#REMOVING SKIN TAGS HOW TO#

OK, so staying at a healthy weight and indulging in some self-care might play a role in preventing skin tags, but what if you already have one? Is there anything you can do to safely remove it?įirst off, step away from the scissors and go ahead and book that overdue derm appointment. Gently toning, exfoliating, and applying lotion or oil to keep your skin hydrated and smooth might also help, Dr. 'While you can't change your genetics, maintaining a healthy body weight with diet and exercise will make it less likely that you will develop skin tags,' Dr.

That's also why skin tags are more common around the neck, underarms, and eyelids-areas prone to more friction from skin or clothing.īut there's a genetic component involved, too: 'Skin tags can pop up even in slender patients, and there is commonly a family history of others having them as well,' says Joshua Zeichner, MD, associate professor of dermatology and director of cosmetic & clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital. Theoretically, anyone could get a skin tag, but because they're caused by skin-to-skin friction, they tend to appear more often in people who are overweight or have skin folds (like older adults), Dr. 'Skin tags are formed as a result of excess cells growing on top of each other on the surface of the skin, usually when skin rubs together for a long period of time,' says Dendy Engelman, MD, FACMS, FAAD, a board-certified cosmetic dermatologist. While they may not be as sightly as, say, a well-placed beauty mark, you'll be relieved to know that they're totally harmless. They range in size but are usually between 1 to 5 millimeters and are the same color as your skin. Skin tags (medically known as acrochordons) are small growths on your skin that sort of resemble a mole.

#REMOVING SKIN TAGS HOW TO#

Here, dermatologists give us the low-down on what exactly skin tags are, how to safely remove them, and if they're ever a sign of something more serious.

Meet Our Experts: Dendy Engelman, MD, FACMS, FAAD, board-certified cosmetic dermatologist, Joshua Zeichner, MD, associate professor of dermatology and director of cosmetic & clinical research in dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, Blair Murphy Rose, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist While it might be tempting to pull them off or look up home remedies on how to remove skin tags without booking a visit with your derm, you'll want to save the removal procedure for your doc (trust us). Noticing a cluster of dangly skin on your body is never not concerning. Around 60 percent of adults will develop at least one skin tag in their lifetime, probably after age 40, according to a 2022 StatPearls report. Even if you've never noticed them on others, skin tags are very common.

Removing skin tags