What should you know about burning off skin tags?

A skin tag, or acrochordon, is a soft piece of skin often attached by a narrow stalk. Electrosurgery uses controlled heat to seal and remove the tissue. Cryotherapy uses cold to destroy the growth, while a clinician may remove a tag by another minor procedure. The choice depends on its size, base, location, and your skin history. A dark, firm, painful, rapidly changing, or bleeding growth deserves assessment rather than self-treatment.

Do not use household heat, chemicals, scissors, or unregulated kits. These can injure nearby skin and make it harder to identify the original lesion. At a consultation, mention diabetes, medicines that affect bleeding, poor wound healing, or a tendency to form raised scars. After removal, keep the site clean and dry as instructed, avoid picking a crust, and reduce rubbing from tight clothing. See [Skin Tag Removal](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/skin-tag-removal/) for an overview of professional options.

Seek prompt advice if a lesion bleeds heavily, becomes increasingly red or swollen, drains pus, or causes worsening pain after treatment. Before removal, arrange a review if it has changed or does not look like your other skin tags. A fever or feeling unwell with a worsening wound also needs medical attention.

Ask which method fits the tag, whether a sample should be examined, how discomfort will be managed, what wound care is needed, and what change would require a follow-up.