Understanding Skin Tags: Causes, Risks, Safe Removal Methods and What They Cost

For most of us, skin tags are just another niggle of ageing. But rather than simply putting up with them, we’ve taken a deep dive into exactly what they are, what causes them, and most importantly, how you can get rid of them – including what it’s likely to cost you.

The good news is you’re far from alone, with studies suggesting anywhere from 50 to 60 per cent of us will develop at least one skin tag in our lifetimes. The other good news? They’re usually completely harmless.

What are skin tags?

Skin tags are common growths that usually look like small patches of hanging skin. While many of us will develop one, the probability of their occurrence increases as we enter our 50s and affects both women and men equally.

The “tag” itself usually consists of fat, collagen, nerve cells and small blood vessels, which means any dodgy attempts to remove them at home can risk infection. They can pop up anywhere on the body but usually do so on the neck, underarms, under breasts, eyelids, and other skin folds. Most often they will go unnoticed for some time, starting out as small flesh-coloured bumps and eventually growing into larger tags.

Why do we get them?

The exact cause of skin tags isn’t widely known, though they do occur more frequently in individuals suffering from obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndromes, and in people with a family history of skin tags. It’s believed there is a link with hormonal changes, backed up by the fact that many women see an increase during pregnancy.

They are usually entirely benign and painless, however they can become irritated if bumped. If you do notice any sudden change in colour, size or shape, or any bleeding, it’s still worth getting checked by a GP just in case.

How do I prevent skin tags?

While the cause is unknown, prevention is somewhat difficult, though experts suggest that if you are overweight, changes in your lifestyle could help prevent them from developing. Sticking to a diet low in saturated fat, getting regular exercise, keeping skin folds dry and avoiding clothes and jewellery that may irritate the skin, are ways to reduce your chance of getting skin tags.

How can I tell a skin tag from something more serious?

This is worth understanding properly, particularly given how common skin cancer is in Australia. A typical skin tag is soft, flesh-coloured or slightly darker, hangs off a thin stalk of skin, and doesn’t change much over time beyond gradually growing a little larger. That’s genuinely different from the warning signs doctors look for with skin cancer, which include a spot that’s asymmetrical, has an irregular or blurred border, contains multiple colours, is larger than about 6mm, or has changed noticeably in size, shape or colour over recent weeks or months.

Skin tags can sometimes be confused with other benign growths too, like seborrheic keratosis (a waxy, “stuck-on” looking growth) or moles, and only a doctor can reliably tell the difference on examination. If you’re ever unsure whether something is a harmless skin tag or worth a proper look, it costs nothing to ask your GP to check at your next visit – and given how common both skin tags and skin cancer are in Australia, it’s a perfectly reasonable, common question to bring to an appointment.

How do I get rid of skin tags naturally?

A quick Google of this question and you’ll have home remedies and old wives’ solutions coming out your ears: tea tree oil, lemon juice, toothpaste and even a particularly painful and dangerous suggestion to just cut them off (don’t!). Home remedies like these are largely unproven and best avoided or you could risk leaving a scar or infection.

We’d recommend you go down the professional path and discuss the options available for you with a doctor, which if you’ve ever had a wart removed is a fairly similar process. They’ll likely suggest either cauterisation, having the skin tag cut off, or cryosurgery where the doctor will freeze the tag off using liquid nitrogen.

What does removal actually cost?

This is the part often left out of skin tag advice, and it’s worth knowing before you book an appointment. In Australia, Medicare rebates for skin tag or mole removal generally only apply when the removal is considered medically necessary – for example, if the tag is bleeding, painful, changing in appearance, becoming infected, or physically interfering with movement (common with tags in the armpit or groin). If you simply want a skin tag removed for cosmetic reasons, Medicare typically won’t cover any part of the cost.

Even when a rebate does apply, it generally only covers part of the fee — a standard GP consultation currently attracts a Medicare rebate of around $43.90, with an out-of-pocket gap fee still commonly payable on top, depending on your doctor’s fees and the complexity of the removal. If you’re considering having several skin tags removed at once, it’s worth asking your doctor upfront which, if any, would be considered medically necessary and eligible for a rebate, versus which would be billed as a purely cosmetic procedure.

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.