What mimics skin tags?

Author: Molly Hagenes  |  Last update: Wednesday, April 9, 2025

It may be valuable to talk to a dermatologist about the growths to diagnose whether you have skin tags or another skin disorder that can mimic the appearance of a skin tag. These include benign conditions such as moles, warts and seborrheic keratoses, as well as malignant skin cancers, including melanomas.

What can be mistaken for a skin tag?

Some common skin conditions that can mimic skin tags include seborrheic keratoses, moles, warts, cysts, milia, neurofibromas and nevus lipomatosus.

Why am I getting skin tags all of a sudden?

They are common, especially as a person ages, and don't cause any harm. Skin tags tend to develop when the skin rubs together, such as armpits, anus, thighs, eyelids and neck, and are more common in people living with overweight and obesity who have folds of skin.

What skin conditions are similar to skin tags?

What other conditions might look like skin tags?
  • Moles.
  • Warts, including genital warts.
  • Skin cancer.
  • Skin diseases like seborrheic keratosis, which causes wart-like spots.

What does an HPV skin tag look like?

Skin tags can resemble genital warts as they are often the same color as the skin or darker. They can also show signs of redness, discoloration, or irritation. However, skin tags are generally soft and attach to a fleshy stalk known as a peduncle. They are often small but can grow to 2 to 5 centimeters (cm).

How to Actually Fix Skin Tags | Dr. Sam Ellis

What are skin tags a warning for?

In fact, people with a lot of skin tags may need to be tested for diabetes, as the tags can sometimes be a warning sign of underlying insulin issues. Skin tags can also be a warning sign of another underlying health issue – high cholesterol.

What are 5 symptoms of HPV?

Symptoms
  • Genital warts. These appear as flat lesions, small cauliflower-like bumps or tiny stemlike protrusions. ...
  • Common warts. Common warts appear as rough, raised bumps and usually occur on the hands and fingers. ...
  • Plantar warts. ...
  • Flat warts.

What viral infection looks like skin tags?

Overview. Molluscum contagiosum (mo-LUS-kum kun-tay-jee-OH-sum) is a fairly common skin infection caused by a virus. It causes round, firm, painless bumps ranging in size from a pinhead to a pencil eraser. If the bumps are scratched or injured, the infection can spread to nearby skin.

What does a skin barnacle look like?

Seborrheic keratoses are also called "skin barnacles." They tend to form during adulthood and are typically brown in color with a "stuck-on" appearance. These lesions are usually harmless, but you may want to have them removed for aesthetic reasons.

How do you know if its a skin tag or not?

Check if it's a skin tag

Skin tags are usually the same colour as the rest of your skin, or a little darker. They can look like they're hanging off the skin. They do not usually hurt and are normally harmless. Skin tags often grow where your skin rubs together or where there are folds in your skin.

What removes skin tags instantly?

What removes skin tags instantly? Excision involves using a blade to instantly remove a skin tag. Another procedure for skin tag removal that is quick, but not instant, is cryotherapy. A single session is usually sufficient for removing skin tags.

What disorder causes skin tags?

Certain genetic disorders may have a predisposition to skin tags. In patients with the Birt-Hogg-Dube (BHD) syndrome and tuberous sclerosis.

Can I cut off a skin tag with nail clippers?

As skin tags have blood vessels, you will want to avoid using nail clippers, scissors or any other methods that could cause uncontrollable bleeding. Please do not try to take the treatment of skin tags by excision into your own hands.

What cream removes skin tags?

Scholl's® Freeze Away® Skin Tag Remover is clinically proven to remove skin tags in as little as 1 treatment.

How to remove skin tags naturally?

How to Get Rid of Skin Tags Naturally
  1. Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) Apple cider vinegar is a popular home remedy for various skin issues, including skin tags. ...
  2. Tea Tree Oil. ...
  3. Garlic. ...
  4. Banana Peel. ...
  5. Aloe Vera. ...
  6. Vitamin E. ...
  7. Castor Oil. ...
  8. Tying a String or Skin Tag Removal Band.

Does vaseline get rid of seborrheic keratosis?

Treatments for seborrhoeic keratoses? As they are harmless they do not require any treatment. Any itching or irritation can frequently be relieved by simple moisturisers such as E45 cream® or Vaseline Intensive Care lotion®. NHS services do not currently treat seborrhoeic keratoses.

What does solar keratosis look like?

Rough, dry or scaly patch of skin, usually less than 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) in diameter. Flat to slightly raised patch or bump on the top layer of skin. In some cases, a hard, wartlike surface. Color variations, including pink, red or brown.

What does seborrheic dermatitis look like?

Patches of greasy skin covered with flaky white or yellow scales or crust on the scalp, face, sides of the nose, eyebrows, ears, eyelids, chest, armpits, groin area or under the breasts. Rash that may look darker or lighter in people with brown or Black skin and redder in those with white skin.

What parasite causes skin tags?

Some studies show an association between skin tags and low-risk forms of of human papilloma virus (HPV), so those viruses may help cause the growths. Additionally, the condition seems to run in families, so doctors suspect a genetic component.

What do molluscum bumps look like?

The spots are about 2 to 5mm wide and usually appear together. They are raised and dome-shaped with a shiny white dimple in the middle. Children with the infection often get spots on their body and in or around folds of skin (groin, behind the knee and armpits).

How can I check myself for HPV?

Samples for HPV testing are usually collected during a pelvic exam. Now, there are a couple of devices and tests that were approved by the FDA for self-collection. One device is a swab that looks like a large Q-tip. Another looks similar to a tampon.

What does HPV look like on a woman?

Genital warts are a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). The warts usually appear as a small bump or group of bumps in the genital area. They are flesh-colored and can be flat or look bumpy like cauliflower. Some genital warts are so small you cannot see them.

What is mistaken for HPV?

Human papillomavirus virus (HPV) and herpes are often confused as they can be sexually transmitted and cause genital lesions, however, they are caused by two different and unrelated viruses. Because of this, they cause slightly different symptoms and have different treatment options.

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