{ "slug": "can-you-remove-skin-tags-at-home", "question": "Can you remove skin tags at home?", "shortTitle": "Removing Skin Tags at Home", "clinicalQuestion": "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?", "questionKind": "options", "pico": { "population": "Adults with skin tags, including anal/perianal skin tags", "intervention": "Home removal methods (e.g., ligation with thread/dental floss, over-the-counter cryotherapy or removal kits, cutting/shaving at home)", "comparator": "", "outcomes": [ "Complete removal of the skin tag", "Recurrence of the skin tag at follow-up", "Infection or wound complications", "Bleeding", "Pain during or after removal", "Scarring" ], "excludes": [ "Clinic-based cryotherapy performed by a clinician", "Surgical excision performed in a clinic or hospital", "Electrocautery/electrodesiccation performed by a clinician", "Laser removal performed by a clinician" ] }, "category": "anorectal", "relatedConditions": [ "skin-tags", "anal-skin-tags" ], "relatedTreatments": [], "relatedEvidence": [], "bottomLine": { "verdict": "No study has directly compared removing a skin tag at home with having it removed by a doctor.", "detail": "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.", "studyIds": [ "pmid:40510097", "pmid:40416144", "pmid:39872594", "pmid:37513892", "pmid:36743972", "pmid:34019230" ] }, "strength": { "level": "very-low", "why": "The 6 human studies found measure a related question rather than this one, so they can only be read indirectly.", "override": null }, "direction": { "level": "not-applicable", "why": "This question weighs several approaches, so there is no single works-or-doesn't verdict to compute.", "override": null, "signOff": null, "withheld": null }, "counts": { "recordsRetrieved": 38, "recordsScreened": 38, "included": 6, "rcts": 1, "systematicReviews": 0, "observational": 1, "participants": 97, "yearFrom": 2021, "yearTo": 2025, "registeredTrialsWithoutResults": 0, "direct": 0 }, "excluded": [], "outcomes": [ { "name": "Complete removal of the skin tag", "status": "insufficient", "note": "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].", "studyIds": [ "pmid:40510097", "pmid:40416144", "pmid:39872594", "pmid:34019230" ] }, { "name": "Recurrence of the skin tag at follow-up", "status": "insufficient", "note": "A few single case reports found no recurrence at 3 to 6 months after herbal topical treatment, but with only one patient each and no comparison group, this cannot tell you how often skin tags come back after any home method [1, 2, 3].", "studyIds": [ "pmid:40510097", "pmid:40416144", "pmid:39872594" ] }, { "name": "Infection or wound complications", "status": "possible-harm", "note": "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.", "studyIds": [ "pmid:36743972" ] }, { "name": "Bleeding", "status": "not-studied", "note": "None of the 6 studies measured bleeding as an outcome, for any home method or for professional removal.", "studyIds": [] }, { "name": "Pain during or after removal", "status": "possible-harm", "note": "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.", "studyIds": [ "pmid:40510097", "pmid:39872594", "pmid:36743972" ] }, { "name": "Scarring", "status": "possible-harm", "note": "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].", "studyIds": [ "pmid:36743972" ] } ], "benefits": [ { "text": "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.", "studyIds": [ "pmid:34019230" ] }, { "text": "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.", "studyIds": [ "pmid:40510097", "pmid:40416144", "pmid:39872594" ] }, { "text": "An experimental topical gel containing oregano oil was followed by shrinking of skin tags over one to two months in an uncontrolled study.", "studyIds": [ "pmid:37513892" ] } ], "limitations": [ { "text": "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.", "studyIds": [ "pmid:40510097", "pmid:40416144", "pmid:39872594", "pmid:37513892", "pmid:36743972", "pmid:34019230" ] }, { "text": "Three of the studies are single case reports describing one patient each, which cannot show whether a result is typical or just chance.", "studyIds": [ "pmid:40510097", "pmid:40416144", "pmid:39872594" ] }, { "text": "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.", "studyIds": [ "pmid:34019230" ] }, { "text": "The injury report relies on adverse event databases and online product reviews, which likely miss many cases and lack clinical detail.", "studyIds": [ "pmid:36743972" ] }, { "text": "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.", "studyIds": [ "pmid:40510097", "pmid:40416144", "pmid:39872594", "pmid:37513892", "pmid:36743972", "pmid:34019230" ] } ], "risks": [ { "text": "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.", "studyIds": [ "pmid:36743972" ], "severity": "serious" }, { "text": "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.", "studyIds": [ "pmid:36743972" ], "severity": "serious" } ], "whyPeopleTryIt": [ { "text": "It feels convenient and avoids the cost and wait of a doctor's appointment." }, { "text": "Skin tags look small and harmless, so a simple home fix seems reasonable." }, { "text": "Embarrassment about the skin tag's location makes people