Can you remove skin tags at home?
In adults with skin tags, including anal or perianal skin tags, how do self-performed home removal methods (such as tying off with thread/floss, over-the-counter freezing kits, or cutting) compare with professional removal in terms of successful removal, recurrence, and complication rates?
How people search for this, in their own words
- “can you remove skin tags at home”
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Evidence review in plain language · compiled 2026-11-03 · checked 2026-11-03 · next 2026-12-03 · automated review, how it works
What the evidence says
Bottom line
No study has directly compared removing a skin tag at home with having it removed by a doctor.
The 6 studies found look at related but different questions: single case reports of herbal topical treatments, one trial comparing two home freezing devices against each other, and a report of injuries from unapproved chemical removers. None of them test thread-tying or cutting at home, and none compare any home method with professional removal, so this exact question has not been answered.
How well studied
Little evidence
The 6 human studies found measure a related question rather than this one, so they can only be read indirectly.
This question weighs several approaches rather than testing one treatment, so there is no single works-or-doesn't verdict. What can be shown is how well it has been studied.
- answer it directly
- 0answer it directly
- studies found
- 6studies found
- randomised trial
- 1randomised trial
- people studied
- 97people studied
- years covered
- 2021–2025years covered
What the research shows
Complete removal of the skin tag
No study compared home methods with professional removal for this outcome. One small trial found a specific freezing device cleared more skin tags than a different freezing device [6]. Single case reports describe skin tags resolving after herbal topical treatment, but these are one-patient reports that cannot show what happens in general [1, 2, 3].[1,2,3,4]
Too little evidence
Too little evidence
Infection or wound complications
A report of 38 cases found serious skin injuries, including burns and ulceration, after people used unapproved caustic mole-and-skin-tag removers at home [5]. Thread-tying and cutting at home were not studied for this outcome.[1]
Some evidence
Bleeding
None of the 6 studies measured bleeding as an outcome, for any home method or for professional removal.
Not studied
Pain during or after removal
Caustic home removers caused significant pain as part of serious skin injuries in a case series [5]. Herbal topical treatments caused mild, temporary pain, burning, or swelling in individual case reports [1, 3]. Pain with thread-tying, cutting, or OTC freezing kits was not reported.[1,2,3]
Some evidence
Scarring
Permanent scarring and disfigurement were reported after use of unapproved chemical mole-and-skin-tag removers, including on the face near the eye in some cases [5]. Scarring was not reported in the herbal treatment case reports, but these followed only one patient each for a few months [1, 2, 3].[1]
Some evidence
What the studies found
- In one small trial, a specific over-the-counter home freezing device cleared more skin tags than a different home freezing device after a short follow-up.[1]
- In single case reports, a traditional herbal topical treatment applied at home was followed by the skin tag resolving within one to two weeks, with no recurrence seen at 3 to 6 months.[1,2,3]
- An experimental topical gel containing oregano oil was followed by shrinking of skin tags over one to two months in an uncontrolled study.[1]
Important limitations
- None of these studies compared home removal with professional, in-office removal. One trial (6) compared two home freezing devices against each other, but no study tells us whether any home method gives similar, better, or worse results than having a skin tag removed by a clinician.[1,2,3,4,5,6]
- Three of the studies are single case reports describing one patient each, which cannot show whether a result is typical or just chance.[1,2,3]
- The freezing device trial compared two home products head to head rather than home versus professional removal, used a small sample, and followed people for only a short time.[1]
- The injury report relies on adverse event databases and online product reviews, which likely miss many cases and lack clinical detail.[1]
- All 6 studies were done on skin tags elsewhere on the body (buttock, thigh, neck, breast, or underarms); none looked at anal or perianal skin tags specifically, so these findings may not carry over to that location, which has different anatomy and risk considerations.[1,2,3,4,5,6]
What kind of studies
- Case series4 · 67%
- Prospective cohort1 · 17%
- Randomised trial1 · 17%
The key studies
Karan Chand Mohan Singh et al. 2025
Efficacy of External Siddha Pharmacotherapy for Giant Acrochordon: A Case Report
Skin tag resolved with home remedy.Case seriesVery low qualityRelated question
1 peoplesix months
the skin tag completely resolved within 15 days, with no recurrence or complications at follow-up up to six months
- Who was studied
- 50-year-old man with a large skin tag on the buttock area, present for 15 years
- What they received
- a traditional Siddha topical medicine (Pachaieruvai) applied at home for 10 days
- Compared with
- none - no comparison group or clinician-performed removal
- Main outcome
- whether the skin tag resolved and stayed resolved
- Quality
- this is a single patient case report with no control group, so it cannot tell us how home treatment compares to professional removal
- Limitations
- single case, no controlled comparison, small sample size noted by authors, safety concerns about an arsenic-containing ingredient
Taken word for word from the abstract
- population
a 50-year-old male who had a large skin tag on his gluteal region that had been growing for 15 years
- intervention
he applied the topical preparation for 10 days
- comparator
Opting for Pachaieruvai over surgery
- primaryOutcome
the lesion was completely resolved within 15 days, and follow-up evaluations at two weeks, three weeks, and six months showed no recurrence or complications
- result
the lesion was completely resolved within 15 days, and follow-up evaluations at two weeks, three weeks, and six months showed no recurrence or complications
- n
a 50-year-old male
Cureus · PMID 40510097 · Read it on PubMed ↗
Karan Chand Mohan Singh et al. 2025
Novel Treatment for a Giant Acrochordon Using Pachaieruvai, a Traditional Siddha Medicine: A Case Report
Herbal home treatment, tag disappeared.Case seriesVery low qualityRelated question
1 peoplethree and six months
The skin tag mostly disappeared within two weeks, with only mild temporary discomfort, and had not returned by three and six months
- Who was studied
- 47-year-old man with a large skin tag (giant acrochordon)
- What they received
- Home application of Pachaieruvai, a traditional Siddha herbal medicine, applied externally for 10 days
- Compared with
- None - no comparison group or alternative treatment
- Main outcome
- Disappearance of the skin tag and whether it came back
- Quality
- This is a single patient case report with no comparison group, so it cannot show whether the result was due to the treatment or chance.
