Skin tags are small, soft growths that protrude from the skin and look like warts. They can appear smooth or even irregular. Skin tags attach to the skin by a short, narrow stalk called a "peduncle." They are actually very common and harmless, and can appear in various colours and sizes. Skin tags commonly grow on the neck, armpits, around the groin, on the eyelids and under the breasts.
A person may have anywhere from one to hundreds of skin tags. Removing a skin tag does not cause more to grow.
Ageing is one of the most common causes of skin tags, especially when one hits 40. In women, the reason can also be due to pregnancy due to hormones and weight gain. Being overweight for both men and women is also a potential cause.
A wart can appear with a rough surface or flat and smooth. Blood vessels grow into the root of the wart to supply it with blood. These blood vessels may look like dark dots in the wart's centre in common and plantar warts. Warts are
usually painless.
Common warts are caused by viruses in the human papillomavirus (HPV) family. When the virus enters the skin (usually through a tiny scratch), it causes rapid cell growth on the outer layer of the skin, creating the wart.
Transmitted to oneself when direct contact with wart – by touching the wart and then another part of your body.
Examples are scratching or shaving your own warts that can spread the infection to other areas of your body. Or even biting fingernails may cause periungual warts to spread on the fingertips and around nails.
While warts are not highly contagious, they are acquired from physical contact – skin on skin (even from your own body part to another) through a break in the skin.
A sebaceous cyst is a small non-cancerous lump or bump on the skin. It is usually found on the face, neck, upper chest and upper back but can also appear on other body parts. It develops gradually, and there is no pain. However, a sebaceous cyst can become infected or inflamed and sometimes emit a foul odour, sometimes with an accompanying discharge of a cheese-like substance.
The inflammation can cause the skin to be tender and sore. A treatment to address this issue is often recommended to alleviate discomfort and improve skin's appearance.
A sebaceous cyst is usually dome-shaped and smooth in appearance. It may become infected or inflamed, grow in size and may also emit an odour or a cheese-like substance discharge. Although these may be harmless, they will
not go away without treatment. It is not to be confused with an epidermal inclusion cyst, which does not involve the sebaceous gland.
The sebaceous gland is located all over the body and produces sebum, an oil-like substance that coats hair and skin.
It is made up of a lobe connected by ducts. The lifespan of each gland is about ONE week, and the sebum it produces as it breaks down at the end of its lifespan has several functions, and these include:
● Reducing water loss from the surface of the skin
● Protecting skin from infection by bacteria and fungi
● Regulating the immune system
A cyst usually develops if the gland or its duct is blocked or damaged. The damage or blockage to the gland or its duct is typically the result of trauma to the area.
A sebaceous cyst usually develops if the gland or its duct is blocked or damaged. The damage or blockage to the gland or its duct is typically the result of trauma to the area. It is less common compared to an epidermoid cyst and pilar cyst.
A sebaceous cyst is typically not painful. This is dependent on its size. Large ones can cause discomfort and even pain, particularly those found on the face and neck. Most sebaceous cysts feel soft, and they contain keratin, which is
a component that makes up skin and nails.
A sebaceous cyst can become infected and develop into a boil, a collection of pus. Bacterial infection is a common cause of a boil.
An infection can also cause a sebaceous cyst to develop into an abscess. An abscess, like a boil, is a collection of pus and can occur anywhere on the body. It can also develop internally in an organ or in the spaces between organs.
Some of the most common areas where abscesses can be found are:
● The armpits
● Around the anus or vagina
● Around a tooth
● At the base of the spine
● The groin
An abscess usually appears red, swollen and warm to the touch. It may also leak fluid. It may look like a pimple or an unhealed wound on the skin, and beneath the skin, it may cause the appearance of a bump. It appears as a painful boil on the buttocks, usually near the anus.
Buttock abscess is also known as perianal abscess and is a common issue. An abscess located deeper in the tissue is less common and may not be easily visible.
An abscess in the pubic area is caused by Staphylococcus aureus (commonly known as staph). This bacteria infects the sac containing the roots of the hair and the oil glands.
Pain which accompanies the appearance of redness and tenderness are possible symptoms of an abscess. As an abscess develops, the infected area usually becomes even more painful. An infection can spread to the tissues under
the skin and even into the bloodstream. A person may develop fever as a result.
The abscess may need to be drained, so antibiotics on their own may not be enough. If an abscess is not drained, it will continue to grow, elevating discomfort and pain. It can even spread to others in the body.
It is advisable to seek help as soon as possible to alleviate the issue because an abscess does not go away on its own, and the infection needs to physically leave the body.
The bacteria Staphylococcus aureus is the common cause. As a defence, the body's immune system sends white blood cells to fight infection when bacteria enter the body. Swelling or inflammation occurs when this happens.
If left untreated, an abscess can set off a series of infections in other body parts and can even be life-threatening. It is best to seek professional help immediately.
An internal rupture may cause an infection inside the body or under the skin's surface. Bear in mind that an abscess can occur anywhere, including the liver, lungs and the brain. An abscess must be addressed promptly.
A doctor will be in the best position to advise on the necessary, appropriate method. Usually, draining would be recommended where a small incision is made to allow the pus to siphon out.