want to deal with it privately." }, { "text": "Online kits, videos, and influencer posts make home removal look quick and easy." }, { "text": "Tying off a skin tag with thread is a long-standing home remedy passed down informally." } ], "keyStudies": [ "pmid:34019230", "pmid:36743972", "pmid:40510097", "pmid:40416144", "pmid:39872594", "pmid:37513892" ], "studies": [ { "id": "pmid:40510097", "pmid": "40510097", "doi": "10.7759/cureus.84012", "nctId": null, "pmcid": "PMC12160067", "title": "Efficacy of External Siddha Pharmacotherapy for Giant Acrochordon: A Case Report", "firstAuthor": "Karan Chand Mohan Singh", "multipleAuthors": true, "journal": "Cureus", "year": 2025, "design": "case-series", "n": 1, "nField": "reported", "population": "50-year-old man with a large skin tag on the buttock area, present for 15 years", "intervention": "a traditional Siddha topical medicine (Pachaieruvai) applied at home for 10 days", "comparator": "none - no comparison group or clinician-performed removal", "primaryOutcome": "whether the skin tag resolved and stayed resolved", "result": "the skin tag completely resolved within 15 days, with no recurrence or complications at follow-up up to six months", "resultDirection": "not-applicable", "quality": "very-low", "qualityWhy": "this is a single patient case report with no control group, so it cannot tell us how home treatment compares to professional removal", "directness": "indirect", "relevanceNote": "", "limitations": "single case, no controlled comparison, small sample size noted by authors, safety concerns about an arsenic-containing ingredient", "followUp": "six months", "plainFinding": "Skin tag resolved with home remedy.", "retracted": false, "expressionOfConcern": false, "hasErratum": false, "url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40510097/", "sourceText": "Giant acrochordons, commonly referred to as skin tags, are benign, pedunculated lesions often linked to conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. While these lesions are generally harmless, they can lead to discomfort or cosmetic concerns, prompting individuals to seek treatment. Traditional methods, including excision and cryotherapy, are frequently employed but come with certain risks. This study explores the use of Pachaieruvai, a traditional Siddha medicine, as an alternative treatment option. The subject of this report was a 50-year-old male who had a large skin tag on his gluteal region that had been growing for 15 years. Opting for Pachaieruvai over surgery, he applied the topical preparation for 10 days. Remarkably, 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. Pachaieruvai comprises five ingredients recognized for their cytotoxic properties, including arsenic trioxide and copper sulfate, which may assist in targeting abnormal cell growth. However, the study's small sample size, absence of controlled trials, and potential safety concerns regarding arsenic necessitate further research to validate its efficacy and establish standardized treatment protocols.", "provenance": [ { "field": "population", "quote": "a 50-year-old male who had a large skin tag on his gluteal region that had been growing for 15 years" }, { "field": "intervention", "quote": "he applied the topical preparation for 10 days" }, { "field": "comparator", "quote": "Opting for Pachaieruvai over surgery" }, { "field": "primaryOutcome", "quote": "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" }, { "field": "result", "quote": "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" }, { "field": "n", "quote": "a 50-year-old male" } ] }, { "id": "pmid:40416144", "pmid": "40416144", "doi": "10.7759/cureus.82922", "nctId": null, "pmcid": "PMC12103221", "title": "Novel Treatment for a Giant Acrochordon Using Pachaieruvai, a Traditional Siddha Medicine: A Case Report", "firstAuthor": "Karan Chand Mohan Singh", "multipleAuthors": true, "journal": "Cureus", "year": 2025, "design": "case-series", "n": 1, "nField": "reported", "population": "47-year-old man with a large skin tag (giant acrochordon)", "intervention": "Home application of Pachaieruvai, a traditional Siddha herbal medicine, applied externally for 10 days", "comparator": "None - no comparison group or alternative treatment", "primaryOutcome": "Disappearance of the skin tag and whether it came back", "result": "The skin tag mostly disappeared within two weeks, with only mild temporary discomfort, and had not returned by three and six months", "resultDirection": "not-applicable", "quality": "very-low", "qualityWhy": "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.", "directness": "indirect", "relevanceNote": "", "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.", "followUp": "three and six months", "plainFinding": "Herbal home treatment, tag disappeared.", "retracted": false, "expressionOfConcern": false, "hasErratum": false, "url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40416144/", "sourceText": "Skin tags, also known as acrochordons, are common benign growths that often appear in areas where the skin experiences friction. One of the challenges for healthcare providers is finding more targeted treatment options for skin