What should you know about skin tag on skin?

Skin tags, also called acrochordons, are often soft and flesh-coloured or slightly darker. They may sit on a narrow stalk or have a broader base. Common friction sites include the neck, underarms, eyelids, groin, and skin folds. Rubbing from clothing or jewellery can make one sore or cause minor bleeding. Warts, moles, cysts, and other growths can resemble a skin tag, so a new lesion should not be diagnosed from a picture alone.

Leave an asymptomatic tag alone if it is not bothersome. Keep friction low with comfortable clothing and avoid repeatedly catching it with a razor or accessory. Do not cut, tie, freeze, or apply acids at home. A dermatologist can confirm the diagnosis and remove it when it snags, becomes inflamed, or is cosmetically troubling. Possible clinical approaches include [Skin Tag Removal](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/skin-tag-removal/), [Cryotherapy (Lesion Removal)](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/cryotherapy-lesion-removal/), and [Electrosurgery](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/electrosurgery/).

Arrange an examination if a tag grows quickly, changes colour or shape, becomes firm, ulcerates, or bleeds without repeated rubbing. Seek care sooner for spreading redness, warmth, pus, or increasing pain, which can indicate inflammation or infection. Urgent care is appropriate for bleeding that does not stop with gentle pressure.

Does this have the typical appearance of a skin tag? Is removal medically needed or optional? Which method fits its size and location, and what changes should prompt a follow-up?