Does a skin tag removal cream get rid of skin tags around the anus?
In adults with perianal (anal) skin tags, does topical application of over-the-counter skin tag removal cream, compared with no treatment or surgical excision, lead to complete resolution of the tag without recurrence?
Compiled 2026-10-05 · checked 2026-10-05 · next 2026-11-05 · automated review, how it works
What the evidence says
Bottom line
No study has tested whether an over-the-counter skin tag removal cream gets rid of skin tags around the anus.
The 4 studies found here looked at surgical techniques, hemorrhoid procedures, and a prescription ointment used for pain after anal surgery — none tested a topical skin tag removal cream bought over the counter. So there is no direct evidence showing this product works, and none showing it doesn't.
How certain
Very low
The 4 human studies found measure a related question rather than this one, so they can only be read indirectly.
What it shows
Not studied
No study has measured this outcome in people with this condition.
- studies found
- 4studies found
- randomised trials
- 3randomised trials
- people studied
- 647people studied
- years covered
- 2001–2025years covered
What the research shows
Complete disappearance of the skin tag
No trial applied an over-the-counter skin tag removal cream to perianal skin tags and checked whether the tag went away.
Not studied
Reduction in skin tag size
None of the studies measured skin tag size before and after using a removal cream.
Not studied
Time to resolution
No study tracked how long a skin tag cream might take to work, because none tested the cream at all.
Not studied
Recurrence of the tag after apparent resolution
One trial found surgical excision left fewer skin tags than a prescription ointment (glyceryl trinitrate) after treating a blood clot near the anus, but this did not test an over-the-counter removal cream or look at simple skin tags as the main condition.[1]
Not studied
Local skin irritation, burns, or other adverse skin reactions
In one trial, some patients stopped using a prescription ointment because of side effects, but that ointment is not the same product as an over-the-counter skin tag cream, so this doesn't answer the safety question for the cream.[1]
Not studied
Need for subsequent surgical removal
One trial found surgical excision removed more skin tags than a prescription ointment, but no study compared an over-the-counter cream against surgery.[1]
Not studied
Important limitations
- None of the 4 studies tested an over-the-counter skin tag removal cream. They tested surgical techniques, a hemorrhoid procedure, and a prescription ointment (glyceryl trinitrate) used for pain, not a consumer skin tag product.[1,2,3,4]
- The people in these studies were having surgery for anal fissures, hemorrhoids, or a blood clot near the anus — not people who simply have an isolated perianal skin tag and want to treat it at home.[1,2,3,4]
Why people try it
- Skin tag creams are sold without a prescription and seem like an easy, private fix without needing to see a doctor.
- The area feels embarrassing to show a clinician, so an at-home treatment feels more comfortable.
- Similar creams are marketed for skin tags on the neck or underarm, so people assume the same product works the same way everywhere on the body.
What the studies found
- Found no clear effect2 · 50%
- Mixed or unclear2 · 50%
What kind of studies
- Randomised trial3 · 75%
- Case series1 · 25%
The studies that decided it
Şengül et al. 2025
Non-standardized surgery lateral internal sphincterotomy: Is there a consensus?
Not relevant to skin tag cream.Case seriesVery low qualityRelated question
207 people2025
surgeons showed no standard approach and varied widely in technique, including how they handled skin tags during surgery
- Who was studied
- surgeons who perform anal fissure surgery
- What they received
- a survey about surgical technique for cutting the anal sphincter muscle in fissure surgery
- Main outcome
- whether surgeons agree on a standard surgical technique
- Quality
- this is a survey of surgeons' practice habits, not a study testing a skin tag removal cream, so it gives no evidence about the question.
- Limitations
- abstract does not test any cream or topical treatment; it surveys surgical technique preferences, and skin tags are only one minor item in a 24-question survey
Taken word for word from the abstract
- n
A total of 207 surgeons (131 from Türkiye, 76 from other countries) responded.
