Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat They AreTypesBenefitsRisksAlternativesOTC Skin Tag Removal Patches
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What They Are
Types
Benefits
Risks
Alternatives
OTC Skin Tag Removal Patches
Skin tag removal patches are an over-the-counter product that manufacturers claim will easily remove skin tags at home.Skin tagsare small growths on the surface of your skin and can occur as you age. They’re also calledfibroepithelial polyps(FPs) oracrochordons.
While they are usually harmless and don’t need to be removed, skin tags can interfere with vision if they’re on the eyelid.They can also snag on clothing or jewelry. For those looking to get rid of their skin tags on their own,skin tag removalpatches offer a quick, at-home remedy.
This article covers what skin tags are, what patches can do, and how safe patches are. It also discusses alternative ways to remove skin tags.
Ivan-balvan / Getty Images
What Are Skin Tag Removal Patches?
Skin tags usually grow in skin folds like under the arms, in the neck, on the eyelids, or in the groin. Depending on the location of your skin tag, it may be difficult to safely adhere a patch and observe for any side effects.
Your dermatologist has several safer options for removing skin tags in the office. Some methods for skin tag removal include:
While skin tag removal patches claim to be cheaper and less painful, they have not been proven to be effective.
Skin Tag Removal Treatment: Home Remedies or Professional Services
What Are Natural and Homeopathic Patches?
Homeopathic productsusually source their ingredients from plants, animals, vitamins, and minerals. Any product can claim to be homeopathic, and they do not have to prove that they are safe or effective to be sold to consumers.
Types of Skin Tag Removal Patches
Essential Oils
Skin tag removal patches labeled as homeopathic usually contain a combination of essential oils liketea tree oil, cedar leaf oil, andcastor oil. The active ingredient is often a type ofThuja Occidentalis.
There’s little research on how long it takes patches to work. A 2023 study of a skin tag gel made with oregano essential oils found 20% to 30% of people saw improvement after one month, and about 50% after using the gel for two months. But skin tags larger than 5 millimeters did not change.
That said, these ingredients have not been proven to remove skin tags.Many people usually assume that all-natural products are safe, but it is still wise to discuss them with your healthcare provider.
Salicylic Acid
Another type of skin tag removal patch containssalicylic acid.You may have heard of this ingredient in acne medication or other skincare products. It helps your skin shed dead cells and works as an exfoliant.
These types of patches claim to both dry and shrink the skin tag until it falls off. Because salicylic acid works to remove skin cells, it can cause redness, irritation, burning, peeling and dryness.
Pressure
Finally, there are skin tag removal patches that don’t contain medication, but work to apply pressure to the skin tag. By applying pressure to the base of the tag, these patches can help cut off blood supply, resulting in the skin tag falling off. However, scientific evidence to back up their effectiveness is lacking.
Benefits of Skin Tag Patches
Skin tag removal patch companies tout the convenience and lower cost of treating your skin tags at home. They also promise to remove tags without the scars and blistering that can sometimes occur with other removal methods.
Among the 38 cases studied (14 of them affecting the face) were reports of:
Most people experienced symptoms within a few minutes or hours. In some cases, the injuries were severe enough to require wound care and hospitalization. One person needed a skin graft.
It can be helpful to remember that the potential benefits do not outweigh the serious risks of removing your own skin tags.
Risks of Skin Tag Patches
Home remedies for removing skin tags sound convenient but come with serious risks.
It Might Not Be a Skin Tag
The American Academy of Dermatology Association strongly recommends seeing a healthcare provider before removing your own skin tags. Some growths on the skin can look like tags but are actually warts or skin cancer.
If you accidentally remove a cancerous growth, the remaining cancer cells could spread and cause much more damage. Removing a possible cancerous growth at home will also prolong needed treatment.Skin canceris very treatable when caught early, so check with your healthcare provider before trying any at-home treatments.
This is especially important if you notice a difference in the appearance of your skin tag. Once formed, skin tags usually do not change their shape, size, or color, so changes could be a sign of cancer.
Common Symptoms of Skin Cancer
Potentially Dangerous Ingredients
Because natural skin tag removal patch products do not need to prove that they’re safe, we don’t know all of the risks. Some of the ingredients in skin tag removal patches are known to cause skin irritation and redness.