- Limitations
- Single case, no control or comparator group, no comparison to professional removal methods, short description of methods, authors themselves call for further research to validate the approach.
Taken word for word from the abstract
- population
a 47-year-old male patient
- intervention
The patient applied Pachaieruvai externally for 10 days
- comparator
In this case report, we discuss the successful treatment of a giant acrochordon
- primaryOutcome
Substantial lesion disappearance was observed within two weeks
- result
Substantial lesion disappearance was observed within two weeks, and subsequent evaluations at three and six months showed no recurrence.
- n
a 47-year-old male patient
Cureus · PMID 40416144 · Read it on PubMed ↗
Karan Chand Mohan Singh et al. 2024
Evaluating the Efficacy of Siddha Pharmacotherapy for Acrochordon: A Case Report
Herbal topical treatment shrank one skin tagCase seriesVery low qualityRelated question
1 peopletwo weeks post-treatment, with subsequent follow-ups not further specified
the skin tag showed significant improvement two weeks later with no recurrence, after some temporary pain, burning, redness and swelling
- Who was studied
- 40-year-old man with a single large skin tag on his thigh
- What they received
- topical application of a Siddha medicine called Pachaieruvai for five days
- Compared with
- none
- Main outcome
- whether the skin tag shrank or went away
- Quality
- this is a single patient case report with no comparison group, so it cannot show how this treatment compares with anything else.
- Limitations
- single case, no control or comparator group, treatment is a traditional herbal medicine rather than one of the home removal methods (ligation, OTC cryotherapy, cutting) in question, and it does not compare home treatment with professional removal
Taken word for word from the abstract
- population
a 40-year-old male with a hefty, stalk-like, soft, flesh-toned, painless, movable, single-skin tag that had persisted for six years
- intervention
Treatment involved applying the Siddha medicine Pachaieruvai externally for five consecutive days
- comparator
This report involves a 40-year-old male
- primaryOutcome
A follow-up assessment two weeks post-treatment showed significant clinical improvement
- result
No adverse effects or recurrence were reported at subsequent follow-ups, suggesting that Siddha pharmacotherapy can be a viable alternative treatment for acrochordons
- n
This report involves a 40-year-old male
Cureus · PMID 39872594 · Read it on PubMed ↗
Bora et al. 2023
Stability Profile and Clinical Evaluation of an Innovative Hydrogel Containing Polymeric Micelles as Drug Delivery Systems with Oregano Essential Oil against Fibroepithelial Polyps
Lesions shrank with oregano gel treatmentProspective cohortVery low qualityRelated question
size not giveneight weeks
After one month, lesion number dropped 20-30%; after two months, lesions decreased by about 50%, with shrinking and drying of the polyps and microscopic changes in the tissue
- Who was studied
- Adults with skin tags (fibroepithelial polyps)
- What they received
- Experimental topical hydrogel containing oregano essential oil applied to the skin
- Main outcome
- Reduction in number and size of skin tags after topical treatment
- Quality
- This was a small, uncontrolled trial of an experimental formulation with no comparison group and no reported number of participants, so the result can't be weighed against other removal methods.
- Limitations
- No control group, no reported sample size, and the product tested is an experimental pharmaceutical formulation rather than an established home removal method or a comparison with professional removal.
