The soft, fleshy growths known as skin tags tend to pop up in middle age or after, especially on the neck, underarm, eyelids, chest, and groin. Doctors don’t know what causes these unwanted decorations, but friction—yes, skin on skin—may be enough to do it, says our friend Howard Sobel, a dermatologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. But fortunately, there are several ways to rid yourself of them: A dermatologist can zap them, freeze them, or just snip them off. Howard doesn’t recommend home remedies. “Some suggest tying dental floss around the tag to decrease blood supply to make the tag fall off. But you may just get an inflamed lesion that can become infected.”
And, he cautions, if a tag becomes red, irritated, or pigmented, see your dermatologist.
