Skin tags are benign growths that occur on the skin. They most often develop on the neck or in the groin or armpits, and they may range in size from 1mm to 5mm. While removal of skin tags may be necessary because of their location and tendency to become irritated, most are removed for cosmetic reasons. You can get rid of skin tags at home in most cases, or you can visit your doctor for additional treatment.
Step 1
Use a suture thread or fine thread to tie off your skin tag at its base. Tying off your skin tag will cut off circulation to the tissue, causing the tag to die and drop off.
Step 2
Sterilize a sharp pair of scissors with alcohol and snip small skin tags off at home, with your doctor's permission. This method of removing a skin tag may cause slight bleeding and temporary pain. You can minimize pain by numbing the area with a topical numbing agent or with ice.
Step 3
Visit your doctor to have your skin tag cut off. Your doctor can numb the area using local anesthetic, and then slice the tag off your skin with a scalpel. This procedure takes only a couple of minutes and can be done right in your doctor's office.
Step 4
Agree to electrocautery. Electrocautery removes skin tags by burning the tissue. The procedure is done on an outpatient basis, requires little recovery time and is mostly painless.
Step 5
Undergo cryosurgery or laser treatments to get rid of skin tags. Cryosurgery uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the tag, causing it to die and fall off. Laser surgery is beneficial for larger tags and is a good choice when the surrounding skin requires resurfacing. Both of these procedures may cause scarring.
Things You'll Need
- Fine thread
- Sharp scissors
- Rubbing alcohol
