How can I tell if a lump is a wart or a skin tag?

A skin tag.

You can tell if a lump is a wart or a skin tag based on its shape, color, size, and texture. Skin tags are usually narrow and hang off the normal surface of the skin on a peduncle, and they are also often very similar in color to the surrounding skin. A skin tag can also be less firm than a wart. Warts are usually circular bumps that are harder and have a rougher texture than skin tags. Different areas of the body can develop warts or skin tags depending on some of their individual health conditions.

Warts on the hand.

Recognizing warts can sometimes be more difficult because some warts can have rougher surfaces if they are on an area of ​​the body that frequently rubs against clothing or other surfaces. Some of these warts can even develop scabs or blemishes on the skin, making them look more like other skin lesions, such as blisters. Plantar warts on the soles of the feet are especially prone to scabbing from the inside of the shoe if you walk with the wart for a long time before removing it. Other warts that occur on the hands or other non-frictional areas often have an uneven surface without the rough texture, although some may have small spots of blood visible just below the surface of the wart.

Warts can be removed with liquid nitrogen.

Identifying a wart or skin tag can be done without a lot of guesswork based on some of your basic medical history. In general, you are more likely to develop skin tags if you are approaching middle age and have a family history of them. A common virus known as papilloma virus is responsible for the formation of warts and can be easily spread through casual contact. A wart or skin tag can appear as a single growth or in groups.

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Plantar warts grow on the soles of the feet and can be prevented by avoiding walking barefoot in public places.

Skin tags are generally smaller and more flexible than warts, and many can be gently removed from the surface of the skin with minimal pain or irritation with cotton swabs. Both skin tags and warts can grow on any surface of the body, although the most common locations for skin tags are the trunk, arms, or neck. The average skin tag does not have blood spots inside it, as is the case with some warts. It is simply a small tube of excess skin. Some people choose to remove skin tags themselves with a razor blade or scissors, but most doctors advise against this type of home excision for warts or skin tags.

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