Baylor Health Care System
 

Cutaneous skin tags

Definition

Cutaneous skin tags are skin problems involving small, generally benign skin growths.

Alternative Names

Skin tags; Acrochordons; Fibroepithelial polyps

Causes

Cutaneous tags are very common benign skin growths that occur most often after midlife. The tags stick out of the skin, and may have a small narrow stalk connecting the skin bump 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 skin folds are a common location.

Review Date: 2/5/2008
Reviewed By: Kevin Berman, MD, PhD, Associate, Atlanta Center for Dermatologic Disease, Atlanta, GA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission. URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit.

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