Can You Remove Skin Tags With a Remedy?

Have you wondered about skin tags? These little growths are not dangerous, but they certainly can be annoying. They tend to grow in places where they may encounter the friction of skin rubbing against skin. Consequently, people may find them uncomfortable and many folks also find them unsightly. Doctors remove skin tags by snipping, freezing or shaving them off (StatPearls, March 24, 2020). If the skin tag is too small to grab with tweezers, the doctor may use an electrodesiccation technique. (But if the growth is that small, do you really need to destroy it?) Some people have utilized home remedies to get rid of these tags.

How You Can Remove Skin Tags:

Q. I have a lot of skin tags on my neck. What causes them? Is there a safe way to remove skin tags? I’d especially appreciate any home remedies.

A. Skin tags are small fleshy growths that occur in the armpits, on the neck or sometimes even on the eyelids. They may have a little stalk, and they are the same color as the rest of your skin.

Nobody knows what causes skin tags, but they seem to be more common among older people. In addition, doctors report that they may be associated with obesity and diabetes. Since you have a lot of them on your neck, you should ask your doctor to check for diabetes or metabolic syndrome (Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research, Mar-Apr. 2014). Detecting a metabolic problem would be much more important to your health than getting rid of the skin tags.

When You Can’t Afford a Dermatologist

Q. Is there a safe way to remove unsightly skin tags? I cannot afford a trip to the dermatologist.

Home Remedies for Removal:

Some readers have had success coating skin tags with liquid bandage. Others apply castor oil. One old-fashioned approach is to have someone tie a length of thread or dental floss tightly around the base of the skin tag. This is said to cut off the blood supply, and the tag falls off. Dermatologists discourage such an approach on the grounds that it could cause more problems than it’s worth (irritation, infection).

Unfortunately, we have not seen any clinical trials of these remedies to remove skin tags. If you decide to try one, please tell us what you did and whether or not it worked.

Is There an Alternative to Liquid Bandage?

Q. I read about putting Liquid Bandage on skin tags to get rid of them. When I tried this method, the smell of the Liquid Bandage was so awful, I couldn’t keep up the treatments. I could smell it all day long and I know others around me could too. What other suggestions do you have?

A. Some readers have suggested clear nail polish as an alternative to Liquid Bandage.

You could also check out over-the-counter brands that utilize “cryotherapy” for skin tag removal. Two possibilities include Compound W Freeze Off Skin Tag Remover or Dr. Scholl’s Freeze Away Skin Tag Remover.

Dr. Scholl’s contains dimethyl ether, propane and isobutane. When applied to the skin, this mixture is considered cryotherapy and freezes the skin tag tissue. It should fall off within a week or so. Although dermatologists use “cryosurgery” to remove skin tags, the American Academy of Dermatology does not recommend products you can use at home.

Please share your experience with skin tags in the comment section below.