Many natural patches contain tea tree oil, which has been found to cause allergic reactions of the skin. Patches containing salicylic acid can cause skin irritation, redness, and burning pain. The safest choice is always to talk with your healthcare provider or dermatologist (skin specialist).
Skin tag removal products can cause skin injury, infection requiring antibiotic treatment, scarring, and discoloration. The FDA reports permanent skin injuries and infections in some people who have used these products.
Is Removal Worth the Risk?Skin tags are small, benign growths on the surface of the skin and don’t pose any health risk. Any removal method comes with possible side effects like scarring or infection. It’s important to consider if removal is truly worth the risks. Talk with your healthcare provider about your individual risks and the safest removal procedures.
Is Removal Worth the Risk?
Skin tags are small, benign growths on the surface of the skin and don’t pose any health risk. Any removal method comes with possible side effects like scarring or infection. It’s important to consider if removal is truly worth the risks. Talk with your healthcare provider about your individual risks and the safest removal procedures.
Other Ways to Remove Skin Tags
Most health insurance companies don’t pay for cosmetic procedures like removing skin tags. A skin tag may need to be removed for non-cosmetic reasons if it becomes irritated or bleeds, develops on your eyelid affects your eyesight, or feels painful.
Other Over-the-Counter Skin Tag Products
Products like Dr. Scholl’s Freeze Away claim to be effective in as little as one treatment and boast FDA approval. A box of eight treatments costs about $20 on Amazon.
Freeze Away and similar products rely on the cryotherapy model for at-home treatment. The Pixie® Skin Tag device is another product that freezes skin tags, and research has shown it cleared 64% of skin tags after three treatments, 15 days apart.
Buying OTC Skin Tag Removal Patches
Skin tag removal patches can be found on the shelves at Walgreens, CVS, and other pharmacies. They also can be purchased online at Amazon and other sites.
Examples include the ProVent Skin Tag Remover Patches at $15.99 for 30 patches (Walgreens). It contains Thuja Occidentalis and tea tree oil ingredients, as well as oregano oil.
In many cases, the patches are sold for general purposes or to treat a different condition, like acne. A 2022 report describes a case of skin ulcers and tissue death that followed use of a product marketed for both moles and skin tags. The affected female said the product immediately melted her skin.
Warts are tougher than softer skin tags and the stronger wart formula can injure the skin when used on other problems.These products are not designed for skin tags and can burn or injure the skin.
Summary
Skin tag removal isn’t necessary in most cases because the tags are benign (harmless) growths, but people sometimes find them irritating or an aesthetic nuisance. Most experts agree that professional removal is best, especially when a skin tag is in a sensitive location.
But at-home products are available, although there is little research evidence to recommend their use. You may want to try them before avisit to the dermatologist, so long as you’ve talked about the option with your healthcare provider.
Keep in mind that some skin problems can be easily mistaken for skin tags, such as warts or possibly skin cancer. Using an at-home product in lieu of seeing a healthcare provider means you won’t get an accurate diagnosis and may even make things worse.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Bora L, Iftode A, Muț AM, Vlaia LL, Olteanu GE, Muntean D,et al.Stability Profile and Clinical Evaluation of an Innovative Hydrogel Containing Polymeric Micelles as Drug Delivery Systems with Oregano Essential Oil against Fibroepithelial Polyps.Pharmaceuticals (Basel). 2023 Jul 8;16(7):980. doi: 10.3390/ph16070980.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Skin tags: why they develop, and how to remove them.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.Homeopathic products.
Harvard Health Publishing.Skin tag removal: optional but effective.
Antunes A, Rossel B, Adriaens E.Efficacy evaluation of the Pixie® skin tag cryogenic device on skin tags in a prospective, single-blinded, randomized, comparative clinical trial.Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2021;11(3):995-1007. doi:10.1007/s13555-021-00532-w
American Academy of Dermatology.5 reasons to see a dermatologist for mole, skin tag removal.
U.S. Food & Drug Administration.Products marketed for removing moles and other skin lesions can cause injuries, scarring.
Fisher MH, Hill MK, Hugh J.Necrotic Ulcerations After the Use of an Over-the-counter Mole and Skin Tag Removal Product.Cutis. 2022 Feb;109(2):E27-E28. doi: 10.12788/cutis.0483.
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