Taken word for word from the abstract
- population
Skin tags, also known as fibroepithelial polyps (FPs) or acrochordons, are soft, pigmented excrescences, with a prevalence of 50-60% in the population
- intervention
a modern-pharmaceutical-formulation-type poloxamer-based binary hydrogel, having Origanum vulgare L. essential oil (OEO-PbH) as an active ingredient in the management of FPs
- primaryOutcome
Clinically, patients presented a lowering of the number of lesions on the treated area of 20-30% after one month of treatment and around 50% after the second month.
- result
The macroscopic evaluation revealed that the FPs dried and shrunk after topical treatment with OEO-PbH. Clinically, patients presented a lowering of the number of lesions on the treated area of 20-30% after one month of treatment and around 50% after the second month.
- followUp
during eight weeks of treatment
Pharmaceuticals (Basel) · PMID 37513892 · Read it on PubMed ↗
Konkel et al. 2023
Serious Skin Injuries Following Exposure to Unapproved Mole and Skin Tag Removers
Serious burns and scarring from home chemical removers.Case seriesVery low qualityRelated question
38 people2023
38 cases of serious skin injury were identified, including burns, pain, ulceration, and in some cases permanent scarring and disfigurement; 14 injuries were on the face, including four near the eye
- Who was studied
- Adults who used unapproved topical mole and/or skin tag removal products at home
- What they received
- Unapproved topical mole and skin tag removers containing concentrated salicylic acid, Sanguinaria canadensis, or other caustic agents, used at home
- Main outcome
- Skin injury (burns, pain, ulceration, scarring, disfigurement) following product use
- Quality
- This is a collection of self-reported adverse event cases with no comparison group, drawn from FDA reports and Amazon reviews, so it cannot show how often injury happens or how home methods compare to anything else.
- Limitations
- Underreporting of adverse events to the FDA, limited clinical details and potential bias in consumer reviews, and poor replicability of review searches due to the dynamic nature of the Amazon website; also combines mole removal cases with skin tag removal cases and has no comparator arm.
Taken word for word from the abstract
- population
skin injuries associated with unapproved non-device topical mole and skin tag removers reported to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) through October 30, 2021 or described in Amazon consumer product reviews between 2019 and 2021
- intervention
unapproved topical mole and skin tag removers containing concentrated salicylic acid, Sanguinaria canadensis, or other caustic agents
- n
We identified 38 cases, including 30 from Amazon consumer product reviews and eight reported to the FDA.
- primaryOutcome
Adverse events included burns, pain, and ulceration, some resulting in permanent scarring and disfigurement.
- result
There were 14 facial injuries, including four adjacent to the eye.
- harm
Adverse events included burns, pain, and ulceration, some resulting in permanent scarring and disfigurement.
J Clin Aesthet Dermatol · PMID 36743972 · Read it on PubMed ↗
Antunes et al. 2021
Efficacy Evaluation of the Pixie® Skin Tag Cryogenic Device on Skin Tags in a Prospective, Single-Blinded, Randomized, Comparative Clinical Trial
One home cryo device beat anotherRandomised trialModerate qualityRelated question
56 peopleUp to three treatments with 15-day intervals
64.3% of skin tags cleared with Pixie vs 7.1% with Wortie, a significant difference favoring Pixie
- Who was studied
- Healthy adults with skin tags on the neck, breast, or underarms
- What they received
- Pixie Skin Tag home cryogenic device
- Compared with
- Wortie skin tag remover, another home cryogenic device
- Main outcome
- Complete disappearance of skin tags
- Quality
- This was a randomized trial but small, single-center, and only compared two home devices against each other, not against professional removal.
- Limitations
- Single-blinded, small sample of 56 volunteers, single center, and compares only two home devices rather than home versus clinician removal.
Taken word for word from the abstract
- n
Fifty-six healthy volunteers presenting with skin tags were included
- population
Selected skin tags located on the neck, breast, and under the armpits were topically treated
- intervention
the efficacy of the Pixie® Skin Tag cryogenic pen as a home treatment for benign skin tags was evaluated against a marketed comparator device
- comparator
compared with 7.1% of the study population treated with Wortie® skin tag remover
- primaryOutcome
Of the skin tags treated with Pixie® Skin Tag, 64.3% completely disappeared during the study
- result
64.3% completely disappeared during the study, of which half of the skin tags were cleared after one treatment, compared with 7.1% of the study population treated with Wortie® skin tag remover (p < 0.001)
Dermatol Ther (Heidelb) · PMID 34019230 · Read it on PubMed ↗
All 6 studiesEvery study that answered the question, with its design, size and result.
How we searchedThe exact query, the date it ran, and what came back — so you can run it yourself.
