The skin can undergo many changes during pregnancy, so it is essential to pay full attention and take care of it as it deserves during this stage. Among the many alterations that could occur is the appearance of skin tags or soft fibroids, (wrongly) commonly called ‘warts’ .
Skin tags are small, skin-colored or slightly darker prominences that can appear anywhere on the body, being more common in areas of folds such as the neck, armpits, groin, under the chest …
We explain why these skin lesions appear during pregnancy and what you should do with them.
What are skin tags and why do they appear?
Skin tags are soft, benign fibroids made up of collagen fibers and blood vessels that are surrounded by a thin layer of skin. They are very common in much of the population, and a common side effect in pregnancy, due to hormonal changes and weight gain.
Although we tend to use the name “warts” colloquially to refer to them, the truth is that they have nothing to do with warts , since they appear due to a dermatological infection caused by viruses of the human papilloma family. whereas skin tags are harmless and non-contagious.
The appearance of the badges is very characteristic . They are elongated and thin bumps of skin or small hanging moles, soft and soft to the touch. They can be the color of the skin itself or a little darker, and appear alone or have several.
The cause of skin tags is not known with certainty , but a greater predisposition to suffer them has been seen in older, obese or overweight people, or in people with type 2 diabetes. Genetic inheritance also plays an important role.
“I have gotten skin tags during pregnancy, should I be concerned?”
As we are mentioning, skin tags are totally harmless, but their appearance could be confused with other skin lesions such as viral warts, nevi or soft tissue tumors, so it is important to consult a dermatologist for their evaluation.
In general, with a simple examination, the doctor will be able to determine whether or not it is a skin tag and propose the best treatment to follow. If these small fibroids do not bother you or rub against your clothing , the most likely thing is that the specialist will choose not to remove them, since they are not malignant or contagious and it is possible that they tend to disappear after delivery.
To remove them, the dermatologist will choose the best method in your case, taking into account your condition, the number of skin tags you have and their size.
Should I follow any special recommendations if I have skin tags?
If you have skin tags, the doctor will give you a series of guidelines or instructions to follow for their care, although you should not do anything special except monitor them and prevent them from being damaged by rubbing or suffering from a snag.
In this sense, if for example you have skin tags in the neck area, it is preferable that you do not wear chains or necklaces, and opt for shirt or T-shirt collars that do not cause friction. It may also help to cover them with gauze to prevent rubbing and bleeding.
In case the skin tag snagged and bleed , you shouldn’t worry. Clean it with a gauze and antiseptic and consult your doctor, although it will likely end up falling off on its own. Remember that neither punctual bleeding nor contact with the skin tag will cause new fibroids to grow around it, as it does with viral warts.
Do not touch these fibroids or try to eliminate them with home remedies, as they could become infected and / or necrotic. The anti-wart treatments sold in pharmacies are not recommended either , because apart from not being indicated for their application during pregnancy, skin tags are not treated in the same way as warts.
In case the lesion particularly bothers you or other symptoms appear such as itching, discoloration, excessive growth or any other alteration, consult your dermatologist immediately.
Photos | iStock
Via | Mapfre Health, AARP, MSD Manual
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