You have some new growth on your skin, and you aren’t sure if it’s a skin tag, wart, or mole. You’re not alone. Many of my patients come in when they notice something new and aren’t sure if it needs to be removed. Let’s look at each:
Skin Tags
These are often seen in the body folds and face. Skin tags are not dangerous and most don’t require any treatment. Sometimes, they get irritated by jewelry, shirt collars, and other clothing items. If you have skin tags that become painful, tender, or unsightly, we can discuss removal.
Warts
Warts are painless growths on the skin that usually appear as bumps. They most often appear on hands, knees, and the bottom of feet. They can also appear on the genitals.
Contrary to the old myth, you cannot get warts from frogs. But, since warts are caused by various strains of the human papillomavirus, you can get them when you come into either direct or indirect contact with someone else who has the wart virus. And, because warts are contagious, if you have one, you can spread it to other areas on your body. Therefore, we suggest treatment.
Home treatments are often slow and may be ineffective. The best approach is to have us treat the warts in the office.
Moles
Moles, also known as nevi, are growths on your skin that range in color from your natural skin tone to brown. They are very common and can appear anywhere on your body.
Moles can be categorized as follows:
- Congenital: The ones you have from birth.
- Common / Acquired: Moles that appear after birth.
- Atypical: Also called a dysplastic nevus, these may have the ability to turn into melanoma skin cancer and should be removed.
Please keep in mind that a mole that grows, itches, or changes in any way could be atypical.
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