ConditionSkin, hair & nails
Skin Tags
Skin tags (acrochordons) are small, soft, flesh-colored or slightly darker growths that hang from the skin on a thin stalk. They form where skin rubs against skin or clothing, mostly on the neck, armpits, eyelids, groin and under the breasts. About half of adults have at least one. They are harmless and never become cancer, but they can be removed if they catch, bleed or bother you. Having many can be a sign of insulin resistance.
Also called: Acrochordon, acrochorda, soft fibroma, fibroepithelial polyp, skin tabs, cutaneous papilloma
At a glance
- What they are
- Benign growths of loose collagen, blood vessels and skin on a narrow stalk.
- Who gets them
- Very common after 40, and in people with obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes or pregnancy.
- Where
- Neck, armpits, eyelids, groin, under breasts, folds of the belly.
- How serious
- Harmless. They do not turn into cancer.
- Treatment
- None needed. Snip excision, freezing or cautery by a clinician if they bother you.
When to get help
See a doctor within a day or two
- A growth that bleeds without being caught, changes color quickly, or grows over weeks
- A tag that has twisted and turned black and painful, with spreading redness or pus
Book a routine appointment
- A growth that is dark, multicolored, firm, or not on a stalk, to rule out a mole, wart or skin cancer
- Growths in the genital or anal area, to rule out genital warts
- Many skin tags appearing in a short time, especially with dark velvety skin on the neck or armpits
- A tag that keeps catching on jewelry or clothing and you would like it removed
Usually safe to manage at home
- A small, typical, painless skin tag: it can safely be left alone
What do skin tags look like?
- soft, smooth, fleshy growths, usually 1 to 5 mm, sometimes up to 1 cm or more
- attached by a thin stalk (peduncle), so they hang or wobble
- skin-colored, light brown or slightly darker than nearby skin
- painless unless twisted, caught or irritated
- often several at once, sometimes looking like tiny grains of rice
Some start as flat, tiny bumps and later develop a stalk. A tag that twists on its stalk can lose its blood supply, turn dark red or black, and fall off by itself over a few days.
Skin tags vs polyps
"Polyp" is a general word for any growth that sticks out from a surface on a stalk. Skin tags are sometimes called skin polyps or fibroepithelial polyps, and the skin polyp page covers that term and its lookalikes. Polyps inside the body are different.
| Growth | Where | What it is | Cancer risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skin tag | Skin folds | Soft flap of collagen and skin | None |
| Colorectal polyp | Inside the colon or rectum | Growth of the bowel lining, seen on colonoscopy | Some types (adenomas) can become cancer, so they are removed |
| Nasal polyp | Inside the nose | Soft swelling of inflamed sinus lining | None |
| Cervical or endometrial polyp | Cervix or womb lining | Overgrowth of the lining | Usually benign, sometimes checked |
| Anal skin tag | Edge of the anus | Leftover skin after a hemorrhoid or fissure, or from Crohn's disease | None |
Skin tags on the skin are not linked to polyps in the bowel. Older research suggested a link with colon polyps, but it has not been confirmed. Colon screening should follow standard age and risk guidance, not the presence of skin tags.
Skin tags vs other skin growths
| Growth | Distinguishing features |
|---|---|
| Skin tag | Soft, on a stalk, in skin folds, smooth surface |
| Seborrheic keratosis | Waxy, "stuck-on", warty, brown to black, flat or raised |
| Mole (nevus) | Usually brown, round, can be raised but firm and not on a thin stalk |
| Genital warts | Rough or cauliflower-like, in the genital area, spread by sexual contact |
| Neurofibroma | Soft lump that sinks into the skin when pressed ("buttonholing"), seen in neurofibromatosis |
| Basal cell carcinoma | Pearly bump with tiny blood vessels, may bleed or ulcerate, does not hang on a stalk |
What causes skin tags?
The exact cause is unknown, but several factors are clearly involved:
- Friction: skin rubbing against skin, collars, bra straps or necklaces.
