Question:
Do skin tags qualify as a co-morbidity?
I've never heard of skin tags being caused by being overweight or by PCOS until I read this board. I've had 2 skin tags removed in the last year. Since my insurance is paying to have these removed, and they're apparently caused by the weight, are they then considered a co-morbidity? Thanks a lot for your help, everyone! — Angie M. (posted on January 7, 2002)
January 7, 2002
Skin tags, although really unsightly and annoying, are not life-threatening
so most likely would not be considered a co-morbidity. We all have then
and hate them but they're not going to kill us!
— [Anonymous]
January 7, 2002
No......
— Cathy J.
January 7, 2002
No, but if they are caused by pcos the pcos can be a co morb since the
symptoms are helped greatly by losing weight. A co morb doesn't have to be
life threatening, for example arthritis can be a co morb, but it does have
to be more than cosmetic I think.
— Becky K.
January 8, 2002
I don't think our problems have to be life-threatening to be considered
co-morbidities for insurance purposes. My thigh rashes, tummy rashes,
sweating, chafing, weak ankles, creaking knees, and my skin tags, all were
written up by my doctor and submitted to my insurance provided to help get
them to pay for the surgery. None of these problems were life-threatening
though. I had no life-threatening problems but the surgery was approved. I
think listing all these additional problems helped get the surgery approved
by the insurance....so list your skin tags!!!
— [Anonymous]
January 8, 2002
I put everything in my appeal letter, from hemroids to yeast infections and
cavitys in my teeth. I figured it could not hurt any.
— Tracy C.
January 8, 2002
I would list it, regardless, and explain in your letter the amount of money
it costs them every time you have to have one removed... that definately
gets their attention!!
Also, look in my profile for a LONG list of co-morbidities (it is after the
copy of my letter to my insurance company)... you might be able to add more
things to your list than you realize!
Good Luck!
— Sharon H.
January 8, 2002
oh yeah... there are NINETY-FOUR (94) co-morbidities on that list I told
you about in my other post!!
— Sharon H.
January 10, 2002
I think skin tags are a development of aging, like age spots, etc.
Even my dog developed them when she got older.
They started sprouting on me when I was about 45 and my
dermatologist just zaps them off with liquid nitrogen.
— Katherine H.
January 11, 2002
I got a bad skin tag around a month post op that was really painful. This
is the only one that ever hurt. I think it was the result of the fast
weight loss. Weight gain may cause them, but I'm wonderin if fast weight
loss can too.
— Danmark
March 14, 2003
Skin Tags are caused by a virus that is common to the human body. Weight,
in and of it self, has nothing to do with skin tags, but it appears that
overweight condition forces the virus surface more readily. I have known
people of all sizes and ages with skin tags. The best advice is: SEE THE
DOCTOR!
— Robin S.
March 14, 2003
I may be having a "senior moment" but I believe I read somewhere,
when I was researching "Syndrome X" or metabolic syndrome, which
led to looking at insulin resistance, that skin tags may be related to
insulin resistance. And that can be a forerunner of diabetes. (You might
consider having an insulin level checked, since your blood sugar and HbA1c
can remain normal, while you poor pancreas pumps out the insulin to try to
stay on an even keel.)
— koogy
March 23, 2003
Skin tags can be a forrunner to diabetes as a earlier post suggests. They
are related to insulin production and can actually signal PCOS. I have had
skin tags under my arms since puberty. I have had them removed twice
because I cut them when shaving. This was reason for insurance to cover the
removal.
Woring with my Endo and looking at my medical history, we determined the
onset of PCOS was about the same time as the onset of puberty (age 10).
I would list them. Better to have them and not count that not have them and
they woulod have counted.
— Jennifer P.
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