphocytes, a kind of white blood cell that helps fight infection (2, 28). When zinc supplements are given to individuals with low zinc levels, the numbers of T-cell lymphocytes circulating in the blood increase and the ability of lymphocytes to fight infection improves. Studies show that poor, malnourished children in India, Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia experience shorter courses of infectious diarrhea after taking zinc supplements (29). Amounts of zinc provided in these studies ranged from 4 mg a day up to 40 mg per day and were provided in a variety of forms (zinc acetate, zinc gluconate, or zinc sulfate) (29). Zinc supplements are often given to help heal skin ulcers or bed sores (30), but they do not increase rates of wound healing when zinc levels are normal.” – National Institute of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements

Apple Cider Vinegar
There are no clinical studies to support Apple Cider Vinegar(ACV) as a genital wart treatment, however many people have tried it including members of GenitalWartsFAQ.com with success.

ACV can be purchased from you local drug or grocery store. To apply ACV, dip the tip of a cotton swap into the ACV then apply it to the wart and hold for up to 15 minutes. Repeat this process 3 times daily.

In one particular confirmed GenitalWartsFAQ.com member case, this killed several of the warts, and stopped the spreading allowing the smaller warts to also be treated without any new growth.

Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid has shown to be an effective treatment for warts. Salycylic acid is available at drug and grocery stores – it is the active ingredient in the swabs used for acne. Use this product as described and intended – the package does not state that it is for treatment of genital warts.
40% Salicylic Acid
Dr. Scholl’s Soft Salicylic Acid Corn Remover Pads - $2.85 to $5.39

17% Salicylic Acid
Wart-Off Maxiumum Strength - $7.49 - $8.80

2% Salicylic Acid
Nuetrogena Acne Rapid Clear Daily Pads - $8.49 - $12.34

Stridex Triple Action Acne Pads -  $4.29 - $6.49

Cryotherapy
This treatment is only available at a doctors office, however if you have warts in areas other than the genitals these are good solutions. These products available at your grocery store. These usually include a small can with an applicator tip. When the applicator tip is put on, and the bottom is pressed against the skin – the wart is frozen and dies.

Compound W Freeze Off Wart                  $23.00 - $27.00
Dr. Scholls Dual Action Freeze Away      $17.35 - $21.59
Wartner Wart Removal System                $23.09 - $24.19

Message from GenitalWartsFAQ.com
We cannot stress the importance enough of visiting a dermatologist or health clinic as soon as you notice symptoms. This is the quickest way to get rid of symptoms and to be evaluated by the doctor. If circumstances prevent this, then we encourage you to use this guide to help find a possible solution for your needs. Always use commercial products as directed. None of this replaces your doctors opinion about treatment.

For images on genital warts, click on this link:  http://cancer.about.com/od/hpv/a/HPVpictures.htm

Treating Warts on Children

Many of us have had a wart somewhere on our bodies at some time. Other than being a nuisance, most warts are harmless and go away on their own.  More common in kids than in adults, warts are skin infections caused by viruses of the human papillomavirus (HPV) family. They can affect any area of the body, but tend to invade warm, moist places, like small cuts or scratches on the fingers, hands, and feet. Warts are usually painless unless they’re on the soles of the feet or another part of the body that gets bumped or touched all the time.

Kids can pick up HPV — and get warts — from touching anything someone with a wart has used, like towels and surfaces. Kids who bite their fingernails or pick at hangnails tend to get warts more often than kids who don’t because they can expose less-protected skin and create open areas for a virus to enter and cause the wart.

Types of warts include:

* common warts. Usually found on fingers, hands, knees, and elbows, a common wart is a small, hard bump that’s dome-shaped and usually
grayish-brown. It has a rough surface that may look like the head of a cauliflower, with black dots inside.
* flat warts. These are about the size of a pinhead, are smoother than other kinds of warts, and have flat tops. Flat warts may be pink, light brown, or yellow. Most kids who get flat warts have them on their faces, but they can also grow on arms, knees, or hands and can appear in clusters.
* plantar warts. Found on the bottom of the foot, plantar warts can be very uncomfortable — like walking on a small stone.
* filiform warts. These have a finger-like shape, are usually flesh-colored, and often grow on or around the mouth, eyes, or nose.

