Utah Master Esthetician Practice Exam

What is the term used for a benign outgrowth or extension on the skin?

1. Wart

2. Skin tag

3. Mole

4. Lesion

The correct answer is: Skin tag

The term used for a benign outgrowth or extension on the skin is indeed skin tag. Skin tags, also known as acrochordons, are small, soft, benign tumors that often appear as a flap of tissue on the skin. They commonly occur in areas where the skin folds or experiences friction, such as the neck, armpits, groin, or eyelids. Skin tags are non-cancerous, do not pose health risks, and are usually painless. Understanding the context of skin tags helps clarify why other options are not appropriate in this case. Warts, caused by a viral infection, can appear as growths but are not benign outgrowths in the same way skin tags are. Moles, which are composed of pigmented cells, can vary in characteristics and may have clinical significance, unlike benign skin tags. Lesions is a broader term that includes any abnormal tissue change, which encompasses a wide range of skin conditions, both benign and malignant. Therefore, skin tag is the most accurate term for a benign outgrowth or extension on the skin.