- population
This study aims to evaluate practice differences among surgeons performing LIS and to assess whether a consensus has been established.
- intervention
An anonymous online survey was conducted to assess surgeons' technical approaches to LIS.
- primaryOutcome
This study aims to evaluate practice differences among surgeons performing LIS and to assess whether a consensus has been established.
- result
Substantial heterogeneity was noted in bowel preparation, patient positioning, incision type, and management of skin tags or hypertrophied papillae.
- result
There is no standardized approach to LIS among surgeons.
Turk J Surg · PMID 40619740 · Read it on PubMed ↗
Lee et al. 2021
Doppler-guided hemorrhoidal artery ligation with suture mucopexy compared with LigaSure™-assisted pile excision for the treatment of grade III hemorrhoids: a prospective randomized controlled trial
Not about skin tag cream.Randomised trialLow qualityRelated question
80 people2021
The ligature-assisted excision group had a higher cure rate and fewer anal skin tags, but more pain, than the Doppler-guided ligation group
- Who was studied
- adults with grade III (severe) internal hemorrhoids
- What they received
- Doppler-guided hemorrhoid artery ligation with suture mucopexy (a surgical procedure)
- Compared with
- ligature-assisted pile excision surgery (LigaSure)
- Main outcome
- cure rate, postoperative pain, and anal skin tags after surgery
- Quality
- This is a small surgical trial about hemorrhoid removal techniques, not about any cream for anal skin tags, so it cannot answer the question asked.
- Limitations
- Small sample size, narrow young age range, and the abstract does not address topical treatments for skin tags at all.
Taken word for word from the abstract
- population
Eighty patients with greater than 3 grades of internal hemorrhoids were selected (age range: 20-28 years; average age: 23 years)
- intervention
Doppler-guided hemorrhoid artery ligation with suture mucopexy (DGHAL-SM)
- comparator
ligature-assisted pile excision (LAP)
- primaryOutcome
RESULTS: With respect to the postoperative cure rate and anal skin tags, group A was inferior to group B, but the postoperative pain assessment and satisfaction were better than group B
- result
group A was inferior to group B, but the postoperative pain assessment and satisfaction were better than group B
- n
Eighty patients with greater than 3 grades of internal hemorrhoids were selected
Minerva Surg · PMID 34080821 · Read it on PubMed ↗
Cross et al. 2012
Glyceryl trinitrate ointment did not reduce pain after stapled hemorrhoidectomy: a randomized controlled trial
No pain reduction; skin tags unaffected.Randomised trialModerate qualityRelated question
210 people2012
GTN did not reduce pain, and skin tags needing removal were similar in both groups
- Who was studied
- adults with grade 3/4 hemorrhoids having stapled hemorrhoid surgery
- What they received
- glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) ointment applied after surgery
- Compared with
- routine postoperative care without GTN ointment
- Main outcome
- pain after surgery
- Quality
- It was a randomized trial with reasonable numbers, but it studied pain after surgery, not whether a cream removes existing skin tags.
- Limitations
- Some patients stopped using GTN due to side effects, and the study focused on post-surgical pain rather than non-surgical skin tag removal.
Taken word for word from the abstract
- n
One hundred ten patients (74 men; mean age 50.6 years) were enrolled in the control group and 100 patients (57 men; mean age 49.8 years) in the GTN group.
- population
Patients with symptomatic grade 3/4 hemorrhoids were recruited.
- intervention
topical 0.2% glyceryl trinitrate (GTN)
- comparator
GTN after stapled hemorrhoidopexy was compared with routine postoperative management.
- primaryOutcome
Postoperative pain, pain duration, and complications were assessed.
- result
GTN did not reduce postoperative pain after stapled hemorrhoidectomy.