Sometimes warts are sexually transmitted and appear in the genital area, but most warts appear on the fingers, hands, and feet.

Are Warts Contagious?

Simply touching a wart on someone doesn’t guarantee that you’ll get one, too. But the viruses that cause warts are passed from person to person by close physical contact or from a surface that a person with a wart touches, like a bathmat or a shower floor. (You can’t, however, get a wart from holding a frog or toad, as your child might have wondered!)

A tiny cut or scratch can make any area of skin more vulnerable to warts. Also, picking at a wart can spread warts to other parts of the body.
The length of time between when someone is exposed to the virus that causes warts and when a wart appears varies. Warts can grow very slowly and may take weeks or longer, in some cases, to develop.

Preventing Warts

Although there’s no way to prevent warts, it’s always a good idea to encourage kids to wash their hands and skin regularly and well. If your child has a cut or scratch, use soap and water to clean the area because open wounds are more susceptible to warts and other infections.

It’s also wise to have kids wear waterproof sandals or flip-flops in public showers, locker rooms, and around public pools (this can help protect against plantar warts and other infections, like athlete’s foot).

Treating Warts

Warts don’t generally cause any problems, so it’s not always necessary to have them removed. Without treatment, it can take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years for a wart to go away. A doctor might decide to remove a wart if it’s painful or interferes with activities because of the discomfort.

Doctors have different ways of removing warts, including:

* using over-the-counter or prescription medications to put on the wart
* burning the wart off using a light electrical current)
* freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen (called cryosurgery)
* using laser treatment (with recalcitrant warts)

Within a few days after the doctor’s treatment, the wart may fall off, but several treatments might be necessary. Doctors don’t usually cut off a wart because it can cause scarring and the wart may return.

If an older child has a simple wart on the finger, ask the doctor about using an over-the-counter wart remedy that can help remove the wart. This treatment can take several weeks or months before you see results, but eventually the wart should crumble away from the healthy skin. Wart medicines contain strong chemicals and should be used with care because they can also damage the areas of healthy skin. Talk with your doctor before using any over-the-counter wart medicine on the face or genitals.

Also make sure that your child:

* soaks the wart in warm water and removes dead skin on the surface of the wart with an emery board (that’s never going to be used for nails) before applying the medicine. Be careful not to file into it.
* keeps the area of the wart covered while the medicine works
* knows not to rub, scratch, or pick at it to avoid spreading the virus to another part of the body or causing the wart to become infected

You might also have heard that you can use duct tape to remove a wart. Talk to your doctor about whether this type of home treatment is OK for your child.

How are skin tags treated?

There are several effective medical ways to remove a skin tag, including removing with scissors, freezing (using liquid nitrogen), and burning (using medical electric cautery at the physician’s office).

Usually small tags may be removed easily without anesthesia while larger growths may require some local anesthesia (injected lidocaine) prior to removal. Application of a topical anesthesia cream prior to the procedure may be desirable in areas where there are a large number of tags.

Dermatologists (skin doctors), family physicians, and internal medicine physicians are the doctors who treat tags most often. Occasionally, an eye specialist (ophthalmologist) is needed to remove tags very close to the eyelid margin.

There are also home remedies and self-treatments, including tying off the small tag stalk with a piece of thread or dental floss and allowing the tag to fall off over several days.

The advantage of scissor removal is that the growth is immediately removed and there are instant results. The potential disadvantage of any kind of scissor or minor surgical procedure to remove tags is minor bleeding.

Possible risks with freezing or burning include temporary skin discoloration, need for repeat treatment(s), and failure for the tag to fall off.

There is no evidence that removing tags causes more tags to grow. Rather, there are some people that may be more prone to developing skin tags and may have new growths periodically. Some patients even require periodic removal of tags at annual or quarterly intervals.

Do skin tags need to be sent for pathology?

Most typical small skin tags may be removed without sending tissue for microscopic examination. However, there are some larger or atypical growths that may be removed and sent to a pathologist for examination under a microscope to make sure that the tissue is really a tag and nothing more. Additionally, skin bumps that have bled or rapidly changed may also need pathologic examination. While extremely rare, there are a few reports of skin cancers found in skin tags.

What else could it be?

