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Skin Tag Removal

More than half of the general population will develop some form of skin tags within their lifetime. For many people unwanted skin tags can be a source of embarrassment or poor self image. Westlake Dermatology offers several skin tag removal procedures to instantly remove skin tags.

What are Skin Tags?

Skin tags are benign skin growths that often look like small balls dangling from the skin. Medically speaking, skin tags are completely harmless. However they often pose a cosmetic concern as they can appear on areas like the eyelids, upper chest, buttocks, groin, neck, and arm pits. Skin tags can vary in number from a single tag to a cluster of hundreds.

Most skin tags are typically small in size, around 1mm-5mm in diameter. However, they can grow to as large as 5 centimeters in diameter, about the size of a fig.

Who gets skin tags?

Men and women of all ages are equally at risk of developing skin tags. Skin tag development is most common in middle age (between 35 and 60 years of age). However skin tags can appear at any age with many children and toddlers developing tags under their arms and neck.

Are skin tags contagious?

Skin tags are not contagious. There is no conclusive evidence that skin tags can be transmitted from person to person through physical contact or any other means.

What causes skin tags?

The exact cause of skin tags is not known. However, many physicians believe skin tags are the result of skin rubbing against other skin as tags commonly occur in skin folds and creases where friction is common. Other research targets trapped collagen and blood vessels within thicker pits of skin as the cause.

Should I try to remove skin tags by myself?

Removing skin tags on your own is not a good idea, especially if the tag is relatively large in size. Skin tags have blood vessels making the area prone to infection if you do not use medically sterile equipment. Also removing skin tags can be quite painful without numbing through local topical anesthesia.

How does Westlake Dermatology remove skin tags?

If your skin tags become bothersome we offer several different methods to remove skin tags including:

  • Freezing the tag off with liquid nitrogen
  • Burning the tag using electric cautery
  • Cutting the tag off using medical scissors

Does skin tag removal hurt?

If the skin tag is small there will be relatively no pain. Removal in this case feels like a small pinprick. For larger skin tags a topical anesthetic will prevent you from feeling any paid during removal.

Does medical insurance cover skin tag removal?

Most medical insurances do not cover the removal of skin tags as they are considered to be elective cosmetic procedures. However, financing for skin removal is available.