While there are many gaps in our knowledge about the process by which skin tags form, we do have a fairly good understanding of what causes them. There are definitely people who seem to be a lot more prone to this condition than others and one reason for this is that hereditary factors.
There are some lifestyle factors such as obesity that seem to increase the risk of obesity, but it also seems that a lot of people have been just born with a genetic inheritance that seems to make them more prone to these tumors.
How Hereditary Causes Skin Tags
Skin tags are not uncommon; in fact it is believed that almost 50% of the population will experience them at some time in their life. It is generally agreed that these develop because of skin rubbing against skin; this explains why obese people are more at risk of developing them. It doesn’t explain though why not all obese people will develop these skin tags or why some individuals seem to get them with no real understanding of the cause. It is this fact that some people are a lot more prone to them than others that indicates a genetic component.
As yet scientists have failed to identify the gene that is responsible for making people more likely to get skin tags. If they do identify it then perhaps this will lead to a cure and there will never be any reason to worry about skin tags again. This day is likely going to be a long way off though because skin tags is not viewed as that serious a problem. Skin tags are benign tumors and are not any real risk to health. If scientists do manage to locate a gene that is responsible for causing skin tags it will probably be an accidental discovery.
Managing the Hereditary Causes of Skin Tags
While there is no real rush by scientists to understand the genetic component of skin tags it doesn’t mean that people just have to accept them. While these growths might be harmless to our physical well-being then can impact on our self-esteem and confidence. A lot of people feel embarrassed by these tags and may cover up parts of their body so that others can see these blemishes. Luckily though there are plenty of treatments that can be used to remove skin tags and this means that there is no reason why they should negatively impact anybody’s life.
Understanding the causes of skin tags is useful information because it helps us better understand what is happening to our skin. There may not be much we can do about our genetic makeup but there are ways that we can get the most of what we have. If we do seem to be genetically predisposed to getting skin tags it will still be possible to reduce our risk of developing them by maintaining a healthy weight. If we do develop skin tags then we will be able to investigate our options for how to remove them, or else we can learn to just live with them.
