Q: Where do skin tags come from, and how can they be removed?

A: Skin tags are small, soft, flesh-colored growths that protrude from your skin. Because they are composed entirely of skin tissue, they are benign - and certain to stay that way.

The tags may be flat, slightly elevated or stick out from the skin - connected by stalks. They may grow over time and tend not to go away. Unlike a pimple, where inflamed tissue evokes an immune response and consequent repair, a skin tag signals no distress to the body simply because it is skin. Similarly, a skin tag is painless, unless it becomes irritated by the rubbing of clothing.

Skin tags are caused by friction, which explains their occurrence in folds of the skin - in the groin area, under a breast or in parts of the body where excess pounds form extra folds. Skin tags are more common in individuals at or beyond middle age, but that may just be the result of people's tendency to gain weight as they age.

There is no need to remove a skin tag unless it is frequently irritated or cosmetically bothersome.

Removal is usually as straightforward as snipping it off with scissors or scalpel. And while no anesthetic is needed for a small skin tag on a stalk, locally injected anesthetic may be required for a larger skin tag.

Do not try to remove a skin tag yourself, as this may result in infection or excessive bleeding.

After removal, the skin tag will not regrow. Be aware, however, that others may succeed it, spawned by the same conditions that created the original.

Q: What is shingles, and who is at risk?

A: If you've had chickenpox, you may be at risk of shingles - a painful skin disease that can lead to serious health complications.

Shingles is most common in adults between the ages of 60 and 80, in part because aging can affect the body's ability to fight off infections. Shingles is a reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus that causes chickenpox and remains in your nerve tissue.

You should see your doctor immediately if you suspect shingles. The earliest warning signs and symptoms are a burning, tingling or numbness in your skin and a red rash that follows a nerve pathway around one side of your face or body.

Within a week, the rash turns into fluid-filled blisters. Even after the blisters dry up, usually in one to two weeks, pain can persist and be severe. In some cases, the blisters can become infected and cause skin scarring. Blisters near the eye can cause lasting damage or blindness. Other problems may include hearing loss or brief facial paralysis.

Although there is no cure, prompt treatment with antiviral medications can reduce the disease's severity and complications.