Are Skin Tags a Cancer Risk?
Skin tags look unattractive and patients can worry that they are a sign of something more sinister and serious – skin cancer.
The good news is that skin tags are almost never cancerous – they’re almost always benign. That means that they do not pose any medical concern and do not need to be removed other than for cosmetic reasons (i.e. they look unpleasant) – or where they get in the way.
However, in assuming that skin tags are harmless, it is vitally important to ensure that they are correctly and thoroughly diagnosed, to ensure that it is not a more harmful condition which looks like a skin tag.
In addition, while the vast majority of skin tags are medically harmless, there are very rare exceptions. In 2007, a research study Acrochordon-like basal cell carcinomas in patients with basal cell nevus syndrome found two patients with known basal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS) were found to have multiple basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) that resembled ordinary skin tags. The extract of the study based at Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, MO, USA said:
“Our findings support the biopsy of acrochordon-like growths in patients with basal cell nevus syndrome to rule out basal cell carcinoma.”
Therefore, while skin tags are likely to be harmless, patients should trust their instinct. If any skin tag is causing concern, perhaps looking unusual or bleeding or itching, patients should seek a proper medical diagnosis.
If a skin tag is diagnosed, it can be removed at Cosmedics’ Skin Surgery Laser Clinics using a number of methods: cryotherapy, laser treatment, microcautery treatment or surgery.
If it is a suspicious mole, then it can be removed on the NHS.
If it is a mole but not of medical concern, it can be removed in private clinics, where the most popular option is laser mole removal for minimal scarring. Surgery is also available at Cosmedics’ Skin Surgery Laser Clinics. More worrying moles tend to be removed using ellipse excision, which requires stitches. A good mole removal clinic will ensure that the removed mole is sent away for testing (histology) and provide a full report for peace of mind.
Skin Surgery Laser Clinics
Cosmedics’ Skin Surgery Laser Clinic offer private treatment for common skin lesions at a selection of clinics based in London and Bristol. Mole removal is a particular speciality; with trained doctors and surgeons using the latest surgical techniques including laser mole removal. Our team also treat other skin blemishes, including sebaceous cysts, skin tags, warts and lipoma.
For more information or to book a consultation, please complete the form on this web page or call 020 7386 0464.