tags, as current methods-like electrodesiccation, laser therapy, cryotherapy, and surgical removal-can be quite expensive. Fortunately, Siddha medicine offers a promising and potentially more affordable alternative. In this case report, we discuss the successful treatment of a giant acrochordon in a 47-year-old male patient using Pachaieruvai Siddha medicine, an indigenous healing tradition from India. The patient applied Pachaieruvai externally for 10 days and experienced only mild, temporary discomfort. Substantial lesion disappearance was observed within two weeks, and subsequent evaluations at three and six months showed no recurrence. These results suggest that Siddha pharmacotherapy may serve as an effective, less invasive, and economical alternative for the management of acrochordons. However, further research and clinical studies are essential to validate its efficacy and develop standardized treatment protocols.", "provenance": [ { "field": "population", "quote": "a 47-year-old male patient" }, { "field": "intervention", "quote": "The patient applied Pachaieruvai externally for 10 days" }, { "field": "comparator", "quote": "In this case report, we discuss the successful treatment of a giant acrochordon" }, { "field": "primaryOutcome", "quote": "Substantial lesion disappearance was observed within two weeks" }, { "field": "result", "quote": "Substantial lesion disappearance was observed within two weeks, and subsequent evaluations at three and six months showed no recurrence." }, { "field": "n", "quote": "a 47-year-old male patient" } ] }, { "id": "pmid:39872594", "pmid": "39872594", "doi": "10.7759/cureus.76391", "nctId": null, "pmcid": "PMC11770234", "title": "Evaluating the Efficacy of Siddha Pharmacotherapy for Acrochordon: A Case Report", "firstAuthor": "Karan Chand Mohan Singh", "multipleAuthors": true, "journal": "Cureus", "year": 2024, "design": "case-series", "n": 1, "nField": "reported", "population": "40-year-old man with a single large skin tag on his thigh", "intervention": "topical application of a Siddha medicine called Pachaieruvai for five days", "comparator": "none", "primaryOutcome": "whether the skin tag shrank or went away", "result": "the skin tag showed significant improvement two weeks later with no recurrence, after some temporary pain, burning, redness and swelling", "resultDirection": "not-applicable", "quality": "very-low", "qualityWhy": "this is a single patient case report with no comparison group, so it cannot show how this treatment compares with anything else.", "directness": "indirect", "relevanceNote": "", "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", "followUp": "two weeks post-treatment, with subsequent follow-ups not further specified", "plainFinding": "Herbal topical treatment shrank one skin tag", "retracted": false, "expressionOfConcern": false, "hasErratum": false, "url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39872594/", "sourceText": "Skin tags, medically known as acrochordons, are harmless growths of the epidermis that commonly develop in areas where the skin folds, such as the neck, armpits, or groin. While usually asymptomatic, these lesions can cause discomfort from rubbing or cosmetic issues. They are more prevalent in middle-aged and older individuals and are often correlated with conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and insulin resistance. The need for more specific treatment options for skin tags poses a significant challenge for healthcare providers, especially since the current methods, including electrodesiccation, laser therapy, cryotherapy, and surgical removal, are often expensive. However, Siddha medicine offers a potential alternative and cost-effective approach. This report involves a 40-year-old male with a hefty, stalk-like, soft, flesh-toned, painless, movable, single-skin tag that had persisted for six years. Dermatological examination revealed a prominent acrochordon on the anterolateral aspect of the upper right thigh, measuring approximately 8 cm in diameter. Treatment involved applying the Siddha medicine Pachaieruvai externally for five consecutive days. During this period, the patient experienced mild pain, burning, slight redness, and localized swelling at the application site. These temporary symptoms lasted about an hour during and after each application but subsided within 24 hours after the application of coconut oil. The discomfort, redness, and swelling observed during the intervention were considered positive indicators of lesion regression. A follow-up assessment two weeks post-treatment showed significant clinical improvement. No adverse effects or recurrence were reported at subsequent follow-ups, suggesting that Siddha pharmacotherapy can be a viable alternative treatment for acrochordons.", "provenance": [ { "field": "population", "quote": "a 40-year-old male with a hefty, stalk-like, soft, flesh-toned, painless, movable, single-skin tag that had persisted for six years" }, { "field": "intervention", "quote": "Treatment involved applying the Siddha medicine Pachaieruvai externally for five consecutive days" }, { "field": "comparator", "quote": "This report involves a 40-year-old