A Simple Guide to Skin Polyp

A Simple Guide to Skin Polyp
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What is a Skin Polyp?
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Skin Polyp is a benign tumor with soft round body rising on a stalk from the skin surface.

They are often called skin tags.


Who is affected by Skin Polyp?
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Skin polyp usually occur in middle age.

Skin Polyp is more common in women than in men.

Polyps can also be found all over the body especially areas where the skin forms creases, such as the neck, armpits and groin.

Some may found on the eyelids.


What is the Cause of Skin Polyp?
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Skin Polyp is a well encapsulated round swelling rising from the skin on a stalk called the peduncle.

The cause of formation of skin polyps is unknown but may be related to:

1.Age

2.Obesity

3.hereditary


What are the Symptoms and signs of Skin Polyp?
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Symptoms :

1.slow growing round soft tissue swelling on a stalk rising from the skin

2.mutiple swellings may also be present.

3.Usually painless

Signs:

1.swelling is well demarcated and rounded

2.there is a stalk or peduncle attached to it.


How do you make the Diagnosis of skin Polyp?
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1.round well encapsulated swelling

2.soft on palpation

3.there ia a stalk attached to the swelling from the skin

4.Microscopic examination shows the presence of a fibrovascular core together with fat cells and nerve cells covered by skin.


What are the complications of skin Polyp?
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The skin polyp can be irritated by shaving, clothing or jewellery.

There can be :

1. bleeding

2. infection especially in diabetes

What is the treatment of skin Polyp?
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The only treatment is removal of the skin Polyp.

This can be done by :

1.Excision with a scalpel

2.Cauterization: with cautery instrument

3.Cryosurgery (freezing with liquid nitrogen)

4.Ligation with a sterile thread: by cutting off blood supply to the polyp

Small Polyps may left alone if they are slow growing and does not impinge on the nearby organs.

What is the prognosis of skin Polyp?
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The prognosis is usually excellent.

Recurrence at the same spot is rare but do occur due to regrowth of the blood vessel supplying the Polyp.