What should you know about skin tags on genitals?

A skin tag, also called an acrochordon, may look like a small flesh-coloured or slightly darker flap attached by a narrow stalk. Friction from underwear, skin folds, or movement can irritate it. Genital bumps can also be warts, moles, cysts, or other conditions, so appearance alone cannot establish the cause.

A typical tag is soft and may remain unchanged apart from occasional rubbing or snagging. It is not automatically a sign of a sexually transmitted infection. Avoid shaving over it or applying wart medicine, acids, or tying material around it, because genital skin can be injured easily.

Keep the area gently clean and dry, choose comfortable underwear, and reduce rubbing while the lesion is irritated. Do not cut it off at home. A dermatologist can examine the surface and discuss removal if it catches on clothing, bleeds after repeated trauma, becomes sore, or causes distress.

Depending on its size and attachment, options may include clinician-performed snip removal, cryotherapy, or electrosurgery. The clinician should first make sure the lesion is suitable for the selected method and explain wound care, possible temporary tenderness, and pigment or scar changes.

Arrange an assessment if the growth is new and uncertain, changes quickly, becomes firm, develops an uneven colour, ulcerates, or bleeds without clear rubbing. Seek prompt care for marked pain, spreading redness, pus, fever, or difficulty passing urine. These features do not diagnose a serious condition, but they make an examination more important.

Ask: Does this look like a skin tag or another genital lesion? Is removal medically needed or mainly for comfort? Which method fits its location? How should I protect the area while it heals? Could a sample be needed if the appearance is unusual?