Depending on where your skin tags are located, you might choose not to have them removed. However, you might want to seek treatment for cosmetic reasons if, for instance, you have one on an eyelid and it detracts from your appearance. Another reason to have skin tags removed is if they are in an area that gets a lot of friction, even just from wearing clothes or jewelry, causing irritation and bleeding.
Sometimes skin tags fall off on their own as they get pulled and irritated. A dermatologist can also remove them with a minor surgical procedure, says Baxt.
Options for treatment include cryosurgery, which involves freezing the skin tags, or electrocautery, which burns them off or destroys the tissue with heat. If the skin tags are hanging, cutting them off with medical scissors is another option. These are simple surgical procedures that cause minimal discomfort, minimal recovery time, and minimal scarring, says Baxt.
If a skin tag bleeds or becomes itchy, crusty, or flaky, have a dermatologist take a look at it.