male" }, { "field": "primaryOutcome", "quote": "A follow-up assessment two weeks post-treatment showed significant clinical improvement" }, { "field": "result", "quote": "No adverse effects or recurrence were reported at subsequent follow-ups, suggesting that Siddha pharmacotherapy can be a viable alternative treatment for acrochordons" }, { "field": "n", "quote": "This report involves a 40-year-old male" } ] }, { "id": "pmid:37513892", "pmid": "37513892", "doi": "10.3390/ph16070980", "nctId": null, "pmcid": "PMC10386020", "title": "Stability Profile and Clinical Evaluation of an Innovative Hydrogel Containing Polymeric Micelles as Drug Delivery Systems with Oregano Essential Oil against Fibroepithelial Polyps", "firstAuthor": "Bora", "multipleAuthors": true, "journal": "Pharmaceuticals (Basel)", "year": 2023, "design": "prospective-cohort", "n": null, "nField": "not-reported", "population": "Adults with skin tags (fibroepithelial polyps)", "intervention": "Experimental topical hydrogel containing oregano essential oil applied to the skin", "comparator": "", "primaryOutcome": "Reduction in number and size of skin tags after topical treatment", "result": "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", "resultDirection": "not-applicable", "quality": "very-low", "qualityWhy": "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.", "directness": "indirect", "relevanceNote": "", "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.", "followUp": "eight weeks", "plainFinding": "Lesions shrank with oregano gel treatment", "retracted": false, "expressionOfConcern": false, "hasErratum": false, "url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37513892/", "sourceText": "Skin tags, also known as fibroepithelial polyps (FPs) or acrochordons, are soft, pigmented excrescences, with a prevalence of 50-60% in the population, occurring especially in the fourth decade of life. To date, FPs have been efficiently eliminated using minimum invasive methods such as surgical removal, cauterization, laser irradiation, and cryosurgery. Over-the-counter treatments are also of interest for patients due to their non-invasive character, but their clinical efficiency has not been clearly demonstrated. This study was designed in order to evaluate the efficacy of 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. The formulation has been shown to possess good qualities in terms of stability and sterility. Non-invasive measurements revealed changes in some physiological skin parameters. An increase in transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and erythema index was noted, while skin surface water content (SWC) decreased during eight weeks of treatment. 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. Histopathological examination suggests that topical treatment with OEO-PbH may induce histological changes in the epidermis, dermis, and fibrovascular cores of FPs, including a loss of thickness, reduced size and number of blood vessels, and low cellularity. These changes may contribute to the observed reduction in size of FPs after treatment with OEO-PbH.", "provenance": [ { "field": "population", "quote": "Skin tags, also known as fibroepithelial polyps (FPs) or acrochordons, are soft, pigmented excrescences, with a prevalence of 50-60% in the population" }, { "field": "intervention", "quote": "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" }, { "field": "primaryOutcome", "quote": "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." }, { "field": "result", "quote": "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." }, { "field": "followUp", "quote": "during eight weeks of treatment" } ] }, { "id": "pmid:36743972", "pmid": "36743972", "doi": null, "nctId": null, "pmcid": "PMC9891211", "title": "Serious Skin Injuries Following Exposure to Unapproved Mole and Skin Tag Removers", "firstAuthor": "Konkel", "multipleAuthors": true, "journal": "J Clin Aesthet Dermatol", "year": 2023, "design": "case-series", "n": 38, "nField": "reported", "population": "Adults who used unapproved topical mole and/or skin tag removal products at home", "intervention": "Unapproved topical mole and skin tag removers containing concentrated salicylic acid, Sanguinaria canadensis, or other caustic agents, used at home", "comparator": "", "primaryOutcome": "Skin injury (burns, pain, ulceration, scarring, disfigurement) following product use", "result": "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", "resultDirection": "not-applicable", "quality": "very-low", "qualityWhy": "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.", "directness": "indirect", "relevanceNote": "", "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.", "followUp": "", "plainFinding": "Serious burns and scarring from home chemical removers.", "retracted": false, "expressionOfConcern": false, "hasErratum": false, "url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36743972/", "sourceText": "OBJECTIVE: We sought to describe skin injuries associated with unapproved topical mole and skin tag removers containing concentrated salicylic acid, Sanguinaria canadensis, or other caustic agents. METHODS: We identified 