What causes eye skin tags

What causes eye skin tags

Skin tags can be found in several regions of the body, including around the eyes and eyelids. These in particular can be irritating as you can feel them when you blink, touch them when you rub your eyes or wash your face, and they can change the way you see yourself when you look in the mirror.

Fortunately, skin tags are harmless, so they needn’t be a cause for concern, but if you do wish to get rid of them, a doctor can easily remove them for you.

But what causes skin tags in the first place, and what else should you know about them before you consider having them removed?

What are skin tags?

Skin tags may be similar in appearance to moles or warts, especially if you haven’t had them before and they’re suddenly appearing, but they aren’t the same. Skin tags are small, soft growths that appear in places where you have folds of skin or where your skin rubs together and often look like they’re hanging off the skin, giving them their name.

They can usually be found on:

• Your eyelids.
• Your neck.
• Your armpits.
• The underside of your breasts.
• Your bottom.

Skin tags can range in size, which can affect your desire to have them removed, as larger ones may be irritating or change your appearance, and in some cases, you can have multiple appear in one area. They don’t hurt and are very common, so they don’t need to be removed, but the removal process is quick and painless if you wish to have them taken away. Make sure it is a skin tag before you go to have it removed, as there are other reasons for having marks on the skin.

Moles are different to skin tags as they’re often a different colour to your skin tone, usually darker, flat to the skin and are most often found on areas that are exposed to the sun. Warts can be the same colour as the skin, but they are most likely to be found on the hands and feet, feel solid and have a rough surface.

Chalazions, like skin tags, can be found around the eyelids, but they’re a small cyst that develops in the small glands in your eyelids that prevent dry eyes. They may be painful initially, but any pain will quickly subside, and they will go away on their own.

What causes eye skin tags?

The exact cause of skin tags isn’t known; however, due to their location on folds of skin and in places where skin rubs together, it’s likely that they’re caused by light friction or warmth on the skin. They usually develop in middle age, so you may notice skin tags forming as you reach your 40s and 50s, but they may develop earlier if you have any of the following:

• Obesity, i.e. having more skin folds.
• Type 2 diabetes – insulin resistance may cause skin tags.
• Areyou pregnant? Hormone changes may cause skin tags.

As we get older, wrinkles appear on our faces, especially around the eyes, as we develop what’s known as laughter lines from smiling, so eye skin tags are very common as we age. Skin tags in other locations, such as under the breasts and between the buttocks, can develop at any point, as there is near-constant skin-to-skin contact in these places.

Are skin tags a health concern?

Skin tags themselves are harmless and are not a health concern, so don’t worry if you start developing skin tags. They may be irritating, and as they can hang from your skin, they may get caught in your necklace or rub on your clothing, which can be uncomfortable, but will not cause you any other problems. If you do accidentally catch a skin tag and it bleeds, you can clean the wound and cover it to help it heal.

If you have lots of skin tags as well as other symptoms, it may be the case that you have type 2 diabetes or are pregnant, as the hormonal changes these cause may be a factor in the sudden growth of skin tags. Check to see if you have any other symptoms of diabetes or pregnancy, and see your doctor if you believe your skin tags are an indicator of either.

Do skin tags go away?

Skin tags don’t go away on their own, but they are harmless, so you don’t need to worry about them. However, if they’re in an annoying place or you don’t like their appearance, you can have them removed.

You may find that initially they are annoying, but you get used to them after a while, so give it some time before you make a decision. They can also grow up to 5 cm, so the larger skin tags may be more of a problem than the smaller ones, especially under your armpits, on your neck if you wear a necklace, and around your eyes. If they get irritated, especially by friction from sweat in hot weather, you can use Vaseline to cover the skin tag and stop the skin from rubbing together around the skin tag, reducing the risk of developing a rash and getting uncomfortable.

Can you remove skin tags?

There are several ways to remove skin tags, but you shouldn’t try to remove them yourself. The removal methods are simple, but if you do them wrong or they start bleeding and you don’t clean them properly, they can cause an infection or a scar. Some people try to use toothpaste to remove skin tags, but there is no evidence to suggest this helps, so you should have them removed by a professional if you want to get rid of your skin tags.

As skin tags are harmless, removing them is considered a cosmetic procedure, so you can’t have them done on the NHS. However, dermatologists, cosmetic surgeons and some other specialists, such as eye specialists, can remove them for you safely.

Skin tags can be removed by:

• Heat.
• Freezing them.
• Cutting them off with surgical scissors.

The method used may depend on where the skin tag is, as well as the specialist removing it. For example, if the skin tag is very close to your eye, heat may be riskier than removing the skin tag with a surgical scalpel or scissors. Once it’s removed, the skin tag is not likely to return; however, it can happen if you have many skin tags and deep folds in your skin.

You may be left with a slightly darker mark on your skin where the skin tag is removed, although this usually goes away after a short period of time.

Petroleum jelly, such as Vaseline, can be useful to cover the area where the skin tag was removed to help it heal before covering it with a bandage.

Can you prevent skin tags?

Growing skin tags is a natural part of ageing, especially as we get wrinkles on our faces and our skin loses its elasticity and begins to sag, causing more skin folds. So, unfortunately, you cannot prevent skin tags from appearing on your skin.

However, you can take care to live a healthy life to decrease your chances of developing skin tags. Sugar itself doesn’t cause skin tags, but being overweight and having type 2 diabetes are considered common causes of skin tags, so eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly to maintain a healthy weight, and try to lose weight if you’re currently overweight.

The Eye and Dental Clinic

The Eye and Dental Clinic has an expert team ready to treat you for dental care and minor eye treatments in our specialist clinic in Bury.

From emergency treatments to booked appointments, we can help you with your dental and ophthalmic problems every day of the week. From skin tags to blepharitis and conjunctivitis, our expert ophthalmologists have your eye conditions covered.

Take a look at our latest news or contact us today for more information.

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