Which of the following is a normal skin finding in an older adult?

• A. Acrochordons (skin tags) on eyelids and neck
• B. Edema in the lower limbs
• C. Decreased hair on the upper lip and chin
• D. Thicker skin on the dorsa of the hands and forearms

Answer: (A)

In older adults, benign skin changes that come with aging are common, including skin tags (acrochordons). These are soft, flesh-colored, pedunculated growths that often appear in areas of friction such as the eyelids and neck. They become more frequent with age and with factors like obesity. They’re not signs of disease and don’t require treatment unless they snag, bleed, or are cosmetically bothersome.

Edema in the lower limbs would signal a fluid-related issue, not a normal aging change. Thicker skin on the dorsum of the hands and forearms is not typical—aging skin tends to thin and lose elasticity, not thicken. Changes in facial hair can occur with aging and hormones, but decreased hair on the upper lip and chin isn’t a typical normal finding.

So, skin tags on the eyelids and neck fit as a normal finding in an older adult.