Woman scratching her skin
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Skin tags are almost universally non-cancerous, which is the good news. Yet as unflattering as they are, itchy skin tags can be annoying and lead to inflammation.

Identification

A skin tag is a small flap of tissue that hangs from the skin. They are most likely to be found on the neck, chest, armpits, under the breasts and in the groin area. Skin tags are also more likely to be found on women than men and among the elderly.

Considerations

Skin tags should not hurt or itch, but they can become itchy and irritated if they are being rubbed by clothing or jewelry. If a skin tag is in an area where it is constantly being rubbed, a doctor can easily remove it.

Removal

A doctor can remove a skin tag by tying it or cutting it with a scalpel. In some cases, freezing may be used to remove a skin tag. Whichever method your doctor chooses, there is no downtime recovering from the procedure.

Theories/Speculation

If your skin tag is in an area where it is not rubbed by clothing or jewelry and it is itchy, there may be a chance that it is a mole or another kind of skin lesion. A doctor should check it out and determine whether it is cancerous.

Prevention/Solution

Annual skin checks are a good idea because melanoma, if not caught in time, is often fatal. The purpose of the checks is to look for the beginning of melanoma while it is still thin--before it has time to spread internally.