Have you also noticed those tiny skin eruptions around your neck, underarms that have been appearing? They may not cause any pain or discomfort, in fact many do not even realize it until they touch it. But there are people who don’t get skin tags so we tried to figure out what they may possibly indicate.
First let’s understand what these skin tags really are. According to Dr. Soumya Jagadeesan, Associate Professor, Dermatology, Amrita Hospital, Kochi, “Skin tags, also called acrochordons are benign outgrowths from the skin which are skin coloured to dark, may have a pedicle/ stalk connecting them to the skin. They are most commonly located on the neck, axilla, and inguinal folds (typically in intertriginous areas), though they can appear in almost any part of the skin. The color, texture, size and width of the base can vary. Usually they do not cause any symptoms and the growth is very very slow.”
Warning sign of diabetes
Skin tags happen due to insulin resistance in the body. Dr. Dheeraj Kapoor, Chief - Endocrinology, Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon explains, “The most common sites of their appearance are neck and also armpits. Insulin can not act the way it should, therefore their presence signifies impending diabetes. They appear many years prior to onset and therefore they are the warning sign for future diabetes. They do not necessarily signify poor sugar control. The red flag in association can be darkening and thickening of skin in the neck area called Acanthosis nigricans both of these are makers of impending diabetes. These are commonly seen in overweight people. Testing should be done as soon as the onset skin tags develop. If the patient is non diabetic, then annual check up if the person is pre diabetic gets important.
Red flags
“Patients who get these skin tags often do have comorbidities including obesity, diabetes, or prediabetes, and so it is reasonable for any physician to encourage healthy eating habits, exercise, and other behavior. Certain skin tags may be indistinguishable from certain benign tumors occurring as a part of inherited syndromes or a variant of basal cell carcinoma, therefore expert opinion may be sought in atypical cases,” adds Dr. Soumya.
