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advice: relative's skin tag is grossing reader out
skin tags are mostly harmless and can be removed. but if they are discoloured or bleed, it's time for medical advice.
jul 10 2020
3 minute read
skin tags can be annoying, but they are usually harmless. stock/getty
dear asking for a friend,
my brother-in-law drives me crazy for a thousand reasons, but one thing currently has me itching to say something. in fact, it’s to the point now that i am afraid after a couple of glasses of wine, i am just going to blurt it out. he lives with my partner and i and he has disgusting habits — he’s always adjusting himself, he picks at his ears when we eat and doesn’t mind burping whenever he feels like it. he also has a skin tag on the back of his neck that has been getting bigger over the past few years. i know that they are common and probably harmless (are they?), but he has started to play with it. there we are eating breakfast and he is eating with one hand and pulling it with his other hand. i have suggested that my partner tell him he can have it removed, but he thinks that’s rude. so i need to know if skin tags are a health risk, should you and can you remove it, and how do they happen? i am collecting information ammo to make the fondling stop.
signed, going crazyÂ
dear going crazy,
skin tags are pretty common and generally nothing to worry about. these benign, flesh-coloured growths can pop up anywhere on the body, especially in folds of skin like armpits, eyelids and groin area. in rare cases, skin tags do require further evaluation as they may be a sign of a more serious underlying health issue.
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“skin tags are harmless in the overwhelming majority of people,†explains dr. benjamin barankin, toronto dermatologist and medical director at the toronto dermatology centre . “however, if they appear suddenly or over a short period of time, it is typically during pregnancy or with weight gain, people may need to be screened for diabetes. if a lesion looks like a skin tag (soft, sticking out growth), but it is very dark in colour or has more than one colour, or bleeds, or doesn’t look like the other lesions nearby, then it should be checked by a dermatologist as it could be a skin cancer such as a melanoma.â€
and while skin tags are generally harmless, they are often removed for cosmetic reasons.
“smaller lesions may be lasered or cauterized, while larger lesions require a pinch of local anesthetic and a minor surgical excision,†says barankin. “your dermatologist can safely perform that for you.â€
hopefully, your brother in-law isn’t the type of guy who would attempt to treat skin tags with topical treatments at home. it’s a bad idea and can lead to a number of complications. “there have been a couple of over the counter products at pharmacies and on the internet that tout being effective at removing skin tags,” he says. “not only are they generally ineffective and a waste of money, but more importantly they have resulted in permanent scarring and skin discolouration in a number of my patients.”
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barankin has also seen patients use these treatments in error on actual skin cancers and moles. “this is never advised,†he says.
going crazy , we know that living with in-laws can be a challenge, especially in a time like this. perhaps your frustration with your brother in-law can be resolved by having authentic conversations, setting healthy boundaries, and carving out alone time to recharge.
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