What should you know about getting skin tags?

A skin tag, also called an acrochordon or fibroepithelial polyp, is a soft piece of skin that often hangs from a narrow stalk. It commonly appears where skin rubs against skin or clothing, including the neck, eyelids, underarms, groin, and beneath the breasts. It may match your skin tone or look darker, and it can become irritated when it twists or catches.

Leave an uncomplicated tag alone if it is not bothering you. Do not cut, tie off, burn, or apply wart products at home: a look-alike mole or other lesion can be injured, and bleeding or infection may follow. A clinician can confirm the diagnosis and discuss removal for rubbing, snagging, discomfort, or appearance. Options may include [Skin Tag Removal](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/skin-tag-removal/), [Cryotherapy (Lesion Removal)](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/cryotherapy-lesion-removal/), or [Electrosurgery](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/electrosurgery/).

Arrange a skin examination if the growth changes quickly, develops several colours, becomes persistently painful, bleeds without being rubbed, forms an open sore, or does not resemble your other skin tags. Seek prompt care for bleeding that will not stop with gentle pressure, spreading redness, pus, fever, or severe pain after an injury.

Ask whether the growth has the typical appearance of a skin tag, whether removal is medically appropriate, which technique fits its size and location, and how to care for the area while it heals.