- Searched
- PubMed · ClinicalTrials.gov · Crossref on 2026-11-03
- The exact search — paste this into PubMed to repeat it
("Skin Tags"[tiab] OR acrochordon*[tiab] OR "skin tag*"[tiab]) AND ("self-treatment"[tiab] OR "self remov*"[tiab] OR "home remov*"[tiab] OR ligation[tiab] OR "over-the-counter"[tiab] OR cryotherapy[tiab] OR "self-care"[tiab])- PubMed expanded that to:
("Skin Tags"[Title/Abstract] OR "acrochordon*"[Title/Abstract] OR "skin tag*"[Title/Abstract]) AND ("self-treatment"[Title/Abstract] OR "self remov*"[Title/Abstract] OR "home remov*"[Title/Abstract] OR "ligation"[Title/Abstract] OR "over-the-counter"[Title/Abstract] OR "cryotherapy"[Title/Abstract] OR "self-care"[Title/Abstract]) - What came back
- 38 records found · 38 read · 6 answered the question
- Included
- Human, animal or laboratory studies reporting an outcome relevant to the question
- Excluded
- Records about a different condition or intervention
- Studies mainly about Clinic-based cryotherapy performed by a clinician
- Studies mainly about Surgical excision performed in a clinic or hospital
- Studies mainly about Electrocautery/electrodesiccation performed by a clinician
- Studies mainly about Laser removal performed by a clinician
- Records reporting no outcome
- Retracted publications, which are listed but excluded from every count
- Limits
- Details were read from abstracts, not full papers, so anything reported only in a paper's methods section is not captured here.
- Fields were read from abstracts, not full text, so detail reported only in a paper's methods section is not captured.
- Evidence strength is adapted from the GRADE framework. It is not a GRADE assessment and was not produced by a GRADE panel.
Automated evidence review — PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, Crossref. Search strategy, grading rules and the checks that must pass before anything publishes were written by Allen Kamrava, MD, MBA, FACS, FASCRS, colon & rectal surgery, Beverly Hills. The pages themselves are compiled by software running that method and are not read one by one before publication — saying otherwise would be the one claim here that could not be checked.
- 38records came back from the search
- 38were read
- 6actually answered the question
Risks and safetyReported side effects and who should be careful.
- Unapproved topical mole and skin tag removers bought online, containing strong acids or caustic plant extracts, have caused burns, ulceration, and permanent scarring, including injuries near the eye.
- These studies did not test skin tags located near the anus. One study of unapproved topical mole and skin tag removers used at home found 38 cases of serious skin injury, including burns, pain, and ulceration, sometimes with permanent scarring or disfigurement; most of the injuries were on the face. The anal area was not studied, but because growths there can be mistaken for hemorrhoids, anal warts, or other conditions, it is sensible to have any growth in that area examined by a clinician before trying to remove it at home — this precaution reflects general caution, not a finding from these studies.
Why people askWhat brings people to this question.
- It feels convenient and avoids the cost and wait of a doctor's appointment.
- Skin tags look small and harmless, so a simple home fix seems reasonable.
- Embarrassment about the skin tag's location makes people want to deal with it privately.
- Online kits, videos, and influencer posts make home removal look quick and easy.
- Tying off a skin tag with thread is a long-standing home remedy passed down informally.
Common questionsShort answers, drawn from the same studies.
- Can you remove skin tags at home?
- No study has tested whether home methods like tying off with thread, over-the-counter freezing kits, or cutting work as well as having a skin tag removed by a doctor. The studies that exist look at related but different situations, such as single-patient case reports and a trial comparing two home freezing devices against each other.
- How to safely remove skin tag at home?
- The evidence doesn't test the safety of thread-tying or cutting at home. It does show that unapproved chemical removers have caused burns, ulcers, and scarring in reported cases, and that one over-the-counter freezing device worked better than a different freezing device in a small trial.
- Safe ways to remove skin tags at home?
- Based on the studies found, avoid unapproved caustic 'mole and skin tag' removers, which have been linked to serious skin injuries. One small trial found a specific home freezing device cleared more skin tags than a competing freezing device, but this doesn't tell you how it compares with seeing a doctor.
- How to remove small skin tags at home?
- None of the studies break results down by the size of the skin tag, so there's no evidence on whether small skin tags respond differently to home methods than larger ones.
- Should I stop using home removal kits?
- If you're using an unapproved caustic remover bought online, stop — these have caused burns, ulceration, and scarring in reported cases. Evidence on other home methods, like over-the-counter freezing kits, is too limited to say whether they're safe or effective compared with professional removal.
This is information, not advice
This page summarises published research. It cannot tell you what is happening in your own body, and evidence changes. If something is bleeding, painful, or new, it is worth being looked at — that is a different question from the one on this page, and a better one to bring to a consultation.
Contact the officeAutomated evidence review — PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, Crossref. Search strategy, grading rules and the checks that must pass before anything publishes were written by Allen Kamrava, MD, MBA, FACS, FASCRS, colon & rectal surgery, Beverly Hills. The pages themselves are compiled by software running that method and are not read one by one before publication — saying otherwise would be the one claim here that could not be checked.