What should you know about bum skin tags?

A skin tag, also called an acrochordon, is a small flap or stalk of skin. Around the buttocks or crease, friction, moisture, and repeated rubbing can make it noticeable or sore. It may be flesh-coloured, slightly darker, smooth, or wrinkled. A bump in this area is not automatically a skin tag; warts, cysts, haemorrhoids, and other lesions can look different and need different care.

Keep the area gently clean and dry, choose breathable underwear, and avoid catching the growth while shaving or wiping. Do not cut, tie off, burn, or apply wart products to it at home, because this can cause bleeding, infection, or a wrong diagnosis. A clinician can inspect the surface and discuss removal if rubbing, snagging, or appearance is troublesome. Options may include skin tag removal, cryotherapy, or electrosurgery, depending on the lesion and its position.

Arrange an assessment if the growth becomes painful, repeatedly bleeds, ulcerates, develops marked colour change, grows quickly, or has an unusual firm base. Seek prompt care for spreading redness, pus, fever, or worsening pain after any procedure. New bleeding from the anus, severe rectal pain, or a mass inside the opening should not be assumed to be a skin tag.

Ask whether the lesion has the typical appearance of a skin tag, whether it should be tested after removal, which method suits its location, and how to care for the area while it heals.