- Age: they become much more common after 40.
- Weight: more common with obesity and deep skin folds.
- Insulin resistance and diabetes: high insulin levels stimulate skin growth. People with many skin tags have a higher chance of prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, high lipids and metabolic syndrome. Skin tags often appear with acanthosis nigricans, dark velvety skin on the neck and armpits.
- Pregnancy: hormonal changes trigger tags, which may shrink after birth.
- Genetics: they run in families. Rare syndromes such as Birt-Hogg-Dube cause many skin-colored bumps that can look like tags.
- HPV: low-risk HPV types have been found in some tags, but they are not considered contagious.
Are skin tags dangerous?
No. Skin tags are benign and do not become cancerous. Problems are minor: irritation, bleeding when caught by a razor or jewelry, or a painful twisted tag. The main reason to see a doctor is to make sure a growth really is a skin tag. Having many tags can also be a useful prompt to check blood sugar and cholesterol.
Skin tag removal
Removal is optional and usually considered cosmetic, so insurance may not cover it unless the tag is symptomatic. Options a clinician may use:
- Snip excision: cutting the stalk with sterile scissors or a scalpel, often with a numbing injection for larger tags. Quick, with minimal bleeding.
- Cryotherapy: freezing with liquid nitrogen. The tag falls off within 1 to 2 weeks. It may leave a lighter spot, especially on darker skin.
- Electrocautery: burning through the stalk with an electric current, which also seals the blood vessel.
- Ligation: tying off the base so the tag loses its blood supply and falls off.
Eyelid tags should be removed by a dermatologist or eye doctor.
Is it safe to remove skin tags at home?
Home methods such as cutting, tying with thread, over-the-counter freezing kits and removal patches are widely sold. Cutting can cause bleeding and infection, and freezing kits may not reach low enough temperatures. Removing a growth without a diagnosis risks missing a skin cancer. Never try home removal near the eyes or genitals. Apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil and toothpaste have no good evidence and can burn the skin.
Prevention
You cannot fully prevent skin tags, but you can reduce new ones:
- keep a healthy weight and manage blood sugar
- reduce friction from tight collars, necklaces and bra straps
- keep skin folds clean and dry
New tags can appear after removal, because the underlying tendency remains.
Frequently asked questions
What causes skin tags?
Skin tags form where skin rubs against skin or clothing. They are more common with age, obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes and pregnancy, and they run in families. They are not caused by poor hygiene and are not considered contagious.
Are skin tags a sign of diabetes?
They can be. People with many skin tags are more likely to have insulin resistance, prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, especially when tags appear with dark, velvety skin on the neck or armpits. A simple blood test can check your blood sugar.
What is the difference between a skin tag and a polyp?
A skin tag is a soft, harmless growth on the skin. A polyp is any growth on a stalk, and the word is used mostly for growths inside the body, such as in the colon or nose. Some colon polyps can turn into cancer, but skin tags never do.
Can you cut off a skin tag yourself?
It is not recommended. Cutting can cause heavy bleeding and infection, and you may remove a growth that is not a skin tag. A clinician can remove skin tags quickly and safely with sterile tools, freezing or cautery after confirming the diagnosis.
Do skin tags come back after removal?
A removed skin tag does not grow back in the same spot, but new ones often form elsewhere because the tendency remains. Keeping a healthy weight, managing blood sugar and reducing friction may slow the appearance of new tags.
Do skin tags fall off on their own?
Sometimes. If a skin tag twists on its stalk, its blood supply is cut off. It turns dark red or black and falls off within days to weeks. See a doctor if it is very painful, bleeds a lot, or the area becomes red and swollen.
Sources
This guide was written from current patient and clinical guidance, including:
- American Academy of Dermatology: Skin tags
- American Osteopathic College of Dermatology: Skin tags
- NHS: Skin tags
- MedlinePlus: Skin tag
- DermNet: Skin tag (acrochordon)