by Jennifer Flood

Created on: November 06, 2008

Skin tags are small growths that can look like little flaps of skin or like a small ball attached to the skin by a stalk. Skin tags are typically the same color as the surrounding skin, but can also be a shade or two darker than your regular skin tone. Most people, including doctors, refer to skin tags as skin tags, but they can also be called cutaneous papillomas and fibroepithelial polyps. No matter what they are called, skin tags are noncancerous and not dangerous to your health.

While skin tags can be found anywhere they are most likely to be found on your neck, under your breast, under your armpit, on your eyelid, or in your groin area. Except for the eye area, they are typically found where skin rubs together or where clothing might rub and irritate your skin. While they are not dangerous they can be a nuisance as they can be irritated when rubbed by clothing and visible ones can make people self conscious about their appearance.

Skin tags are common and can be found on nearly one out of every two individuals. More adults than children have them and more women than men have them. Obese people tend to have more skin tags since they can occur where skin rubs together. Changes in hormones can attribute to developing skin tags which can account for the reason many women get them for the first time when they are pregnant.

Whether or not skin tags should be removed is more a personal decision than a medical one. Most skin tags are small, but some may grow to be as large as a grape. Location and size are two of the most common reasons that people may choose to have their skin tags removed.

Some healthcare professionals would have you believe that skin tags should only be removed by a doctor. A doctor will either freeze, burn, or cut a skin tag off to remove it. They will remove it right in their office. My mother had one removed on her chest and all the doctor did was attach a pair of tweezers to it, pull it out tight, and cut it off with a small pair of scissors. After he did that he told her that she could easily remove any others she may get by doing the same thing herself.

I believe that most skin tags are easily removed at home. I would not recommend removing a skin tag near your eye by yourself though. I am sure that others have done so successfully, but I would not be comfortable in doing it myself.

There are other successful methods of skin tag removal that you can do at home besides cutting them off:

-fingernail polish. Use clear fingernail polish to cover

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