SKIN TAGS

Course overview

SKIN TAGS, ALSO KNOWN AS 'ACROCHORDONS,' ARE COMMONLY SEEN CUTANEOUS GROWTHS NOTICEABLE AS SOFT EXCRESCENCES OF HEAPED UP SKIN AND ARE USUALLY BENIGN BY NATURE. ESTIMATES ARE THAT ALMOST 50 TO 60% OF ADULTS WILL DEVELOP AT LEAST ONE SKIN TAG IN THEIR LIFETIME, WITH THE PROBABILITY OF THEIR OCCURRENCE INCREASING AFTER THE FOURTH DECADE OF LIFE. HOWEVER, AT THE VERY OUTSET, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT ACROCHORDONS OCCUR MORE COMMONLY IN INDIVIDUALS SUFFERING FROM OBESITY, DIABETES, METABOLIC SYNDROME (METS), AND IN PEOPLE WITH A FAMILY HISTORY OF SKIN TAGS. SKIN TAGS AFFECT MEN AND WOMEN EQUALLY. THIS ARTICLE AIMS AT PROVIDING A DETAILED UNDERSTANDING OF THE TERM 'SKIN TAG', THEIR CLASSIFICATION AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.