Dermatology Case Studies

A is for Asymmetry

• These are small and fleshy, and feel like little outgrowings of the normal skin
• When pressed or flattened out they will feel soft and fleshy and will tend to be round

B is for Border irregularity

• Skin tags will feel soft and fleshy to the touch
• Characteristically they will appear to be separate from the skin attached by a thin stalk
• It will not be especially easy to assess their border

C is for Colour variability and/or Changing colour

• Skin tags usually have the same colour as the underlying skin
• Occasionally they are pigmented, and can be darker, if for example they have been caught by clothing or jewellery
• Occasionally they can become infected too

D is for Different

• Skin tags can occur as single tags or as crop of similar looking tags

E is for Evolving (changing)

• Skin tags can increase in size gradually
• However, any lesion which appears to be a skin tag but is changing dramatically in appearance and colour needs to be carefully assessed