Print this page
 Email this page

 Connect with UMMC on:
 Blog
 Twitter
 Facebook
 YouTube
iPhone

 Share this page:

Bookmark and Share

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

 

Video details

[ Flash player icon ] Please install flash player to see this video.

Hospital Virtual Tour

Click to take a virtual tour

Related Content


 

Cutaneous skin tags - Overview

Alternative Names

Skin tags; Acrochordons; Fibroepithelial polyps

Definition of Cutaneous skin tags:

Cutaneous skin tags are small, usually harmless (benign) skin growths.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Cutaneous tags are very common skin growths. They usually occur after midlife and are usually harmless and non-cancerous (benign). The tag sticks out of the skin, and may have a short, narrow stalk connecting it to the surface of the skin.

Cutaneous tags are usually painless and do not grow or change. However, they may be irritated from rubbing by clothing or other materials. Cutaneous skin tags are more common in people who are overweight or who have diabetes. They are thought to occur from skin rubbing against skin, so they commonly form in skin folds.

  • Reviewed last on: 12/11/2009
  • Michael Lehrer, MD, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network; Linda Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Benign Skin Tumors. In: Habif TP, ed. Clinical Dermatology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2009: chap 20.

Related Articles

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
adam.com