Skin Tags
Skin tags are common and usually harmless, but they can catch on clothing or jewellery, or simply bother you. This page explains what they are, why they appear and how the clinic assesses them before any treatment.
Quick answer
Skin tags are small, soft growths that often hang from the skin on a narrow stalk, usually where skin creases or rubs. They are usually harmless. At Naomi Waite Aesthetics in Lancaster, Advanced Electrolysis is the preferred treatment for suitable skin tags, with CryoPen also available. Every skin tag is assessed first.
What are skin tags?
Skin tags are small, soft growths that stick out from the skin, often on a narrow stalk. They are usually skin-coloured or slightly darker, and range from tiny specks to larger tags that are easy to feel. They tend to appear where the skin folds or rubs, such as the neck, armpits, groin, under the breasts and around the eyelids. They do not usually hurt, but they can become sore if they are caught, twisted or rubbed.
Skin tags are common and usually harmless. Some people have just one or two, while others develop several in the same area. People often choose treatment because a tag catches on clothing, jewellery or a razor, becomes irritated, or simply affects how they feel about their skin.
Not every small growth is a skin tag, though. Some marks that look similar need medical review rather than cosmetic treatment, so the clinic never treats a lesion without assessing it first. If a growth bleeds, changes, grows quickly or looks different from your other skin tags, your practitioner will advise you to see your GP before anything else. This is not a formality: it is the first part of treating your skin responsibly.
What causes skin tags?
The exact cause of skin tags is not fully understood. They tend to form where skin rubs against skin or clothing, which is why they so often appear in creases and folds. Skin tags are not contagious and cannot be caught from other people.
Some factors are commonly linked with skin tags:
Having skin tags does not mean you have any of these conditions, and many people develop them for no obvious reason. Keeping skin folds clean and dry, and wearing clothing and jewellery that does not rub, may help reduce irritation, although it will not necessarily stop new tags forming. If you are worried about new skin tags appearing, it is always worth mentioning them to your GP.
- Friction in skin folds, such as the neck, armpits and groin
- Carrying extra weight, which can create more skin folds
- Pregnancy
- Type 2 diabetes
- Getting older, as skin tags become more common with age
- A family tendency, as they can run in families
Related treatments
- Advanced ElectrolysisAdvanced electrolysis is a blemish-removal treatment that uses controlled electrical energy, delivered through a very fine probe, to treat selected superficial blemishes and small vessels. At Naomi Waite Aesthetics in Lancaster it is the preferred route for suitable skin tags, warts and other benign blemishes, once each blemish has been assessed.Find out more
CryoPenCryoPen is a precision cryotherapy device that applies controlled freezing to selected superficial skin lesions. At Naomi Waite Aesthetics in Lancaster it is offered as another option for suitable benign blemishes, such as some skin tags and warts, alongside advanced electrolysis, which is generally the first choice. Every lesion is assessed before treatment.Find out more
Advanced Electrolysis and CryoPen for skin tags at a glance
| Feature | Advanced Electrolysis | CryoPen |
|---|---|---|
| Role at the clinic | Preferred route for suitable lesions | Another available option where suitable |
| What it uses | Controlled electrical energy through a very fine probe | Controlled freezing (cryotherapy) |
| Assessment before treatment | Essential, for every lesion | Essential, for every lesion |
| How the choice is made | At consultation, based on the lesion's type, size and location | At consultation, based on the lesion's type, size and location |
Frequently asked questions
The exact cause is not fully understood, but skin tags tend to form where skin rubs against skin or clothing. They are more common with age, during pregnancy, in people carrying extra weight and in people with type 2 diabetes, although many people develop them for no clear reason.
Advanced Electrolysis is the clinic's preferred route for suitable skin tags, with CryoPen also available where it suits a particular tag better. Your practitioner will assess each tag first and explain which option fits, or whether it should be checked by your GP instead.
This depends on how many tags you have, their size and location, and how your skin heals. Your practitioner will give you an idea at consultation and let you know if a follow-up appointment is recommended.
Comfort varies from person to person and depends on the size and location of the tag. Your practitioner will explain what the treatment feels like and how comfort is managed before starting.
The treated area goes through a healing process, and how it looks while it settles varies with the tag and your skin. Your practitioner will give you aftercare advice and explain what to expect before treatment.
Treatment focuses on the tags that are assessed and treated at your appointment. New skin tags can still develop over time, particularly in areas prone to friction, and your practitioner can talk you through this at consultation.
Suitability depends on your skin, the individual tag and your medical history rather than on skin type alone. Your practitioner will assess all of this at consultation before recommending treatment.
Current prices are listed on our prices page. The cost of your plan depends on the number, size and location of your skin tags, and your practitioner will confirm this at consultation before any treatment is booked.
Advanced Electrolysis is the clinic's preferred blemish-removal route. It uses controlled electrical energy delivered through a very fine probe, so each suitable tag is treated individually. CryoPen is also available where it suits a particular tag better, and your practitioner will explain which route fits yours.
Yes. Every skin tag is assessed before treatment, because some growths that look like skin tags need medical review rather than cosmetic removal. If anything looks unusual, your practitioner will advise you to see your GP first.
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