Why You’re Getting More Skin Tags As You Age, Explained By A Dermatologist

There’s nothing quite as irritating to me as the skin tags appearing on my eyelids. For the longest time, no one could see them but me. But now, there’s one — the biggest of them all, naturally — visible above the folds of my top lid. And then there’s the pesky little ones underneath. This is to say nothing of my new clingers near my underarms. Maybe you’ve noticed your own skin tag population rising and wondered, “Why am I getting more skin tags as I get older?” Well, time comes for us all, and as your age goes up, so too does your likelihood of sprouting some new little growths.

You may have first noticed skin tags appearing on your body during pregnancy — this is pretty common, actually. “Pregnant women are more susceptible to skin tags due to hormonal changes, weight gain, and skin friction, and in those who have temporary insulin resistance in pregnancy,” explains Dr. Kellie Reed, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist at Westlake Dermatology Houston. Smaller skin tags that form during this time might actually go away on their own, though some will linger. And then they invite their friends over.

Why am I getting more skin tags as I get older?

The likelihood of developing skin tags increases as you age. “There are several reasons why we are more prone to skin tags as we age,” says Reed. “These include skin friction, particularly in areas of folds where there is skin-to-skin contact, such as the underarms and neck. Hormonal changes at various points in life can affect skin growth. Insulin resistance is linked to increased risk of skin tags. A family history of skin tags can make one more susceptible to them as well. Weight increases can lead to increased skin-on-skin friction, which also contributes to skin tag formation.”

Skin tags are most common around the eyelids, neck, armpits, under the breasts, groin, genital area, and thighs. These areas are where the body’s natural folds come together, and moving around causes them to rub.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to prevent friction, like using anti-chafe body sticks or wearing bike shorts under dresses. Reed says certain jewelry and tight clothing can contribute to skin tag formation too, so changing those up would help. Personally, there’s not much I can do about my eyelid skin. So, if you’re interested in removing skin tags, what are your options?

At-home skin tag removal: a word of caution

For starters, there’s no need to remove skin tags unless you just want to. If you don’t mind how they look and they don’t cause you any pain, then no harm, no foul. However, if a skin tag bleeds easily or gets irritated throughout the day, you should discuss it with your doctor.

There are many skin tag removal products available online, from creams and liquids to freezing devices, like those used to treat warts. That said, dermatologists generally caution people not to use any of these at-home removal methods — turns out they can be pretty damaging to the skin, not just the tag.

“Many of these over-the-counter products are quite caustic on the skin and can inadvertently cause a chemical burn and result in scarring or skin discoloration. Sometimes skin tags, particularly larger ones, may bleed more than expected when removed. And not all skin tags actually are skin tags,” says Reed.

Certain moles, warts, skin cancers, and other conditions can look similar to skin tags, which is why Reed says a dermatologist should assess any growths or spots you have before you attempt to remove them at home. If they are skin tags, your derm can remove them in-office by snipping them off with scissors, freezing them, or using a tiny electrical current to destroy the skin tag (a.k.a. electrodesiccation, which sounds so metal).

Personally, I know skin tags run in my family — I remember my grandmother’s face so fondly, skin tags and all. So, when I get a little huffy about a new skin tag appearing around my eyelids, I remind myself that no one cares but me, and they’re just another part of my face that makes me me. If your skin tags affect your self-confidence, just know there are safe ways to get them removed with a little help from your dermatologist.