How to Remove Skin Tags at Home: A Yale Dermatologist Shares the Safest DIY Method
Millions of adults have them—and a simple household item may be all you need to get rid of yours
Key Takeaways
- Skin tags are extremely common and almost never a sign of anything serious.
- You can leave them alone or have them removed in an easy procedure at a dermatologist’s office.
- The safest DIY method uses dental floss and takes just a few days to work.
If you’ve been wondering how to remove skin tags at home, you are officially one of the millions of DIYers making dermatologists shake their heads and sigh. Is at-home removal ideal? Not really. Are lots of us going to try it anyway? Of course we are! Given that, Annette Czernik, MD, FAAD, assistant professor at Yale New Haven Medical Center, has agreed to walk us through the safest option to treat skin tags yourself.
But first she’d like to say this: “Skin tags are very easy for a dermatologist to remove in the office—and these procedures are fast, generally well tolerated, have a low risk of complications and minimal downtime.” Dr. Czernik adds that a dermatologist will test your skin tag to confirm it is indeed the typical harmless kind. For those reasons, all the cool kids go to the dermatologist for skin tag removal, she says.
Now she’s ready to address the rebel contingent…
Woman's World Answers
What is a skin tag, exactly?
“They’re soft, flesh-colored growths that typically develop in skin folds like the neck, armpits, eyelids, under breasts and groin areas,” explains Dr. Czernik, who sees patients at DermMedical in Stamford, Connecticut. There isn’t a single cause, but factors like friction (skin rubbing against skin or jewelry) and hormonal shifts can be triggers. Skin tags tend to show up in adults and are more common in people dealing with weight fluctuations, insulin resistance, diabetes, pregnancy or menopause. And they’re not something we need to worry much about. “Skin tags rarely signal anything serious,” says Dr. Czernik.
That said, here’s a crucial caution for those who want to learn how to remove a skin tag at home: If a growth changes color rapidly, becomes painful, grows unusually fast or just doesn’t look quite right, do not remove it yourself. Skin tags are usually nothing, but they’re not always nothing. When a skin tag seems off, have it evaluated by a doctor to make sure there’s nothing serious at play.
The safest way to remove a skin tag at home, step by step
“If someone is determined to remove a skin tag at home, I advise against cutting or burning it themselves,” she says. Home remedies like cutting can lead to bleeding and infection. Burning skin tags with a flame can cause scarring and infection. Burning skin tags with chemicals, even from an at-home freezing kit, can severely damage skin without even removing the skin tag. Her recommended method uses something you likely already have in your bathroom: dental floss.
Your guide to the dental floss method
Step 1: Confirm it’s actually a skin tag. It should be soft, flesh-colored and attached by a thin stalk. If you have any doubt at all, stop here and see a doctor.
Step 2: Clean the area thoroughly. Make sure the skin is clean and dry before you begin.
Step 3: Tie clean, fine-caliber dental floss tightly around the base of the tag. Get as close to the skin as possible. The goal is to cut off the skin tag’s blood supply.
Step 4: Leave the floss in place and monitor closely for several days. Keep the area clean throughout the process and avoid picking at it. Without adequate blood supply, the tag will gradually turn black and fall off on its own.
“This technique leads to less bleeding and a lower risk of infection,” Dr. Czernik notes.
Signs of infection to watch for
Even with the safest method, infection is possible. “Signs of infection include increasing redness, swelling, warmth, pain or pus draining from the area,” she says. “The site may also become more tender instead of improving over time.” If symptoms are worsening after a few days, contact a healthcare provider. And go to urgent care or seek prompt medical attention if you develop a fever, significant swelling or spreading redness around the area.
The bottom line: skin tags are nothing to stress about
And there you have it: The dermatologist-approved way to remove skin tags at home yourself, from someone who would genuinely prefer you didn’t. Dr. Czernik adds that skin tags are “more of a cosmetic nuisance than a medical concern,” so you also have the option of just leaving them alone. They’re one of the most common things that happen to human skin, especially as we get older. Handle yours however you see fit—just promise her you’ll keep it clean and skip the surgical scissors.
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