Skin tags are small growths that come up from the dermal tissue. They can come up through friction, hormonal shifts, circulation issues, or due to genetics. You’ll find that children and adults can get this issue, including babies and toddlers. The American Academy of Pediatrics has several ways to deal with this, and understanding what the issue is as a whole can help with understanding this on a larger scale. It should be noted that this is not something that is going to hurt, or cause any issue. It’s often a cosmetic issue that people deal with, more than anything else.
What Exactly Are Skin Tags?
At the molecular level, tags are formed due to friction with the skin. A child, new born and even a toddler has sensitive skin. Their skin will rub against other areas due to folds, creases, and irritants that come through the skin as they grow up. This irritation can send small pockets of collagen to the areas, forcing small growths to come up from the top layer of the dermis. This is not something serious, and doesn’t pose any major risk to a child. It can be uncomfortable if the tags come through around the anus, or in sensitive areas like the pubic region or even eyelids.
Removing Skin Tags
The American Academy of Pediatrics has several outlined solutions for children that have these issues. The most common treatment given to children is a topical prescription medication. A topical solution can be applied directly to the skin tags, assuming that they are not in a sensitive area like the eyelids. This can be placed on the tags for several days, to a week or two. The prescription medication will penetrate the tag to the core and will cause the element to fall off without any pain or scarring.
Another solution that pediatricians may employ is that of freezing or burning the tag off. This is a fast solution that doesn’t hurt, and doesn’t require anesthetic. A doctor can remove these in offices, and again it doesn’t cause scarring, isn’t painful, or uncomfortable for a child. Removing skin tags are important to parents, as they can cause further irritation if tugged on, or scratched.
Are Skin Tags Dangerous? Should Parents Worry?
The short answer is no. These are not dangerous. Sometimes parents panic because they see growths come up on the skin, and that’s not something that should be serious. Tags can rise up at young ages, no doubt, but they are not like warts, zits, or any other skin irritation. They can cause discomfort if left alone, but they are not going to cause much issue if left alone. For some children, these can fall away with age. For others, a doctor will need to remove them. However, you can use over the counter solutions, or even a prescription cream to get rid of these tags, without incident. It should be stated again, this is not a cancerous issue, and it doesn’t hurt. The American Academy of Pediatrics confirms, that this is not something that parents should panic over.
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