What should you know about preauricular skin tag newborn?

Preauricular means in front of the ear. A tag may be soft, flesh-coloured, narrow-based, or attached by a wider base. It can be present at birth and may contain only skin or a small amount of cartilage. The clinician will inspect its attachment, the ear itself, hearing history, and any other findings. A tag alone does not establish a wider health problem, but its location makes a newborn examination sensible.

Keep the area clean and dry, and avoid tying thread around the tag, cutting it, or applying home remedies. Photographing it can help you notice changes without repeatedly touching it. Ask the newborn's clinician whether observation is suitable or whether referral is needed. If removal is chosen later, options may include [Skin Tag Removal](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/skin-tag-removal/), [Electrosurgery](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/electrosurgery/), or [Cryotherapy (Lesion Removal)](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/cryotherapy-lesion-removal/); the appropriate approach depends on age, size, attachment, and examination.

Contact the newborn's healthcare professional if the tag becomes red, hot, swollen, painful, bleeding, or produces discharge. Seek urgent care if your baby is feverish, unusually sleepy, feeding poorly, or has redness spreading into nearby skin. A tag that suddenly changes colour or size also deserves prompt review. Do not wait for a routine visit if the lesion is being injured repeatedly by clothing or handling.

Does this look like a typical skin tag, and is there cartilage in it? Should the ears or hearing be assessed? Is observation preferable, and if removal is considered, when and by whom?