Skin Tags may be a Sign of Risk for Type II Diabetes or Cardiovascular Disease

Once skin tags form they are permanent and they may even grow

Skin Tag

Do you have skin tags? Often times they develop during pregnancy or in the middle years. Most doctors will tell you they are harmless because they are non-cancerous, but while they may be benign there still may be a reason to worry about them according to a study in the Journal of Clinical Pathology [1] which claims skin tags are connected to abnormal lipid levels and could signal metabolic problems before they become significant.

What are they? Skin Tags often look like small mole-sized portions of skin and they protrude above your normal skin by just a few millimeters. Some of them may be the same color as your surrounding skin while others are hyperpigmented like a freckle or a mole. In most cases, they are attached to the underlying skin by a small band of tissue called a stalk or peduncle. You can manipulate the tag without feeling any pain and they appear to be harmless even though they are unsightly.

So despite hearing that skin tags are benign and there is no need to worry about them or try to remove them unless they are in an undesirable place (like the face), you may want to dig a little deeper before you dismiss them as harmless.

Dr. Jonathan Wright of the Tahoma Clinic explains, “Those little guys called “skin tags” usually occur on the neck, armpits, and in the groin. Some people will just have one or two, some people will have a whole crop. They’re caused by a virus, but this particular virus loves the genetics that lead to blood-sugar metabolism problems. If you have skin tags your odds of getting type 2 diabetes are much higher when you’re older” [2].

Skin tag removal remains a personal choice. There are many options available for consumers: freezing, cuttage, electrolysis, and product application appear to be the most advertised methods. More importantly, if you suffer from skin tags, even if you only have a few, and there is a history of heart disease or diabetes in your family, you may want to start making healthier choices now before you get saddled with a much tougher diagnosis in the future.

1. Crook, M.A. “Skin tags and the atherogenic lipid profile.” Journal of Clinical Pathology: (2000), 53: 873-874.
2. Somers, Suzanne. Breakthrough: Eight Steps to Wellness. Crown Publishers: New York, NY (2008), p. 43.