Skin tags are small, soft skin-coloured growths usually found on the neck, armpits, around the groin, or under the breasts. They can also grow on the eyelids or under the folds of the buttocks. They can vary in colour and size from less than 1mm to as large as 10mm. Skin tags do not usually cause any pain or discomfort. However, you may consider having skin tags removed if they’re affecting your self-esteem, or if they snag on clothing or jewellery and bleed.

Treatment for skin tags

Skin tags can be easily removed, by freezing with cryotherapy or surgically by snip excision and electrocautery. This is done under local anaesthetic cream. After the procedure, there will be superficial wounds which will heal in 1 to 2 weeks.

Seborrhoeic keratoses also known as seborrhoeic warts are benign growths due to a build-up of skin cells. They are harmless, often pigmented growths on the skin and are more common with increasing age. Small and flat lesion can often become more raised and larger as the years go by. They can sometimes itch, become inflamed, and catch on clothing. Some people will only have a few seborrhoeic keratoses, while others will have large numbers. They are not infectious. They commonly occur on the face and can grow on the neck, body and groin.

Treatment of seborrhoeic keratosis

They can be removed by freezing with cryotherapy or electrocautery.

Sebaceous hyperplasia most often develops on the face and the most common places to find them are the forehead, cheeks, and nose. These can appear as a painless single bump or multiple bumps range from 1 or 2 mm to several millimeters in size. They are often the same color as your skin but may also look white to slightly yellow. This benign growth is due to an increase in proliferation of oil glands just below the surface of the skin. This harmless skin condition can usually be diagnosed with a simple visual inspection. Sometimes a biopsy is performed to rule out skin cancer.

Treatment of sebaceous hyperplasia

Certain topical or oral medications may help keep new bumps from forming. These benign growths may also be treated with electrocautery or laser. These treatments will flatten the lesions; however there is a risk of scarring, post inflammatory darkening and recurrence following the treatment.

Syringoma is a small painless firm skin coloured bump often forms in small clusters or groups located just below or around the eyes. It is due to the abnormal proliferation of sweat ducts in the skin.

Treatment of syringoma

Syringomas may be treated with laser or electrocautery. The treatment will flatten the lesion but there is a risk of scarring, post inflammatory darkening and recurrence of the lesions following treatment.

Epidermal cyst is the most common type of skin cyst which arises from the hair follicle. The cyst is usually felt as a round bump under the skin, They can vary in size from a few millimetres to over ten centimetres. Most cysts are benign and harmless. However, they can sometimes become inflammaed or infected causing intense pain, redness and even ruptured discharging pus.

Treatment of epidermal cyst

If the cyst is infected or inflamed, oral antibiotic is often prescribed.

The cyst can be surgically excised under local anaesthetic.

Lipoma is a benign fat tumour that can occur anywhere in the body. It is typically soft and doughy to the touch and felt under the skin. Lipoma is usually detected in middle age. Some people have more than one lipoma.

Treatment of lipoma

Treatment generally is not necessary, but if the lipoma bothers you, is painful or is growing, you may want to have it removed. It can be surgically excised under local anaesthetic.