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Acrochordons, also known as skin tags, are benign growths that can appear on the body, often around folds. They are not a cause for concern and are usually harmless, although they can be irritating or disfiguring. Some people choose to have them removed, but insurance may not cover the cost. They can appear with no known cause or may be linked to hormonal changes or stress. A doctor may use local anesthetic to remove them, but a biopsy is usually not necessary unless there is concern that the growth may be something other than a skin tag.
Acrochordons are benign growths that form on the body, especially around folds such as the eyelid, groin, and armpit. While acrochordons are technically tumors, they’re not a cause for concern; many healthy people have these small growths and they are nothing to worry about. In fact, acrochordons are considered so benign that some health insurance plans won’t pay for their removal.
You may also hear an acrochordon referred to as a skin tag, referring to the fact that acrochordons look like little tabs of skin that protrude from the body. The size of these growths varies, with some being smaller than a grain of rice, while others reach the size of a walnut. Acrochordon can be darker than the surrounding skin in some cases, and sometimes these growths are attached to the body on a small stalk known as a stalk.
Often, acrochordons appear with no known cause. In other cases, they are sometimes linked to radical hormonal changes and stress. People in high-stress occupations tend to be more prone to acrochordons, as are pregnant women. If your acrochordons are caused by stress, it could be a sign that some lifestyle changes would be a good idea, as stress can cause a variety of health conditions that are far less benign. In the case of pregnancy-related acrochordons, women should wait until the end of their pregnancy to seek treatment, as the acrochordons may reappear.
Depending on the location, acrochordons could be irritating, even if they are benign. These growths can become annoying when they are particularly large, as they can get caught on clothing and jewelry and can be distracting around the eye. Some people also find these growths disfiguring, especially when they appear on the face. For this reason, some people choose to have the acrochords removed.
Because these growths have nerves, a small amount of local anesthetic must be used before the acrocord is cut, cauterized, or frozen. Because the growth is benign, a doctor generally won’t order a biopsy, unless they think the growth might be something other than a skin tag. Because acrochordons can sometimes look like polyps related to more serious skin conditions, it’s a good idea to bring skin tags to your doctor’s attention when you visit his or her office so the skin tag can be evaluated to make sure be kind.
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