Skin tags are small, soft pieces of skin that stick out on a stem. They are often the same color as your skin. They most often appear on the eyelids, neck, armpits, upper trunk, groin, and body folds. Skin tags are not moles and usually do not turn into cancer.
You are more likely to get skin tags if you are overweight. They also tend to run in families. They commonly appear after middle age.
Skin tags do not require treatment. But if they are bothersome, a doctor can easily remove them, usually by burning or cutting them off. But new skin tags often form. Don't try to remove skin tags on your own.
Your doctor may remove a skin tag in any of these ways:
The procedure may hurt a little, but your doctor will numb the area with an anesthetic before starting the procedure. If the procedure causes any bleeding, your doctor may apply a medicine that helps stop the bleeding. Then the doctor will put a bandage on the area. These procedures may leave scars or marks.
Most skin tags don't need to be treated. But sometimes people want to have them removed because they don't like how the skin tags look or because their skin tags cause discomfort. This can happen when skin tags rub against clothing or get caught in jewelry.
Skin tags are small, soft pieces of skin that stick out on a stem. They most often appear on the neck, armpits, upper trunk, and body folds. The cause of skin tags isn't known. Skin tags are not moles and usually do not turn into cancer.
Home remedies, such as using nail clippers to cut off skin tags or using lotions and pastes to remove moles, may cause bleeding, infection, and scarring. It's important that your doctor check moles before they are removed. It's best to have your doctor remove your moles and skin tags for you.
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