So, when you see a wart pop up, that means you came into contact with someone else with a wart virus, whether through shaking hands or using the same hand towel. And like all viruses, they’re contagious. Although they may be smooth on top, they’re thick, scaly, and callus-like underneath. Unlike moles, they’re hard bumps that lie deep in the skin. Warts pop up on your hands, knees, or the bottom of your feet. Skin tags are not contagious to you or anyone else. It can spread to other people, or to other parts of your body. Most importantly, a wart is caused by a virus and is contagious. Warts are thick and deep, while skin tags remain at the surface.

Like skin tags, warts are typically colorless, unless the skin where it’s formed has a color distinction. Neither of these spots have hair growing from them. A rough, broad-based patch of thick skin is likely a wart. A colorless raised flap of skin that looks like a little balloon on a stick is a skin tag. Wartĭistinguishing a skin tag vs wart is rather simple. In general, they are just bothersome.Īlthough they are not dangerous, when skin tags become painful, tender, or unsightly, many patients ask to get them removed. The biggest problem with skin tags is the irritation they cause. Because of friction, the flap rises even more and can form into a ball shape. That bump is then rubbed, typically under the arms, in the groin, or around the neck. They form when a small bump or gland sticks up from the skin. Skin tags are small flaps of skin, ranging from the size of a small pen head to three centimeters. You end up with a ball of skin attached by a thin pedestal. The little ball of skin cells gets pulled up further and further until it’s hanging by a thread. Then, once it starts rubbing, there’s a snowball effect. It starts as a small bump or gland in the skin. It’s been rubbed by a collar, clothing, or sometimes it comes from skin rubbing against skin, particularly under the arm. This little flap of skin forms because of friction. So, if you want to know what you’re dealing with before you schedule a spot removal, here’s how to tell the difference between a mole, a wart, and a skin tag. But they’re annoying, and it makes your life more comfortable to get rid of them before they become a problem. The good news: none of them cause a risk to your health. Most people just don’t know the difference between them. Let’s face it: moles, skin tags, and warts are irritating.

Genital skin tags