Skin Tags, Cherry Angiomas and New Growths After 40: What They Are and What to Check

The harmless ones

Skin tags (acrochordons)

Small, soft, flesh-coloured or slightly darker growths on a narrow stalk. Neck, armpits, under the breasts, groin, eyelids — anywhere skin rubs against skin or clothing.

Why now: friction is the main driver, and they are more common with weight gain, insulin resistance and after 40. A sudden crop of them is a reasonable prompt to have blood glucose checked.

Cherry angiomas

Bright red, slightly raised, one to four millimetres, usually on the trunk. Almost universal after 40 and they accumulate over time.

Why now: benign proliferations of small blood vessels. Age is the main factor. Completely harmless — and they bleed enthusiastically if caught, which alarms people unnecessarily.

Seborrhoeic keratoses

Waxy, warty, brown or black patches that look stuck on rather than growing out of the skin — that stuck-on appearance is the classic descriptor. Face, chest, back.

Why now: extremely common with age and largely genetic. Harmless. They are frequently mistaken for melanoma, which causes a great deal of anxiety, and occasionally the reverse happens — which is exactly why anything you are unsure about should be looked at rather than googled.

Sebaceous hyperplasia

Small, soft, yellowish bumps with a slight central dip, usually on the forehead and cheeks. Enlarged oil glands. Harmless, though they can resemble basal cell carcinoma — another reason for a professional eye.

Milia

Tiny firm white bumps, often around the eyes. Keratin trapped under the surface. Harmless, and they will not squeeze out — attempting it damages delicate skin.

Here is the useful split. The growths above are largely age and genetics, and there is not much you can do to prevent them. The ones in the next section — the ones that actually matter — are overwhelmingly sun-driven, which means they are the preventable ones. Daily SPF on the face, ears, neck, chest and the backs of the hands is the whole intervention, and the Gluten-Free Vegan Mineral SPF 50 Moisturizer is what I use for it — mineral, fragrance-free, and comfortable enough to actually wear every day, which is the only thing that matters with sunscreen.

What needs checking

Skin cancer risk rises with age and cumulative sun exposure, and post-menopausal skin is thinner with slower repair. Get any of these looked at:

• A rough, scaly patch that will not heal — often on the face, scalp, ears, forearms or backs of hands. Frequently felt before it is seen, like sandpaper. Actinic keratoses are pre-cancerous and treatable.
• A pearly or waxy bump with visible small vessels, which may bleed, scab and reform in a cycle. Often mistaken for a spot that will not heal.
• Any sore that has not healed in four weeks.
• A mole that is changing — apply ABCDE: Asymmetry, irregular Borders, more than one Colour, Diameter over 6mm, and Evolving. Evolving is the most important one.
• The ugly duckling. A mole that looks different from all your others — often more useful than ABCDE.
• A new dark streak in a nail that is widening or extends into the cuticle.
• Anything that itches, bleeds or is tender without cause.
• A rapidly growing lump, over weeks.

Please do not do these at home

• Do not cut or tie off skin tags. Infection, scarring, and — the real risk — you may be removing something that needed examining. Removal is quick and cheap in a clinic.
• Do not use mole or wart removal creams and pens. They cause chemical burns and permanent scarring, and destroying a lesion without examining it means a cancer can be missed and then recur under the scar, harder to detect.
• Do not pick at a lesion to “see if it comes off”.
• Do not squeeze milia or sebaceous hyperplasia.
• Do not assume a diagnosis from a photo online.

The check worth doing

Once a month, in good light, with a mirror for your back — or ask a partner. Look at the whole body including scalp, ears, between toes and soles. Photograph anything you are watching so you can compare in three months rather than relying on memory.

Ask your doctor whether an annual professional skin check is appropriate for you, particularly with fair skin, a history of sunburn or sunbeds, many moles, a family history of melanoma, or immunosuppression.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I suddenly getting skin tags in my forties?

Friction is the main driver, and they become more common with age, weight gain and insulin resistance. A sudden crop is worth mentioning to your doctor and having blood glucose checked — not because the tags themselves are dangerous, but because of what they can be associated with.

Are cherry angiomas anything to worry about?

No. They are benign clusters of small blood vessels, almost universal after 40, and they accumulate over time. They bleed dramatically if you catch one, which frightens people, but that is not a sign of anything sinister.

How do I tell a seborrhoeic keratosis from a melanoma?

The classic descriptor is that a seborrhoeic keratosis looks stuck on rather than growing out of the skin. But they are mistaken for melanoma often, and occasionally the reverse happens — which is why anything you are uncertain about should be examined rather than researched online.

Can I remove a skin tag myself?

Please do not. Beyond infection and scarring, the real risk is destroying something that needed examining — and a lesion removed without diagnosis can recur under scar tissue where it is much harder to spot. Clinic removal is quick and inexpensive.

Keep reading: What Oestrogen Does for Your Skin · Why Your Sunscreen Is Breaking You Out