Is there any relation between serum insulin and insulin‐like growth factor‐I in non‐diabetic patients with skin tag?

BACKGROUND: Skin tags are common benign lesion occurring mainly on the neck and major flexures as a small soft pedunculated protrusion. This study evaluate insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in non-diabetic ones. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A case-control study was conducted in non-diabetic persons. Comparing insulin and IGF-I between matched cases (n = 40) and controls (n = 40) by radioimmunoassay test. Cases and controls were recruited from patients consecutively seen at an academic outpatient dermatology clinic. RESULTS: The insulin level in patients with skin tags was significantly higher than controls (P = 0.00) but IGF-I level was not significantly different (P = 0.43). CONCLUSION: These results show an increased insulin level in non-diabetics ones and overall importance of insulin effect in pathogenesis of skin tags.