What is a skin tag?

A skin tag is a soft bit of skin that extends away from the smooth surface of your skin. Also called a cutaneous tag, acrochordon, soft fibroma, or fibroma pendulum, these growths are harmless. They do not increase your risk of skin cancer or any other disease, and they’re not painful. 

Skin tags become more common in middle age and beyond. They occur in both men and women at about the same rate. They are not contagious, and they’re not caused by a virus or bacteria. 

Where do skin tags develop?

Skin tags can occur on any area of your body, but they are more common in areas where your skin encounters friction. Some of the more common sites for skin tags include:

• Groin
• Armpits
• Beneath the breasts
• Upper chest
• Neck
• Eyelids

Some skin tags have a smooth surface, while others appear roughly textured. They sometimes are connected to the rest of the skin by a thin and fleshy stalk. Skin tags usually remain small, but some can grow as large as 5 centimeters in diameter. 

What can be done to remove skin tags?

Unless a skin tag is located in an area where it is irritated by friction, bleeding, or scratching, removal is usually an aesthetic matter.  

Cauterization removes skin tags by burning them with an electrical current. The surrounding skin is unaffected. Cryosurgery uses extreme cold created by liquid nitrogen to freeze away skin tags. 

Skin tags can also be removed by the team at Integrated Dermatology of NJ and your practitioner discusses which approach is best for you.