Skin Tag Removal: What to Expect
Skin tags are harmless, extremely common, and quick to remove. Most people put it off for years and then wonder why they waited — the appointment is usually shorter than the drive there.
What a skin tag is
A small, soft growth of skin, usually attached by a narrow stalk. They are benign. They are not contagious, not a sign of anything serious, and not caused by anything you did.
They form where skin rubs against skin or clothing, which is why they appear in predictable places: the neck, underarms, eyelids, under the bust, and in the groin. They become more common with age, and more common where there is friction.
The one thing to check first
Not every small growth is a skin tag
Moles, warts, seborrhoeic keratoses and — occasionally — things that need proper medical attention can look similar to an untrained eye.
Anything that has changed in size, shape or colour, anything that bleeds without being caught, anything pigmented or with an irregular border, and anything that itches or does not heal should be assessed before it is removed, not after.
This is the main reason not to treat a growth at home. Removing something without knowing what it is removes the evidence as well as the lesion.
At your consultation we examine it first. If anything about it needs a medical opinion rather than a cosmetic one, we will say so and refer you.
Why not to do it yourself
- Infection. Non-sterile tools and an open wound in a friction area is a poor combination.
- Scarring. Cutting or tying off a tag commonly leaves a mark considerably more noticeable than the tag was.
- Bleeding. Even small tags have a blood supply, and some bleed far more than people expect.
- Misdiagnosis. Covered above, and the most important of the four.
Home removal kits and the various tying-off methods circulating online carry all four risks at once. The clinic version takes a few minutes and costs less than most people assume.
How removal works
At Skin Reform we use coagulation. The common approaches are below.
Cautery or electrocoagulation
A fine probe delivers heat to the base of the tag, removing it and sealing the small vessels at the same time. Quick, precise, minimal bleeding, and well suited to multiple tags in one sitting. This is the most common approach for straightforward tags.
Cryotherapy
Freezing the tag so the tissue dies and falls away over the following days. Fast, though it can be less precise on very small tags and sometimes needs repeating.
Surgical snip
Removing the tag at the base with sterile scissors or a blade. Suited to larger tags or those on a broad base.
What the appointment is like
- Assessment first. We examine what is actually there before removing anything.
- The area is cleaned and, depending on size and site, numbed. Many small tags are removed without numbing because the treatment is faster than the anaesthetic.
- Removal itself — seconds per tag. Multiple tags are routinely done in one visit.
- Aftercare advice, and you leave. There is no recovery period.
Total appointment time is usually fifteen to thirty minutes, including the conversation.
Does it hurt?
Yes, but we apply numbing cream. Most people describe a brief sting or a hot pinprick per tag, lasting a second or two.
Areas with thinner skin — eyelids, neck — are more sensitive than the underarm or trunk.
Healing
- A small scab forms within a day and falls away on its own over one to two weeks
- Do not pick it. Picking is the single most common cause of a visible mark afterwards, and the mark lasts far longer than the scab would have.
- Keep the area clean and dry for 48 hours. Avoid swimming pools and saunas in that period
- Pink or slightly darker marks are normal for several weeks and fade
- Sunscreen on healing areas, particularly on the neck and face, reduces the risk of a lasting pigment mark
Contact the clinic if the area becomes increasingly painful, red and warm rather than settling, if there is discharge, or if bleeding does not stop with gentle pressure.
Will they come back?
The tag that is removed does not return. New ones can form, in the same area or elsewhere, because the tendency to develop them is yours rather than the tag's.
Reducing friction helps — looser collars, well-fitting clothing, and managing any area where skin rubs. Many people have one appointment, have several removed, and never need another. Others come back every few years.
Cost
Skin tag removal at Skin Reform starts from R850, with pricing for multiple tags in one session. Because it depends on number, size and site, we confirm the cost at the consultation before anything is done — you will not be surprised at the till.
Common questions
How many can be removed in one appointment?
Many, in a session of up to an hour. Several is routine.
Will it leave a scar?
Usually no visible mark, particularly on smaller tags. Larger ones may leave a faint flat mark that fades. Aftercare makes a genuine difference here.
Is it covered by medical aid?
Skin tag removal is generally treated as cosmetic unless there is a medical reason, so usually not. Check with your scheme.
Can you remove tags on my eyelid?
Often yes, with care, depending on exactly where it sits. This is assessed at consultation.
Book a free consultation
Skin tag removal is available at all four Skin Reform clinics — Sandton, Greenstone, Centurion and Cape Town. Consultation is free, and in many cases removal can be done in the same visit.
This article is for general information and does not constitute medical advice. Individual results vary. Suitability for any treatment is determined at consultation.