- result
There were no differences between the two groups in residual perianal skin tags requiring excision
Int Surg · PMID 23102076 · Read it on PubMed ↗
Cavcić et al. 2001
Comparison of topically applied 0.2% glyceryl trinitrate ointment, incision and excision in the treatment of perianal thrombosis
Cream less effective than surgery for tags.Randomised trialModerate qualityRelated question
150 peopleafter one year
after one year, excision reduced anal skin tags significantly more than either incision or the glyceryl trinitrate ointment
- Who was studied
- patients with perianal thrombosis (a blood clot near the anus)
- What they received
- topical glyceryl trinitrate ointment applied to the anal area
- Compared with
- incision or surgical excision of the thrombosis
- Main outcome
- pain relief, recurrence rate, and presence of anal skin tags afterward
- Quality
- It was a randomized trial with a reasonable number of patients and one-year follow-up, but it studied people with acute perianal thrombosis, not people seeking cosmetic removal of isolated skin tags, so it only indirectly answers the question.
- Limitations
- Population was selected for a different condition (perianal thrombosis), and skin tag outcome was a secondary comparison, not the main focus.
Taken word for word from the abstract
- population
treatment of perianal thrombosis
- intervention
Topically applied 0.2% glyceryl trinitrate ointment to the anal region
- comparator
incision and excision
- primaryOutcome
pain relief, number of recurrences and the appearance of anal skin tags
- n
A total of 150 patients were randomly divided into three groups of 50
- result
The number of patients with anal skin tags was significantly reduced in patients treated by excision if compared with incision (p<0.001) or glyceryl trinitrate treatment (p<0.001).
Dig Liver Dis · PMID 11432512 · Read it on PubMed ↗
What actually helps, on this site
More about the condition:
All 4 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 2026-10-05
- The exact search — paste this into PubMed to repeat it
("skin tag*"[tiab] OR acrochordon*[tiab] OR "fibroepithelial polyp*"[tiab]) AND (anus[tiab] OR anal[tiab] OR perianal[tiab] OR anorectal[tiab]) AND (cream[tiab] OR topical[tiab] OR ointment[tiab] OR removal[tiab] OR treatment[tiab])- PubMed expanded that to:
("skin tag*"[Title/Abstract] OR "acrochordon*"[Title/Abstract] OR "fibroepithelial polyp*"[Title/Abstract]) AND ("anus"[Title/Abstract] OR "anal"[Title/Abstract] OR "perianal"[Title/Abstract] OR "anorectal"[Title/Abstract]) AND ("cream"[Title/Abstract] OR "topical"[Title/Abstract] OR "ointment"[Title/Abstract] OR "removal"[Title/Abstract] OR "treatment"[Title/Abstract]) - What came back
- 108 records found · 108 read · 4 answered the question
- Included
- Human, animal or laboratory studies reporting an outcome relevant to the question
- Excluded
- Records about a different condition or intervention
- 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.
- 108records came back from the search
- 108were read
- 4actually answered the question
Common questionsShort answers, drawn from the same studies.
- Should I stop using the cream if I've already started?
- Nothing in these studies shows the cream causes harm, but nothing shows it removes the tag either. It's reasonable to stop and see a doctor to confirm what the growth actually is before continuing.
- What actually works to remove a skin tag near the anus?
- One study found that surgical excision removed more skin tags than a prescription ointment, though this was in people being treated for a blood clot, not a simple skin tag. A doctor can advise whether removal is needed and which method fits your situation.
- Is it safe to use a skin tag cream in that area?
- No study has tested this specific use, so the safety of applying a skin-tag product near the anus is unknown. The skin there is sensitive, and a product designed for other areas of the body hasn't been checked there.
- How do I know it's really a skin tag and not something else?
- Hemorrhoids, warts, and fissures can look similar to a skin tag. A clinician examining the area in person can tell you what it is before you try to treat it.
- Do I even need to remove it?
- These studies don't address whether removal is necessary for someone who just has a skin tag with no other symptoms. Skin tags are generally considered harmless, so this is worth discussing with a doctor rather than assuming treatment is required.
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.