Skin tags
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Skin tags (acrochordons) are small, benign, soft skin growths most often appearing on the neck, armpits, eyelids, groin and under the breasts. They're harmless and don't turn into skin cancer, but they catch on jewellery and clothing and are cosmetically annoying. In-clinic removal is quick (15–30 minutes for several tags) using cautery, radiofrequency or fine snip excision, usually with topical numbing only.
Skin tags are one of the most common reasons people search for a dermatologist in their thirties and forties. They appear quietly — one tag on the neck noticed in a photo, then a few more around the armpits over months — and almost always cause more cosmetic worry than they cause medical concern.
The good news: they're entirely benign and treatable in 10–30 minutes. The thing worth knowing: a sudden cluster of new skin tags, especially around the neck and armpits, sometimes signals insulin resistance — worth a metabolic check alongside the cosmetic removal.
How skin tags appear
- Soft, flesh-coloured or slightly darker pedunculated growths
- Typically 1–5 mm; occasionally larger
- Most common on neck, armpits, eyelids, under the breasts, groin
- Often appear in clusters in skin-fold areas
- Hang from a thin stalk and move freely
- Painless unless caught on clothing or jewellery
- Occasionally turn dark or fall off after a twist — usually harmless
Why skin tags form
- Friction in skin folds — explains the typical body locations
- Genetic predisposition — strong family pattern in many patients
- Insulin resistance / metabolic syndrome — clusters of new tags often signal this
- Pregnancy hormones — many women develop tags during pregnancy
- Increased age — prevalence rises from 30s onwards
- Not caused by skincare or hygiene; not contagious
When to see a dermatologist
See a dermatologist if skin tags are cosmetically bothersome, catching on jewellery or clothing, in an irritating location (eyelid, neck under collars), or appearing in clusters where you also have darker patches in skin folds — the latter combination warrants bloodwork for insulin resistance. Also see one for any "skin tag" that's bleeding, hard, growing fast or changing colour — those may not actually be skin tags.
How skin tags is treated at SkinWise
Multiple options. Small tags are quickest removed with radiofrequency cautery or scissor snip after a topical numbing cream — under 5 seconds per tag, minimal bleeding, heals in a few days. Larger tags or eyelid tags may need a tiny anaesthetic injection and careful technique. Cryotherapy is an alternative for some patients. We typically clear 5–20 tags in a single 30-minute session.
Services that treat skin tags
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Frequently asked questions
Are skin tags dangerous?
No. Skin tags are entirely benign — they don't turn into skin cancer. The only medical concern is when sudden clusters appear with dark velvety patches in skin folds, which can signal insulin resistance and warrants blood work.
Can I remove them at home?
Pulling, tying with thread, or using OTC "skin tag removers" is not recommended — risk of bleeding, infection and scarring, plus uncertainty about what you're actually removing. The in-clinic procedure is fast and inexpensive enough that home methods aren't worth the trouble.
Will they come back?
The tags we remove won't grow back. New tags can appear elsewhere over years, especially in friction areas — we typically clear them at the next routine visit. Patients with metabolic causes who improve insulin resistance see fewer new tags over time.
Does removal leave a scar?
Small tags removed by snip or radiofrequency typically heal flat with no visible mark in 1–2 weeks. Larger tags may leave a faint mark for a few months. We'll discuss what to expect for your specific tags before starting.
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