Skin Tags - What Is It? It Says a Lot About Metabolic Health!
Skin Tags - What Is It? It Says a Lot About Metabolic Health!
Have you ever noticed small, soft, skin-coloured growths on your body? These are known as skin tags. They can appear on any part of the body but typically develop in areas where there is friction or rubbing, such as the neck, armpits, under the breasts, and around the genitals.
While they may not cause pain or discomfort, their presence can be bothersome and even embarrassing for some individuals. But did you know these seemingly harmless skin growths can reveal much about our health?
Today, we will explore what skin tags are and what they might indicate about our overall well-being.
Skin Tags - What Are They?
Skin tags are small benign growths that typically appear as a tiny flap of tissue hanging off the skin. They are often flesh-coloured or slightly darker and have a soft, smooth texture. Some may be as small as a pinhead, while others can grow larger, up to half an inch in size.
Skin tags comprise blood vessels and collagen fibres surrounded by skin cells. While they are commonly found in adults, they can also affect children and teenagers. Though anyone can develop skin tags, certain risk factors increase their likelihood of occurring.
What Causes Skin Tags?
The exact cause of skin tags is not fully understood, but some potential contributors include:
Friction or rubbing: As mentioned earlier, areas on the body with frequent friction or rubbing, such as skin folds, are more prone to developing skin tags.
Genetics: Some studies have shown that genetics may play a role in developing skin tags. If your parents had them, you are more likely to develop them too.
Age: Skin tags tend to occur more frequently with age. As we age, our skin becomes less elastic and more susceptible to skin growth.
Hormonal changes: Fluctuations in hormone levels during pregnancy or menopause can increase the chances of developing skin tags.
While anyone can develop skin tags, certain health conditions may also put individuals at a higher risk. This brings me to the next section: What skin tags can reveal about our health….
Skin Tags and Our Health
With so much information about harmless skin tags, it is easy to overlook the potential health warnings these growths may provide. Here are some ways in which skin tags can reveal underlying health conditions:
Insulin resistance
Skin tags are commonly associated with insulin resistance, a condition in which the body's cells do not respond appropriately to insulin. Insulin resistance can lead to high blood sugar levels and increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Research has shown that individuals with skin tags are more likely to resist insulin. One study by Andréia de A. and colleagues examined the association between skin tags and insulin resistance in adult patients. This was a cross-sectional study, meaning it observed a group of individuals at a specific time.
The study evaluated 98 cases and 103 controls, all receiving care at a university teaching hospital. Cases were defined as individuals with more than five skin tags in the neck or axillary regions. The researchers used the HOMA-IR index to estimate insulin resistance levels.
The results showed a direct association between skin tags and higher HOMA-IR values, hypertriglyceridemia (high levels of triglycerides - fat found in the blood), and body mass index (BMI), regardless of other risk factors such as diabetes, age, skin prototype, gender, family history of diabetes, and hip/waist ratio.
The study concluded that multiple skin tags are strongly associated with insulin resistance, even considering other known risk factors. This highlights the importance of early detection and management of insulin resistance in preventing more serious health conditions such as type 2 diabetes.
Therefore, it is essential to pay attention to the appearance of skin tags and consult with a healthcare professional if multiple tags are present, especially in high-risk individuals such as those with a family history of diabetes or obesity. Maintaining a healthy weight and regular exercise can also help reduce the risk of insulin resistance and skin tags.
Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a group of risk factors that increase the chances of developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. These risk factors include increased blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels.