1. Adult Skin Problems Slideshow Pictures
2. Gallery of Skin Problems and Image Collection
3. Childhood Skin Problems Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Nili N. Alai, MD, FAAD

Nili N. Alai, MD, FAAD

Dr. Alai is an actively practicing medical and surgical dermatologist in south Orange County, California. She has been a professor of dermatology and family medicine at the University of California, Irvine since 2000. She is U.S. board-certified in dermatology, a 10-year-certified fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, and Fellow of the American Society of Mohs Surgery.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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In this Article

• What is a skin tag?
• Where do skin tags occur?
• Who tends to get skin tags?
• Will removing a skin tag cause more to grow?
• Is a skin tag a tumor?
• Are skin tags contagious?
• What does a skin tag look like under a microscope?
• What problems do skin tags cause?
• How are skin tags treated?
• Does medical insurance cover skin tag removal?
• Do any creams remove skin tags?
• Should I worry about cutting my skin tag by shaving?
• Do skin tags need to be sent for biopsy?
• Are there vaginal skin tags?
• Can you get skin tags on the penis and scrotum?
• What happens when a skin tag suddenly turns purple or black?
• What else could it be?
• Is there another medical name for a skin tag?
• Skin Tag At A Glance
• Pictures of Adult Skin Problems - Slideshow
• Gallery of Skin Problems Pictures and Images Collection
• Pictures of Child Skin Problems - Slideshow
• Patient Comments: Skin Tag - Symptoms
• Patient Comments: Skin Tag - Removal
• Patient Comments: Skin Tag - Describe Your Experience
• Find a local Dermatologist in your town
• Skin Tag Index

There is no evidence that removing a skin tag will cause more tags to grow. There is no expectation of causing skin tags to "seed" or spread by removing them. In reality, some people are simply more prone to developing skin tags and may have new growths periodically. Some individuals require periodic removal of tags at annual or even quarterly intervals.

Skin tags are a type of harmless skin growth or tumor, but they are completely benign. Tags are generally not cancerous (malignant) and don't become cancerous if left untreated.

There are extremely rare instances where a skin tag may become precancerous or cancerous. Skin tag-like bumps that bleed, grow, or display multiple colors like pink, brown, red, or black can require a biopsy to exclude other causes like skin cancer.

No. There is not strong evidence to suggest that common skin tags are contagious. Most likely, people do not catch them from anyone and do not transmit them to anyone.

While warts are caused by a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV) and are known to be very contagious, most skin tags are not thought to be caused by HPV. HPV is associated with the development of warts in all areas of the body covered by skin, including the anal and genital areas.