Difference Between Wart and Skin Tag

Warts tend to have a "warty" irregular surface whereas skin tags are usually smooth. Warts tend to be flat whereas tags are more like bumps hanging from thin stalk. While warts are almost entirely caused by human papilloma virus (HPV), tags are rarely associated with HPV.

1. How do I know if its a wart or skin tag?
2. Is skin tag and wart remover the same?
3. How can you tell if its a wart?
4. What does a skin tag look like?
5. Can I cut off a skin tag with nail clippers?
6. Can toothpaste really remove skin tags?
7. Do skin tags have nerves?
8. Can you dig out a wart?
9. What is a mother wart?
10. What does the beginning of a wart look like?

How do I know if its a wart or skin tag?

A colorless raised flap of skin that looks like a little balloon on a stick is a skin tag. A rough, broad-based patch of thick skin is likely a wart. Neither of these spots have hair growing from them. Like skin tags, warts are typically colorless, unless the skin where it's formed has a color distinction.

Is skin tag and wart remover the same?

Skin tags have blood vessels so they will bleed and could become infected if a person uses non-sterile equipment to remove them. Fingernail polish and wart remover are designed for use on hard skin, like nails or warts. They're not the kinds of things to use on a skin tag.

How can you tell if its a wart?

Common warts usually occur on your fingers or hands and may be:

1. Small, fleshy, grainy bumps.
2. Flesh-colored, white, pink or tan.
3. Rough to the touch.
4. Sprinkled with black pinpoints, which are small, clotted blood vessels.

What does a skin tag look like?

A skin tag is a flesh-colored growth that can be thin and stalky looking or round in shape. These growths can develop in many areas on your body. They're most common in parts where friction is created from skin rubbing. As skin tags age, they may become red or brown in color.

Can I cut off a skin tag with nail clippers?

It can be tempting to cut or clip off a skin tag with a sharp blade, nail clippers, or scissors. Only do this with the approval of a healthcare professional, and cleanse the skin and the tool thoroughly to prevent infection. While this provides the immediate gratification of removal, it is painful, says Dr. Mokaya.

Can toothpaste really remove skin tags?

People use toothpaste for all sorts of health-related purposes, from shrinking pimples to treating bug bites. There's no scientific evidence, however, that toothpaste effectively or safely removes skin tags. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that you consult a physician to have a skin tag removed.

Do skin tags have nerves?

Don't play tag

First, the fact that your skin tag doesn't have any nerves may embolden you to try removing them at home, but the tiny stalk that attaches the tag to your skin does have tiny nerves in it.

Can you dig out a wart?

This type of bandage surrounds the wart, leaving a hole directly over the wart. Do NOT scrape or pick at the wart, as this can cause the virus to spread.

What is a mother wart?

Even those warts that eventually go away can take months, or even years, to disappear. Also, keep in mind that any wart can be a “mother” wart that spreads to other parts of your body. Most dermatologists say it is best to treat warts, either at home or in the doctor's office, as soon as they appear.

What does the beginning of a wart look like?

Common Warts

They're small -- from the size of a pinhead to a pea -- and feel like rough, hard bumps. They may have black dots that look like seeds, which are really tiny blood clots. Typically they show up where the skin was broken, perhaps from biting your fingernails.