How to cut off skin tags painlessly

If you’re curious about how to remove skin tags at home, or more importantly, how to cut off skin tags painlessly, you’re not alone. As many as 60% of adults will develop one of the harmless little skin growths in their lifetime.1 Translation: You’re more likely than not to end up with one of these suckers somewhere on your body—common locations include your neck, armpits, groin, or under-boob area. The proper (Latin) name for a skin tag is an acrochordon, if you want to sound really fancy when you bring it up to your doctor (which you should in some cases—more on that later).

Okay, now that we’ve geeked out on medical terminology, let’s get to the juicy stuff: All of your burning skin tag removal questions, answered by top-notch skin doctors. (Because the fact that skin tags are totally normal doesn’t make them any less annoying.)

What causes skin tags? | Why am I suddenly getting skin tags? | How can I prevent skin tags? | Can I remove skin tags at home? | How do doctors do skin tag removal? | Can skin tags be cancerous?

What causes skin tags, exactly?

“Skin tags are fleshy overgrowths of skin that typically develop along the neck, groin, and the underarms,” Joshua Zeichner, MD, director of cosmetic and clinical research at the Mount Sinai Department of Dermatology in New York City, tells SELF. Like warts, they grow out of your skin on a stalk and contain their own blood supply but little innervation (i.e. nerve supply), Sarmela Sunder, MD, a double-board-certified facial plastic reconstructive surgeon in Beverly Hills, tells SELF. 

And they can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The shapes: beady or fingerlike projections and even soft, bag-like fibromas. The sizes: anywhere from one to five millimeters, though skin tags as long as 12.7 millimeters have been recorded.2 While experts concur that there is no one determinable cause of skin tags, there is evidence that skin tag formation is linked to a number of factors, including friction from skin-on-skin rubbing or tight clothing, genetic tendencies, and certain health conditions, Dr. Sunder says. High blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol, for example, are all correlated with the presence of skin tags.3

Back to top

Why am I suddenly getting skin tags?

There’s no direct connection between age and skin tags, Tracy Evans, MD, MPH, board-certified dermatologist and medical director of Pacific Skin and Cosmetic Dermatology in San Francisco, tells SELF. But many conditions that correlate with (not cause!) skin tag formation are likelier to develop in adulthood than in childhood. Research suggests that skin tags can appear as early as your teen years, but are most likely to show up after you turn 40 (and that likelihood levels off again after age 70—who knew?).1

Regardless of your age, if you notice you’re getting a whole crop of skin tags, schedule an appointment with an MD, especially if you’re experiencing other symptoms that aren’t typical for you: “There are situations where a significant number of skin tags can signal an underlying condition or syndrome, such as certain autoimmune conditions like Crohn’s disease, certain polyp-causing gastrointestinal syndromes, or a growth-related syndrome known as acromegaly,” Dr. Sunder says. “Having a skin tag doesn’t mean that you will have one of these diseases, and having one of these conditions doesn’t mean you will get skin tags, but we sometimes see an overlap in both.”

Back to top

Can I learn how to prevent skin tags?

Unfortunately, this is one skin condition that you can’t fix with a dedicated skin-care regimen. “There’s nothing you can really do to prevent skin tags,” Dr. Evans says. Although she adds that reducing the amount of friction your skin endures in areas like the underarms and neck (avoiding tight clothes, cushioning belts, or straps that frequently rub in one area, or using an anti-chafing balm) could help. Working with your doctor to get correlated health conditions, if you have one, under control may also help to prevent skin tags, although it’s not guaranteed.

beginning of content

On this page

• What are skin tags?
• What are the symptoms of skin tags?
• What causes skin tags?
• How are skin tags treated?
• Resources and support
• Related information on Australian websites

What are skin tags?

Skin tags are small growths on the skin that look a bit like warts. They are connected to the skin by a small, thin stalk.

Skin tags are common, especially as a person ages. They don’t cause any harm, but if you have a skin tag that is bothering you, you should talk to your doctor about having it removed.

They are usually less than 2mm in size, but they can grow much larger. They feel soft, and can be smooth and round, wrinkly and uneven, or look like a grain of rice. They can be flesh coloured or darker, sometimes dark blue.

If you ever notice a new spot or growth on your skin, you should always see your doctor to confirm what it is. Read more about whether you should be checked for skin cancer.

Skin tags are made of collagen (a type of protein) and blood vessels surrounded by skin. They are usually found in the folds of the skin, for example, in the armpits, groin, thighs, eyelids, neck or under the breasts.

Skin tags are small growths on the skin and are usually less than 2mm in size.

What are the symptoms of skin tags?

Most skin tags are painless and don’t cause any symptoms. But if they rub on clothing or jewellery, they may get sore and bleed.

Skin tags look different from warts and other benign skin lesions because of the small stalk that attaches them to the skin. Warts tend to be flat, while skin tags hang off the skin.

What causes skin tags?

Skin tags occur when extra cells grow in the top layers of the skin. They tend to develop when the skin rubs against itself, so are more common in people who are overweight and therefore have folds of skin.

They grow both in men and women and are more common in older people and people living with type 2 diabetes. Pregnant women are also more likely to develop skin tags, although they usually disappear after the baby is born.

How are skin tags treated?

Skin tags can drop off by themselves over time.

If you decide to have a skin tag removed — for example, because it is bothering you or you don’t like its appearance — talk to your doctor.

Skin tags can be removed by:

• freezing them with liquid nitrogen
• cutting them off with scissors or a scalpel
• burning them with electrical energy (cauterising)

It’s not a good idea to try to remove skin tags by yourself since they can bleed heavily or get infected. If you have a very small skin tag, you could ask your doctor how to remove it at home.

You can buy solutions from a pharmacy or online to freeze off skin tags, in the same way as you remove a wart at home. There are also many suggestions online for removing them naturally — for example, by using tea tree oil or apple cider vinegar. There is no scientific proof that these methods work. It’s always best to ask your doctor first.

Resources and support

Find out more here about removing benign skin lesions.

You can find a dermatologist on the Australian College of Dermatologists website.

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: March 2021

Need more information?

These trusted information partners have more on this topic.

Disclaimer

Healthdirect Australia is not responsible for the content and advertising on the external website you are now entering.

Government Accredited with over 140 information partners

We are a government-funded service, providing quality, approved health information and advice

Healthdirect Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners and to Elders both past and present.

Support for this browser is being discontinued

How do you cut a skin tag without it hurting?

Will skin tags grow back after being cut off?

What to do if a skin tag becomes painful?