Ask Dr. Etingin: Skin tags; Hypoallergenic skin-care products

Are skin tags cancerous, or can they develop into skin cancer?

Skin tags are not a form of skin cancer. A skin tag is a small growth made up of a core of fibers and ducts, nerve cells, fat cells, and a covering.

Skin tags usually form on or near the neck, armpits, trunk, breasts, or other areas of the body where the skin folds. Skin tags do not grow (they are usually just a fraction of an inch in diameter) and they aren’t painful, but they can become irritated if clothes or jewelry rub against them.

Skin tags are more common in older adults, people who have type 2 diabetes, and people who are obese. You may be more likely to get skin tags if you have metabolic syndrome, a group of three or more conditions that include high blood pressure, high fasting blood sugar, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, and a large waist circumference. (Having metabolic syndrome increases the risk for cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes.)

Skin tags are not a precursor to skin cancer, and they do not need to be removed. However, if you want a skin tag removed, it can be done during an office visit with your dermatologist. Removal methods include excision (cutting it out), cryotherapy (freezing it), cauterization (burning it off with an electrical current), or ligation (interrupting the blood supply). Removing larger tags may require a local anesthetic. Tags do not normally come back at the same site, but new growths can develop elsewhere on the body.

Please don’t try to remove a skin tag yourself: If you do, you run the risks of bleeding and infection.

You cannot prevent skin tags—they just happen. But unless they become irritated or unsightly, or they change in color, size, shape, or sensitivity, there is no reason to treat or report them.

I recently purchased a facial moisturizer that was labeled “hypoallergenic,” but my skin broke out when I used it. Why did this happen?

The term “hypoallergenic” is used to market many health and beauty products, but while it seems to imply that the products are less likely to cause allergic reactions than conventional options, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says no scientific evidence backs up those claims. In fact, the FDA has no standards or definitions for the term “hypoallergenic.” Moreover, research suggests that many products labeled as hypoallergenic contain at least one known skin allergen.

The best precaution you can take is to check product labels for known allergens— but even that can be a challenge, since many of the chemicals in skin products and cosmetics are marketed under five or six different names.

Another word frequently used to describe moisturizers and other beauty products is “noncomedogenic.” According to the product manufacturers, this means that the product is not likely to block pores—but the FDA also has no regulations or rules governing the use of this term.

When buying a face cream, choosing one with the fewest ingredients gives you the best chance of avoiding allergens and other irritants. Also select products that are fragrance free; fragrances are one of the biggest triggers for allergic reactions and breakouts. You may want to try products formulated for sensitive skin. Finally, always test a new product on a small area of skin and wait 24 hours to see if there is a reaction before using it elsewhere on your body or face.

And when selecting products, keep in mind that price does not necessarily reflect quality. More expensive products don’t mean better results. For more information about skin care, visit the American Academy of Dermatology Association’s website at aad.org/public.

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