Most people just don’t know the difference between skin tags, moles or warts. Check this out to clear your doubts,
Skin Tags
This is a formation of little flap of skin as a result of friction. It’s been rubbed by a collar, clothing, or sometimes it comes from skin rubbing against skin, particularly under the arm.
It starts off as a small bump or gland in the skin. With rubbing, there’s a snowball effect. The little ball of skin cells gets pulled up until it’s hanging by a thread. You end up with a ball of skin attached by a thin pedestal.
Appearance of Skin Tags
Skin tags are small flaps of skin, ranging from the size of a small pen head to three centimeters. They form when a small bump or gland sticks up from the skin. That bump is then rubbed, typically under the arms, in the groin, or around the neck. Because of friction, the flap rises even more and can form into a ball shape.
Should You Have A Skin Tag Removed?
Although they are not dangerous, when skin tags become painful, tender, or unsightly, many patients ask to get them removed.
Warts
Warts pop up on your hands, knees, or the bottom of your feet. Unlike moles, they’re hard bumps that lie deep in the skin. Although they may be smooth on top, they’re thick, scaly, and callus-like underneath.
What Causes Warts?
Warts start from a virus. And like all viruses, they’re contagious. So, when you see a wart pop up, that means you came into contact with someone else with a wart virus, whether through shaking hands or using the same hand towel.
Should You Have A Wart Removed?
Warts need to be removed quickly (before you pass the virus along to someone else). Avoid treating them at home, they never seem to get better because you need to get rid of the virus, in order to get rid of the wart.
For the fastest wart treatment, ask your dermatologist to freeze the wart. This kills the cells containing the virus so your skin can heal wart-free.
Moles
Moles are the most serious of these three skin issues. They form slowly, taking a long time to grow. If they become cancerous, they begin to change.
Appearance of Moles
To see a visual difference between wart and mole bumps, look for pigment and hair. Warts don’t have either, but moles have both. Because of their pigment, they have the rare potential to change from a regular mole into skin cancer.
Some people are predisposed to develop moles, and sun exposure stimulates them. So, if you notice these small benign growths pop up easily on your skin, take extra precautions in the sun to prevent more from forming.
Atypical Moles
Normal moles are either brown or tan — not multi-colored. If your mole seems to be various colors — brown, tan, black, and even red — that’s an early warning sign it’s developing into something else.
Moles are also generally round in shape. If your spot is asymmetrical and continues to increase in size, it may be skin cancer. Moles can be either flat or raised — but they don’t typically change unless they’re dangerous. If a spot changes from flat to raised, that’s a warning sign.
Any time a mole seems to change or become irregularly colored, visit your dermatologist. Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether or not a spot is dangerous. It’s always best to let a professional make that determination. If you’re dealing with an atypical mole, they’ll likely remove it and send it off for testing.
Are Skin Tags, Moles & Warts Dangerous?
Your skin tag, mole, or wart isn’t dangerous — yet you can cause an infection if you try to remove it on your own. People aren’t successful with DIY spot removal treatments, so save yourself the frustration, and let a dermatologist take care of it.
Always consult a board-certified dermatologist. They have the medical expertise required to remove skin growths with the least amount of injury. Without this knowledge, it’s easy for you to nick a blood vessel or cut into a vein unexpectedly.