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. RESULTS: We identified 38 cases, including 30 from Amazon consumer product reviews and eight reported to the FDA. Twenty-eight were from 2021. The most common reason for use was for mole and/or skin tag removal. Listed ingredients included salicylic acid, Sanguinaria canadensis, botanicals (includes homeopathic products), and calcium oxide. Seven cases involved products without ingredients listed. Adverse events included burns, pain, and ulceration, some resulting in permanent scarring and disfigurement. There were 14 facial injuries, including four adjacent to the eye. Reported treatments included antibiotics, hospital care, wound care, and dermatology advice to have a skin graft. LIMITATIONS: Limitations include 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. CONCLUSION: Unapproved, non-device topical mole and skin tag removers are associated with serious skin injuries. We found Amazon consumer reviews to be a novel and useful data source for safety surveillance of these types of skin products. When dermatologists are consulted about skin injuries, exposure to these products should be considered in the differential diagnosis.", "provenance": [ { "field": "population", "quote": "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" }, { "field": "intervention", "quote": "unapproved topical mole and skin tag removers containing concentrated salicylic acid, Sanguinaria canadensis, or other caustic agents" }, { "field": "n", "quote": "We identified 38 cases, including 30 from Amazon consumer product reviews and eight reported to the FDA." }, { "field": "primaryOutcome", "quote": "Adverse events included burns, pain, and ulceration, some resulting in permanent scarring and disfigurement." }, { "field": "result", "quote": "There were 14 facial injuries, including four adjacent to the eye." }, { "field": "harm", "quote": "Adverse events included burns, pain, and ulceration, some resulting in permanent scarring and disfigurement." } ] }, { "id": "pmid:34019230", "pmid": "34019230", "doi": "10.1007/s13555-021-00532-w", "nctId": null, "pmcid": "PMC8163951", "title": "Efficacy Evaluation of the Pixie® Skin Tag Cryogenic Device on Skin Tags in a Prospective, Single-Blinded, Randomized, Comparative Clinical Trial", "firstAuthor": "Antunes", "multipleAuthors": true, "journal": "Dermatol Ther (Heidelb)", "year": 2021, "design": "rct", "n": 56, "nField": "reported", "population": "Healthy adults with skin tags on the neck, breast, or underarms", "intervention": "Pixie Skin Tag home cryogenic device", "comparator": "Wortie skin tag remover, another home cryogenic device", "primaryOutcome": "Complete disappearance of skin tags", "result": "64.3% of skin tags cleared with Pixie vs 7.1% with Wortie, a significant difference favoring Pixie", "resultDirection": "not-applicable", "quality": "moderate", "qualityWhy": "This was a randomized trial but small, single-center, and only compared two home devices against each other, not against professional removal.", "directness": "indirect", "relevanceNote": "", "limitations": "Single-blinded, small sample of 56 volunteers, single center, and compares only two home devices rather than home versus clinician removal.", "followUp": "Up to three treatments with 15-day intervals", "plainFinding": "One home cryo device beat another", "retracted": false, "expressionOfConcern": false, "hasErratum": false, "url": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34019230/", "sourceText": "INTRODUCTION: Cryotherapy is an efficient method to treat various cutaneous lesions. In the current clinical evaluation, the efficacy of the Pixie® Skin Tag cryogenic pen as a home treatment for benign skin tags was evaluated against a marketed comparator device. In addition, the safety, tolerability, and expected visual effects of the treatment were assessed. METHODS: Fifty-six healthy volunteers presenting with skin tags were included and randomized in a prospective, single-blinded, parallel, single-center, comparative trial and subjected to treatment with either Pixie® Skin Tag or a comparator device, Wortie® skin tag remover. Selected skin tags located on the neck, breast, and under the armpits were topically treated according to device prescriptions for maximally three times with a 15-day interval between treatments. RESULTS: Of the skin tags treated with Pixie® Skin Tag, 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). Both medical devices were safe to use, painless, and very well tolerated by 64.3% in the Pixie® Skin Tag and 96.4% in the Wortie® skin tag remover group. In addition, 72% of the subjects using Pixie® Skin Tag were satisfied with the results, and two-thirds of this study group would buy and use the device for the treatment of other skin tags. For the comparator device, only 11.0% were satisfied and 7.0% would buy the device. CONCLUSION: Treatment of skin tags with Pixie® Skin Tag showed superior clinical performance when compared to Wortie® skin tag remover. Both treatments were safe and well tolerated, with the majority of skin response serving as a predictor for clinical performance in the Pixie® Skin Tag treated group. