Skin Tags
Small, soft, skin-coloured or slightly darker flaps of skin that hang off the neck, armpits, eyelids, groin or under the breasts. Very common and harmless. Removal is optional.
Who gets them. Anyone, but they’re more common with age, extra weight and skin folds, type 2 diabetes and pregnancy, and where skin rubs. Lots of new tags can be a nudge to check blood sugar. They don’t turn into cancer.
Diagnosis. Usually obvious by look. A doctor will check anything that’s firm, rough, bleeding or growing, because warts, moles and occasionally skin cancers can look similar. Lumps around the genitals may be genital warts and need a proper check.
The skin tag ladder
No treatment is needed. If one is catching or bothering you, a quick snip or freeze by a doctor is safest.
- Step 1 · Self-careLeave them aloneMost never cause problems. Loose clothing helps where necklaces, straps or collars rub.
- Works
- They usually stay but are harmless
- Cost
- Free
- How long
- Lifelong
- Watch for
- Twisted tags can turn dark and sore, then often fall off on their own.
Your skin’s small talk. Nothing it says is important.
- Step 2 · ProcedureSnipping, freezing or cautery by a doctorA quick procedure, often with a little local anaesthetic for bigger ones.
- Works
- No good trials comparing methods; removed tags usually don’t come back, but new ones may appear
- Cost
- Often a private fee when cosmetic: about $50–200
- How long
- A few minutes; heals in a week or two
- Watch for
- Bleeding, infection, a small scar, or a lighter or darker mark, more likely on brown and black skin.
Thirty seconds of procedure for a lifetime of necklaces that don’t snag.
- Step 3 · SpecialistEyelid or genital tagsTags on or near the eyelid margin, or in the genital area, are best done by an experienced doctor or specialist.
- Works
- Safe in experienced hands
- Cost
- Specialist fees vary; Medicare rebates with a referral when there’s a medical reason
- How long
- One visit
- Watch for
- Never DIY near the eye.
The eye is not the place for home improvement.
Save your money
Popular, heavily marketed or often asked about, but the evidence is weak or says no.
- Tag-removal bands, freezing pens and creamsNo good evidence. Risk burns, infection and scarring, and could treat something that wasn’t a tag.
- Tying off with thread or dental flossPainful and risks infection and bleeding. Ask your GP instead.
- Apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil or toothpasteNo trials. Irritates the skin around the tag.
- Cutting them off with nail scissorsEven small tags can bleed a surprising amount. Infection and scarring too.
What you can do
- Wear soft, loose fabrics where tags rub.
- If you have lots of new tags, ask your GP whether a diabetes check makes sense.
- Photograph any tag that seems to be changing.
See your GP if
- A tag is growing, changing colour, bleeding or painful
- It’s firm, rough or not soft and floppy (might be something else)
- It catches often and you’d like it removed
- You have new lumps around the genitals or anus
Don’t remove one yourself if you’re not sure it’s a skin tag. A doctor can check it, and some need testing.
Common questions
Are skin tags cancer?
No. They’re harmless. A growing, bleeding or unusual one should be checked in case it’s something else.
Will they come back after removal?
The removed tag usually doesn’t, but new ones can appear, especially where skin rubs.
Are skin tags linked to diabetes?
They’re more common in people with type 2 diabetes and extra weight. Lots of new tags can be a reason to check your blood sugar.
Can I get them removed for free?
Usually not. Removing them for looks is cosmetic. Medicare may help if there’s a medical reason, such as bleeding or an uncertain diagnosis.
Helpful resources
- NHS: Skin tagsPlain guide to what they are, when to see a GP and removal options. Free, UK.
Evidence and more information
maladywise.com/skin-tags/