Merck Manual

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Skin Tags

(Acrochordons; Soft Fibromas)

By

Denise M. Aaron

, MD, Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine

Reviewed/Revised Sep 2023
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Skin tags are soft, small, flesh-colored or slightly darker skin growths that develop mostly on the neck, in the armpits, or in the groin area.

Usually, skin tags cause no trouble, but they may be unattractive, and clothing or nearby skin may rub and irritate them so that they bleed or hurt. Some people who have many skin tags have diabetes or prediabetes (insulin resistance).

A doctor can easily remove skin tags by freezing them with liquid nitrogen, cutting them with scissors or a scalpel, or burning them with an electric needle (electrodesiccation). Some doctors recommend testing for diabetes for people who have multiple skin tags.

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