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ANSL Registration: 2018-A01804-51.", "provenance": [ { "field": "n", "quote": "Fifty-six healthy volunteers presenting with skin tags were included" }, { "field": "population", "quote": "Selected skin tags located on the neck, breast, and under the armpits were topically treated" }, { "field": "intervention", "quote": "the efficacy of the Pixie® Skin Tag cryogenic pen as a home treatment for benign skin tags was evaluated against a marketed comparator device" }, { "field": "comparator", "quote": "compared with 7.1% of the study population treated with Wortie® skin tag remover" }, { "field": "primaryOutcome", "quote": "Of the skin tags treated with Pixie® Skin Tag, 64.3% completely disappeared during the study" }, { "field": "result", "quote": "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)" } ] } ], "faqs": [ { "q": "Can you remove skin tags at home?", "a": "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." }, { "q": "How to safely remove skin tag at home?", "a": "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." }, { "q": "Safe ways to remove skin tags at home?", "a": "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." }, { "q": "How to remove small skin tags at home?", "a": "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." }, { "q": "Should I stop using home removal kits?", "a": "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." } ], "searchedAs": [ "can you remove skin tags at home", "how to safely remove skin tag at home", "can u remove skin tags at home", "safe ways to remove skin tags at home", "how to remove small skin tags at home" ], "patientTakeaway": "No study has compared home removal of skin tags with having one removed by a doctor, so there's no good evidence either way on which is safer or works better. Avoid unapproved 'mole and skin tag' removers sold online — they have caused burns and permanent scarring in reported cases. If a skin tag bothers you, a doctor or nurse can usually remove it quickly and safely in the office. If the growth is near the anus, see a doctor before trying anything yourself, since these can look like hemorrhoids, anal warts, or other conditions that need a different treatment.", "methodology": { "databases": [ "PubMed", "ClinicalTrials.gov", "Crossref" ], "searchStrings": { "pubmed": "(\"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])" }, "pubmedQueryTranslation": "(\"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])", "searchedOn": "2026-11-03", "inclusion": [ "Human, animal or laboratory studies reporting an outcome relevant to the question" ], "exclusion": [ "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" ], "extractionLevel": "abstract", "gradingNote": "Evidence strength is adapted from the GRADE framework. It is not a GRADE assessment and was not produced by a GRADE panel.", "limits": [ "Fields were read from abstracts, not full text, so detail reported only in a paper's methods section is not captured." ] }, "seo": { "title": "Can you remove skin tags at home?", "description": "No study directly compares home skin tag removal with professional removal; 6 related studies give only indirect evidence on safety and results." }, "lastChecked": "2026-11-03", "lastChanged": "2026-11-03", "nextCheckDue": "2026-12-03", "history": [], "pipeline": { "screenModel": "claude-haiku-4-5", "extractModel": "claude-sonnet-5", "composeModel": "claude-sonnet-5", "promptVersion": "ev-2", "ranOn": "2026-11-03", "gradeRules": "ev-2", "review": { "verdict": "sent-back", "rounds": 3, "sentBack": [ "extract" ], "notes": [ "round 1: send-back → extract — The page's wording is largely careful and well-caveated at the outcome level, but the badge and evidence level overstate how directly this literature answers the stated comparison question, contradicting the page's own honest bottom line — this is a computed-field/study-classification problem, not a prose problem, so it needs to go back through extraction before republishing; the missing anal/perianal safety caveat should also be addressed once the evidence basis is corrected. (agrees: Badge 'Fairly well studied' and evidence level 'moderate — one well-conducted ", "round 2: fix — The page is honest and well-calibrated about the core comparison (no direct evidence either way) and leans on the right studies, but by explicitly including anal/perianal skin tags in its framing without ever flagging the site-specific risks or diagnostic pitfalls of that location, it leaves a safety gap that wording can close without rerunning the evidence pipeline. (safe-language: The stated question explicitly widens the population to 'anal or perianal skin tags,' but none of the six studies involve that site, and nothing on the page flags that tags in that location can mimic", "round 3: pass — The page is honest and internally consistent: it correctly reports zero direct studies, labels all six found studies as indirect look-alikes rather than answers, and hedges every benefit/harm claim to match the weak designs behind it (case reports, one small trial, an adverse-event series), without overstating safety or efficacy in either direction." ] } }, "status": "published" }