What causes small flesh-colored growths on the neck?

Neck skin tags may manifest as folliculitis, viral warts, lymphadenopathy, heat rash, or skin tags: 1. **Folliculitis**: Folliculitis commonly occurs on the head, face, neck, shoulders, and back. When folliculitis develops, the affected area typically presents with obvious itching, redness, and swelling. It is often accompanied by needle-like pain upon touch. If not treated promptly, it may progress to deep folliculitis or perifolliculitis, leading to more severe complications. 2. **Viral Warts**: Viral warts are often the result of infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) when the immune system is weakened. They manifest as skin growths on the surface of the skin and commonly appear on the chest, neck, back, and face. 3. **Lymphadenopathy**: Numerous lymph nodes are distributed in the neck region. Infections in areas such as the throat, nose, ears, or mouth can stimulate the lymph nodes in the neck to swell. 4. **Heat Rash**: If small skin bumps appear on the neck during summer or autumn, accompanied by significant itching, they may be indicative of heat rash. Heat rash typically occurs in hot and humid conditions, where sweat on the neck cannot evaporate properly, accumulating within the stratum corneum and blocking sweat gland ducts, resulting in blister-like, papular, or pustular "small skin bumps." 5. **Skin Tags**: With aging, many individuals develop brown or flesh-colored skin tags on their necks. The likelihood of developing skin tags increases in individuals who are overweight.