Unwanted Growth on the Skin

Skin growths are a benign condition that consists of a lump of tissue projecting out from surrounding skin. The most common skin growths are:

Moles:

Moles are small skin marks caused by pigment producing cells in the skin. They can be flat or raised, smooth or rough, and some contain hair. They may occur anywhere on the body. Most are dark brown or black, but some are flesh-colored, red or yellow. They can change in appearance over time. Some can develop into cancer. Benign moles are generally smaller than the size of a pencil eraser.

Warts:

Warts are a harmless skin growth caused the human papilloma virus. Warts can be spread to other parts of the body or to other people by contact. Warts are slow growing and range in appearance from papules and plaques to large, flowering cysts with tiny black dots. Warts can grow anywhere on the body. Warts are most common among children and young adults. There are five kinds of warts:

• Common warts are rough, shaped like a dome, and gray-brown in color. They appear most often on the hands.
• Plantar warts grow on the soles of the feet. They look like hard, thick patches of skin with dark specks and may be hidden beneath calluses. Plantar warts may cause pain when you walk.
• Flat warts grow on the face, hands, arms or legs. They are normally smaller size of a pencil eraser, have flat tops, and can be pink, light brown or light yellow.
• Filiform warts usually grow around the eyes, mouth, nose, or beard area. They are the same color as the skin and have growths that look like fingers or threads sticking out of them.
• Periungual warts grow under and around the toenails and fingernails. They look like rough bumps with an uneven surface and border.

Skin tags:

Skin tags are projections of smooth or irregular skin, flesh-colored or more deeply pigmented, projecting from surrounding skin, often connected by a narrow stalk to the surrounding skin. They often appear around the eyelids, neck, groin, underarms and under the breasts. They are usually painless, but may become irritated and itch.