Skin Tag (Acrochordon)

Who's At Risk?

Skin tags are very common, especially in older adults. They are often seen in individuals who are pregnant, have diabetes, or who are obese. Skin tags can occur in anyone of any race / ethnicity, and men and women are affected equally.

Signs & Symptoms

Skin tags are most commonly found on the eyelids, neck, underarms, and groin area. They are often skin colored and may be light or darker brown. These growths are often on a thin stalk and range in size from 1-6 mm. There may be one or more skin tags. Skin tags may become inflamed, painful, and can even turn black and fall off if twisted or otherwise traumatized.

Self-Care Guidelines

No self-care is necessary. Do not try to remove skin tags yourself.

Treatments

Skin tags may be removed by a medical professional by:

• Snipping with scissors.
• Freezing with liquid nitrogen (cryosurgery).
• Burning off with electrical current (electrodesiccation).

Visit Urgency

Skin tags are harmless, so no treatment is necessary. However, you should seek evaluation from a medical professional if you have a new skin growth, if a skin tag becomes irritated or painful, or if you would like a skin tag removed for cosmetic purposes.

Trusted Links

• Clinical Information and Differential Diagnosis of Acrochordon (Skin Tag)

References

Bolognia J, Schaffer JV, Cerroni L. Dermatology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018.

James WD, Elston D, Treat JR, Rosenbach MA. Andrew’s Diseases of the Skin. 13th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019.

Kang S, Amagai M, Bruckner AL, et al. Fitzpatrick’s Dermatology. 9th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education; 2019.

Paller A, Mancini A. Paller and Mancini: Hurwitz Clinical Pediatric Dermatology. 6th ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2022.