Skin tags vs. Warts: What’s the difference?

Ever wondered why some of those tiny bumps or skin-type growths on your skin don't seem to go away no matter what you do? Do they look anything like the below given pictures?

Picture 1

 

Picture 2

These two may look similar to the naked eye, however, they both are completely different skin issues. The small bumps that are protruding from the skin in Picture 1 are known as Skin Tags. Medically termed as “acrochordons”, these are tiny, skin-coloured  growths that are benign (noncancerous). While they can also be black or dark brown in colour, they mostly appear to be a cluster of skin tissue that is protruding out from a tiny stem. It's almost as if it's a raised mole. Most of the skin tags are between the size of 1 to 5 mm, but some of them can also grow up to a few centimetres. Some of the most common places where skin tags can be found are;

• Neck
• Face
• Under the breasts
• Armpits
• Eyelids
• Around the groin
• Under the folds of the buttocks

On the other hand, when you see Picture 2, you can notice that the small bumps are flatter and smaller, which is merged with the skin. There are few types of warts, like, Flat warts, Common warts, Plantar Warts, Filiform warts and Genital warts, and these are mostly benign. Some of the most common places where warts can appear are;

• Face
• Genital
• Hands or Fingers
• Feet (sole)

Skin Tags vs. Warts

SKIN TAGS	WARTS
Appears to be smooth and soft	Feels rough and irregular
Hangs off the skin with a lumpy appearance	Can either look slightly raised or flat
Occurs due to loose collagen fibres and blood vessels around the skin	Occurs due to one of the viruses from human papillomavirus (HPV) family that causes additional cell growth
Are not contagious	Can spread very easily
Does not cause any pain or discomfort	Can rarely cause discomfort and pain
Affects older people, people with obesity and type 2 diabetes issues, pregnant women, people with extra folds of skin and skin chafing	Affects people with chronic skin conditions, people who bite their nails

Do skin tags spread?

Unlike warts, skin tags generally do not spread. However, if you try to remove the skin tag without any medical assistance, they tend to keep recurring at the same place. Without proper medical treatment, one cannot remove skin tag permanently. There are certain skin tag removal treatment options that are customised exclusively at Tamira specifically for Skin tags, which include Laser Treatments, Cryotherapy, etc.

Do skin tags ever fall off naturally?

Did you hear someone say that those extra skin growth hanging around your skin will fall off naturally, as you age? Or did someone say tie a thread around it so it would fall off on its own? Well. Neither of this is going to happen. But, there may be rare occurrences where the skin tags would fall off on their own over time, due to lack of blood supply.                       

Can skin tags become cancerous?

Skin tags are harmless and do not turn into anything serious. Unlike a certain type of warts, these growths cannot turn cancerous. It is extremely rare for a skin tag to become precancerous or cancerous. Most people get these skin tags removed only for aesthetic purposes.

Can skin warts cause cancer?

Although warts can appear to look like scary skin growths, that can occur anywhere over your body, they do not cause cancer. However, there is one type of wart that you must look out for. They are known as Genital Warts, which look like tiny clusters of skin-coloured growths that resemble cauliflower.

If you are looking to get your skin tags and warts removed permanently, book your appointment now at Tamira to get your skin tags and wart removal treatment with utmost safety. Get a personalised treatment plan and quote that aligns with your concerns, upon consultation.