Are Skin Tags Dangerous? Signs You Should Have Them Checked

They often appear around the neck, underarms, groin, beneath the breasts and around the eyelids. Many people develop several during their lifetime without them causing any medical problem.

However, there is an important distinction between knowing that skin tags themselves are generally harmless and assuming that every unfamiliar skin growth is a skin tag.

If you’re uncertain about a lesion, professional assessment is the safest approach.

Are Skin Tags Cancerous?

A typical skin tag is a benign growth rather than a skin cancer.

Skin tags, or acrochordons, are made from normal components of the skin and often hang from its surface on a small stalk.

A typical skin tag may be:

• Soft
• Flesh-coloured
• Slightly darker than surrounding skin
• Smooth or mildly wrinkled
• Small and raised
• Painless

The difficulty is that patients aren’t necessarily expected to know how to distinguish every type of skin lesion.

Moles, warts, seborrhoeic keratoses and other growths can sometimes be mistaken for one another.

That is why diagnosis should not be based solely on photographs found online.

When Should a Skin Tag Be Checked?

A longstanding skin tag that has remained unchanged is generally very different from a newly developing or changing skin lesion.

You should seek appropriate medical advice if you are concerned about a lesion, particularly if you notice changes such as:

Rapid growth

Skin lesions can change over time, but a growth that increases rapidly in size deserves assessment.

Unexpected bleeding

A skin tag can bleed if it is caught while shaving or snagged by clothing or jewellery.

However, unexplained or repeated bleeding should not simply be ignored.

Significant colour change

Skin tags can vary naturally in colour, but a lesion that noticeably changes colour should be assessed rather than automatically treated as a skin tag.

Persistent pain

Skin tags are normally painless.

They can become sore if twisted, rubbed or traumatised, but persistent unexplained pain warrants professional advice.

Ulceration or failure to heal

A lesion that repeatedly crusts, ulcerates or fails to heal should be medically assessed.

You’re simply unsure what it is

This is perhaps the most important one.

You do not need to diagnose your own skin lesion.

If something looks unusual or you’re uncertain whether it is a skin tag, mole, wart or another type of lesion, arrange an appropriate assessment.

Why Can a Skin Tag Suddenly Become Sore?

Even a completely benign skin tag can occasionally become uncomfortable.

Imagine a small skin tag sitting underneath a shirt collar every day.

Repeated movement causes the collar to rub against it. Eventually it becomes red and irritated.

The same can happen when a skin tag:

• Catches on jewellery
• Rubs against clothing
• Is accidentally scratched
• Is caught during shaving
• Becomes twisted
• Sits within a high-friction skin fold

Irritation does not automatically mean something dangerous is happening.

However, if the symptoms persist or you’re concerned, have it assessed.

What If a Skin Tag Starts Bleeding?

One of the most common causes is trauma.

A raised skin tag can easily be nicked with a razor or caught accidentally.

Because skin tags contain blood vessels, they can bleed when damaged.

The important distinction is between a lesion that bleeds because you clearly caught it and one that repeatedly or spontaneously bleeds without an obvious explanation.

The latter deserves medical attention.

What If My Skin Tag Turns Dark?

Skin tags can sometimes become darker, particularly if their blood supply is disrupted after twisting.

However, colour changes in an unidentified skin lesion should not automatically be attributed to this.

If a lesion has recently changed significantly in colour or appearance, seek professional medical assessment.

Skin Tag, Mole or Wart?

This is where self-diagnosis becomes difficult.

Skin tags

Usually soft and often attached by a narrow stalk.

Moles

Can be flat or raised and vary considerably in colour, size and appearance.

Warts

Often have a firmer or rougher surface and are caused by certain strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV).

Seborrhoeic keratoses

Common benign growths that often develop with age and can have a raised, textured or “stuck-on” appearance.

Although descriptions are useful educationally, they aren’t a substitute for assessment of an individual lesion.

This also gives us a perfect opportunity for a future article:

Mole or Skin Tag? How to Tell the Difference

Should I Cut a Skin Tag Off Myself?

We don’t recommend attempting to cut or otherwise remove an unidentified skin lesion yourself.

Aside from discomfort, DIY removal can result in:

• Bleeding
• Infection
• Scarring
• Skin damage
• Incomplete removal

More importantly, you may remove something you’ve incorrectly assumed is a skin tag.

Professional treatment allows assessment to take place first.

What About Skin Tag Removal Kits?

There are numerous products marketed online for home skin tag removal.

Their suitability and effectiveness can vary, and treating lesions close to delicate structures such as the eye presents additional concerns.

The underlying problem remains the same: you need to know what you’re treating.

If a skin growth bothers you, professional assessment followed by appropriate treatment provides a controlled alternative.

Can Skin Tags Become Dangerous If You Leave Them?

Typical skin tags generally don’t need to be removed for medical reasons simply because they exist.

Many people live with them indefinitely.

Removal is commonly considered because the tag:

• Repeatedly catches
• Becomes irritated
• Interferes with shaving
• Rubs against clothing
• Is in a prominent facial area
• Causes a cosmetic concern

In other words, removal is often a matter of comfort or appearance rather than necessity.

When Is Professional Skin Tag Removal Worth Considering

You might consider professional removal if you have already established that the lesion is suitable for cosmetic treatment and it is:

Frequently irritated: particularly around collars, bra straps or other areas of friction.

Catching during shaving: common with skin tags on the neck or underarms.

In a prominent position: facial and eyelid skin tags can feel disproportionately noticeable because of their location.

Affecting your confidence: benign doesn’t mean you have to like how a lesion looks.

Increasing in number: several skin tags may be treated depending on their size and location.

Skin Tag Removal in London & Kent

The Thread Vein Clinic provides professional skin tag and mole removal for suitable lesions from our clinics in Harley Street, London and Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

The appropriate approach depends on factors including:

• Size
• Location
• Number of lesions
• Skin characteristics
• Medical assessment
• Desired cosmetic outcome

Your clinician will discuss the recommended approach and expected healing before treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are skin tags dangerous?

Typical skin tags are benign and generally harmless. However, an unfamiliar or changing skin lesion should not automatically be assumed to be a skin tag.

Can a skin tag become cancerous?

Skin tags themselves are benign. The more important concern is whether a growth has been correctly identified as a skin tag in the first place.

Should I worry if a skin tag bleeds?

Skin tags can bleed following trauma, such as shaving or catching on clothing. Unexplained, repeated or persistent bleeding should be professionally assessed.

Should I worry if my skin tag changes colour?

A skin tag may occasionally change colour following irritation or twisting, but significant changes in the appearance of an unidentified skin lesion warrant medical assessment.

Do skin tags need to be removed?

Not necessarily. Many require no treatment at all. Cosmetic removal may be considered when they become irritated, catch frequently or cause aesthetic concerns.

Can I remove a skin tag myself?

Professional assessment and removal are preferable to attempting to cut, burn or otherwise treat an unidentified skin growth yourself.

Concerned About a Skin Tag?

Most skin tags are harmless, but you should never feel that you have to diagnose an unfamiliar skin lesion yourself.

If a skin tag has been assessed and you’re considering removal for cosmetic reasons or because it repeatedly becomes irritated, The Thread Vein Clinic provides professional skin tag removal in London and Kent.

Book a consultation to have your concerns assessed and discuss the treatment options available to you.