Skin tags are benign skin growths that often look like small balls dangling from the skin. Medically speaking, skin tags are completely harmless. However they often pose a cosmetic concern as they can appear on areas like the eyelids, upper chest, buttocks, groin, neck, and arm pits. Skin tags can vary in number from a single tag to a cluster of hundreds. Most skin tags are typically small in size, around 1mm-5mm in diameter. However, they can grow to as large as 5 centimeters in diameter, about the size of a fig.

The exact cause of skin tags is not known. However, many physicians believe skin tags are the result of skin rubbing against other skin as tags commonly occur in skin folds and creases where friction is common, such as under their arms and neck. Other research targets trapped collagen and blood vessels within thicker pits of skin as the cause. Skin tags are not contagious.

Removing skin tags on your own is not a good idea, especially if the tag is relatively large in size. Skin tags have blood vessels making the area prone to infection if you do not use medically sterile equipment. Also removing skin tags can be quite painful without numbing through local topical anesthesia.

If your skin tags become bothersome we offer several different methods to remove skin tags including:

• Freezing the tag off with liquid nitrogen
• Burning the tag using electric cautery
• Cutting the tag off cleanly using medical scissors or a very sharp scalpel 

These methods leave a tiny incision that should heal with no scarring and present little risk of infection. The procedure is fast and easy, with no downtime. Once the incisions heal, most patients can’t even tell where the skin tags had once been.

If the skin tag is small there will be relatively no pain. Removal in this case feels like a small pinprick. For larger skin tags a topical anesthetic will prevent you from feeling any paid during removal.

Most medical insurances do not cover the removal of skin tags as they are considered to be elective cosmetic procedures. 

When you’re ready to have your skin tags removed, you should make an appointment with a dermatologist and have them removed safely. Schedule an appointment for skin tag removal at Annexus Dermatology & Aesthetics today. Book a consultation online or call the office and speak with a friendly staff member.