While classic skin tags are typically very characteristic in appearance and occur in specific locations such as the underarms, necks, under breasts, eyelids and groin folds, there are tags that may occur in less obvious locations.

Other skin growths that may look similar to a skin tag but are not tags include moles (dermal nevus), nerve and fiber-type moles (neurofibromas), warts, and “barnacles” or “Rice Krispies” (seborrheic keratosis).

Warts tend to be rougher, with a “warty” irregular surface whereas skin tags are usually smooth. Warts tend to be flat whereas tags are more like bumps hanging from thin stalk. While warts are almost entirely caused by human papilloma virus (HPV), tags are only sometimes associated with HPV.

Groin and genital lesions resembling skin tags may actually be genital warts or condyloma. A biopsy would help diagnose which of these growths are not skin tags. Very rarely, a basal cell skin or squamous cancer or melanoma may mimic a skin tag, but this is very uncommon.

Is there another medical name for a skin tag?

Medical terms your physician or dermatologist may use to describe a skin tag include fibroepithelial polyp, acrochordon, cutaneous papilloma, and soft fibroma. All of these terms describe skin tags and are benign (noncancerous), painless skin growths. Some people refer to these as “skin tabs” or warts. However, a skin tag is best known as a skin tag.

Skin Tag At A Glance

• A skin tag is a common but harmless skin growth.
• Skin tags are frequently found on the eyelids, neck, chest, armpits, and groin.
• Treatments include freezing, tying off with a thread or suture, or cutting off.

What is a skin tag?

A skin tag is a common, acquired benign skin growth that looks like a small piece of hanging skin. Skin tags are often described as bits of skin- or flesh-colored tissue that projects from the surrounding skin from a small, narrow stalk. They typically occur in characteristic locations including the neck, underarms, eyelids, and under the breasts (especially where underwire bras rub directly beneath the breasts). Although skin tags may vary somewhat in appearance, they are usually smooth or slightly wrinkled and irregular, flesh-colored or slightly more brown, and hang from the skin by a small stalk. Early or beginning skin tags may be as small as a flattened pinpoint-sized bump around the neck. Some skin tags may be as large as a big grape.

Where do skin tags occur?

Skin tags can occur almost anywhere there is skin. However, favorite areas for tags are the eyelids, neck, armpits, upper chest (particularly under the female breasts), and groin folds. Tags are typically thought to occur in characteristic locations where skin rubs against skin or clothing.

Who tends to get skin tags?

Nearly half of the population is reported to have skin tags at some time. Although tags are generally acquired (not present at birth) and may occur in anyone, more often they arise in adulthood. They are much more common in middle age and they tend to increase in prevalence up to age 60. Children and toddlers may also develop skin tags in the underarm and neck areas. Since they are thought to arise more readily in areas of skin friction or rubbing, tags are also more common in overweight people.

Picture of skin tags

Hormone elevations, such as those seen during pregnancy, may cause an increase in the formation of skin tags, as skin tags are more frequent in pregnant women. Tags may be easily removed during or after pregnancy.

Skin tags are a benign condition and not directly associated with any other major medical conditions, since tags are commonly found on healthy people.

Is a skin tag a tumor?

Skin tags are a type of growth or tumor, albeit a completely benign and harmless one. Tags are not cancerous (malignant) and not found to have potential to become cancerous if left untreated.

What does a skin tag look like under a microscope?

The outer layer of the skin (the epidermis) shows overgrowth (hyperplasia), and it encloses an underlying layer of skin (the dermis) in which the normally-present collagen fibers appear abnormally loose and swollen. Usually there are no hairs, moles, or other skin structures present in skin tags.

What problems do skin tags cause?

These tiny skin growths generally cause no symptoms unless they are repeatedly irritated as, for example, by the collar or in the groin. Cosmetic removal for unsightly appearance is perhaps the most common reason they are removed. Occasionally, a tag may require removal because it has become irritated and red from bleeding (hemorrhage) or black from twisting and dying of the skin tissue (necrosis). Sometimes they may become snagged by clothing, jewelry, pets, or seatbelts, causing pain or discomfort. Overall these are very benign growths that have no cancer (malignant) potential.

Occasionally a tag may spontaneously fall off without any pain or discomfort. This may occur after the tag has twisted on itself at the stalk base, interrupting the blood flow to the tag.