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why do people get skin tags

Skin tags are small, harmless growths that usually show up where skin rubs a lot, and they tend to be linked with friction, aging, weight, hormones, and certain health conditions.

Why do people get skin tags?

Quick Scoop

Think of a skin tag as your skin’s way of saying, “There’s a lot of rubbing going on here.” They’re medically called acrochordons and are extremely common, especially from mid‑life onward. They’re benign (non‑cancerous), but they can be annoying, catch on clothing, or make you self‑conscious.

What exactly is a skin tag?

  • Soft, tiny flaps of skin that hang off the surface on a thin stalk (peduncle).
  • Usually flesh‑colored or slightly darker, and can turn red if irritated.
  • Common spots: neck, armpits, groin, under the breasts, eyelids, and anywhere skin rubs on skin or clothing.

A simple mental image: you’re trying on clothes, run your hand over your neck, and feel a soft, wobbly bump you hadn’t noticed before—that’s classic skin‑tag discovery.

Main reasons people get skin tags

1. Friction: rubbing skin on skin

This is the big one. Anywhere there are folds, there’s more chance for tags.

  • Areas with constant rubbing (necklines, armpits, groin, under breasts, waistbands) are “hot zones.”
  • Skin‑to‑clothing friction also plays a role, especially from collars, straps, or rough fabrics.

Over time, that repeated friction seems to stimulate small outgrowths of collagen and skin that become tags.

2. Age: more common as you get older

  • Skin tags are much more common in adults over about 40–50, and their number often increases with age.
  • Many clinics note that around half of adults will get at least one skin tag at some point.

So if you suddenly notice them in your 40s or 50s, you’re very much in the statistical norm.

3. Weight and body composition

  • Being overweight or obese increases the number of skin folds and friction points, which in turn raises the chance of skin tags.
  • Studies link skin tags with obesity, high cholesterol, and other metabolic changes.

It doesn’t mean everyone with a higher weight will get them—but extra folds and pressure zones do make them more likely.

4. Hormones and life stages

Hormonal shifts can “turn up the volume” on skin‑tag formation.

  • Pregnancy is a classic time when people suddenly notice new tags, likely due to both hormonal changes and weight gain.
  • Changes in sex‑steroid hormones (like estrogen and progesterone) and growth factors have been tied to skin tags.

That’s why someone might go into a pregnancy with smooth underarms and emerge with a few tiny hitchhikers.

5. Genetics: “family trait” effect

  • Some people just seem prone to them, and having close relatives with skin tags raises your odds.

In other words, you can be doing “everything right” and still get skin tags simply because they run in your family.

6. Medical conditions linked to skin tags

Skin tags are usually harmless, but they can sometimes be little external clues about what’s going on inside. They’re more common in:

  • People with diabetes or insulin resistance.
  • People who are overweight or have metabolic issues (like high cholesterol or high blood pressure).
  • People with certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV).

Some research suggests skin tags may correlate with insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk markers, making them a potential “visible flag” worth mentioning to your doctor if you have many of them.

Are skin tags dangerous?

  • The vast majority are completely benign and never turn into cancer.
  • People often remove them for cosmetic reasons or because they snag on clothing, jewelry, or razors and become irritated.

Red flags to get checked by a professional:

  • Rapid change in size or color.
  • Bleeding without irritation, persistent pain, or ulceration.
  • A “skin tag” that looks unusual compared to your others.

In those cases, a dermatologist can confirm it’s a simple tag and not a different type of growth.

How do people usually deal with them?

“I know it’s harmless, but I just hate how it catches on my necklace.”
– A very typical complaint in clinic notes and blogs.

Typical options:

  1. Leave them alone
    • Totally fine if they’re small and not bothering you, since they’re benign.
  1. Professional removal (recommended)
    • Methods include freezing (cryotherapy), cauterizing (burning), cutting them off (excision), or tying them off (ligation), usually done quickly in a clinic.
 * This avoids infection risk, scarring, or misdiagnosing something more serious.
  1. Avoid DIY “home surgery”
    • Using scissors, string, or harsh chemicals carries risks: bleeding, infection, and scars.

Can you prevent skin tags?

You can’t guarantee you’ll never get them, but you can reduce risk factors:

  • Keep high‑friction areas as dry and clean as possible.
  • Wear softer fabrics and avoid tight collars or straps that repeatedly rub your neck or underarms.
  • Maintain a healthy weight to reduce skin folds and friction zones.
  • Talk to a doctor if you have many new tags, especially with other signs of metabolic issues (fatigue, weight gain around the waist, high blood sugar).

Think of it less as “prevention forever” and more as “reducing the conditions that encourage them.”

A quick story‑style example

Imagine Alex, 45, who has gained some weight over the last few years. They start noticing little soft bumps on the neck where a work lanyard rubs all day, plus a few under the arms where the skin folds. During a routine checkup, Alex’s doctor notes mild insulin resistance and explains that the combination of extra friction, age, and metabolic changes is why those tags are popping up.

Alex chooses to have a few removed because they catch on clothing, switches to softer shirts and a different lanyard style, and works on overall health—not to “cure” skin tags, but to lower the chances of new ones appearing.

TL;DR – why people get skin tags

  • Friction in skin folds and against clothing is the main trigger.
  • Age, genetics, weight, hormones (especially pregnancy), and certain conditions like diabetes make them more likely.
  • They’re almost always harmless, but many people remove them for comfort or cosmetic reasons—and you should see a professional if they change, hurt, or worry you.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.