CCH_ some skin disorder names and short descriptions _ Acrochordon

CCH_ some skin disorder names and short descriptions
 Acrochordon

Acrochordon also known as skin tag or fibroepithelial polyp. . Probably every adult has at least one skin tag located somewhere across the surface of his or her skin. Except for some rare syndromes, skin tags have no clinical importance and are often ignored. unless they are cosmetically disfiguring or getting  twisted and painful. I personally find more in Obese people.

They have no sex or race predilection.

 They are completely benign skin growths that have no malignant potential. 

They are most commonly located in the axillae, on the neck, in the groin area, and on the eyelids 

 Skin tags are rarely ever seen in children. 

The finding of a skin tag in a child should lead one to perform a biopsy to rule out a basal cell carcinoma.

 Basal cell carcinoma syndrome  in children, can mimic the appearance of skin tags. if biopsy is positive evaluate for the basal cell carcinoma syndrome.

Most skin tags are small, 1 to 5 mm in length, with a skin-colored to slightly hyperpigmented appearance. They are pedunculated papules that appear as outpouchings of the skin. They are soft and nontender. Occasionally, larger skin tags are found with a thickened or a more sessile stalk. These larger skin tags may approach 1 to 1.5 cm in length with a 5-mm base. Most individuals have more than one skin tag, and some individuals are afflicted with hundreds of them.

On occasion, a patient presents with a painful, necrotic skin tag. they should be excised If the appearance or clinical history is not classic, the specimen should be sent for pathological evaluation.

 Patients with multiple skin tags may be at a higher risk for glucose intolerance. Some studies  suggested that patients with multiple skin tags are at a higher risk for colonic polyps, but this is still subject to debate.

Pathogenesis:  believed to be a localized overgrowth of fibroblasts within the dermis. They may be more common during pregnancy, and they have been shown to be increased in patients with increased weight.

Treatment: No therapy is necessary for these extraordinarily common skin growths.

 They are mostly overlooked and not even mentioned on routine skin examination.

 The rare strangulated or thrombosed skin tag can be removed ,or for cosmetic removal with a forceps and skin tag removal scissors after injection of a local anesthetic.

 Application of aluminum chloride after removal causes the superficial bleeding to stop.

Screening of individuals with skin tags for errors in glucose metabolism or for colonic polyps is controversial but should be performed  based on  other clinical findings