SKIN TAGS (ACROCHORDONS) & FIBROEPITHELIAL POLYPS

CLINICAL OVERVIEW & TREATMENT APPROACH

Skin tags, medically referred to as acrochordons, are common benign skin growths composed of skin and fibrous tissue. They are typically soft and pedunculated, meaning they are attached to the skin by a narrow stalk, and may range from tiny skin-colored projections to larger, more prominent growths.

Larger or thicker lesions are often described as fibroepithelial polyps. These may become irritated, inflamed, painful, or occasionally bleed when repeatedly exposed to friction or trauma.

Skin tags and fibroepithelial polyps commonly develop on the neck, eyelids and surrounding eye area, underarms, groin, beneath the breasts, and other skin folds.

At International Vein & Skin Institute, skin tags and other benign skin growths are evaluated and removed by Dr. Jozef Tryzno, MD. Treatment is selected according to the type and size of the lesion, location, symptoms, diagnostic certainty, and expected healing.

WHEN SKIN TAG REMOVAL IS CONSIDERED

Removal may be considered when a skin tag or fibroepithelial polyp is:

Repeatedly irritated by clothing, jewelry, shaving, or grooming
Painful, inflamed, or bleeding
Enlarging or becoming more prominent
Located on the eyelid or another functionally sensitive area
Cosmetically bothersome
Uncertain in diagnosis

Small, stable skin tags are benign and do not require treatment simply because they are present.

SKIN TAGS ON THE EYELIDS & FACE

Skin tags and other small benign growths frequently occur on the eyelids, around the eyes, and elsewhere on the face. Because these areas contain thin skin and important surrounding structures, precise treatment and careful selection of the removal method are particularly important.

Small eyelid skin tags may be treated with CO₂ laser-assisted removal, allowing controlled treatment with minimal bleeding. Larger, pigmented, atypical, or diagnostically uncertain eyelid lesions may require a different approach or histopathologic examination.

The goal is to remove the lesion while limiting unnecessary injury to the surrounding skin and preserving the natural contour of the treated area.

👉 Learn more about Facial Nevi & Skin Growth Removal

SKIN TAG REMOVAL OPTIONS

Not every lesion is removed in exactly the same way. Treatment depends on lesion size, thickness, location, symptoms, and whether tissue needs to be preserved for histopathologic examination.

CO₂ LASER REMOVAL

At IVSI, an ablative CO₂ laser is commonly used as a surgical cutting and ablation tool for removal of small skin tags.

How it is performed:

Topical or local anesthesia is used when needed based on the size and location of the lesion
The CO₂ laser is used to precisely divide the narrow attachment of the skin tag
The lesion is removed with controlled hemostasis and limited procedural bleeding
The remaining lesion base may be carefully treated with the CO₂ laser when appropriate
Small treatment sites generally heal without sutured closure

CO₂ laser treatment is particularly useful in areas such as the face, eyelids, neck, and other cosmetically or functionally sensitive locations, where precise tissue control and hemostasis are important.

CO₂ LASER–ASSISTED SHAVE REMOVAL

CO₂ laser-assisted shave removal may be used for selected raised, broad-based, irritated, or diagnostically uncertain skin tags and fibroepithelial polyps.

How it is performed:

Topical or local anesthesia is used as appropriate
The raised portion of the lesion is removed tangentially using a surgical instrument or CO₂ laser
Removed tissue may be submitted for histopathologic examination when indicated
The remaining lesion base is treated with controlled CO₂ laser ablation and coagulation
The treatment site generally heals naturally without sutured closure

This technique combines tangential removal of the lesion with controlled treatment of the remaining base, while providing hemostasis and limiting procedural bleeding.

SURGICAL EXCISION — LARGER FIBROEPITHELIAL POLYPS

Surgical excision may be used for larger solitary pedunculated fibroepithelial polyps and for selected lesions that are significantly inflamed, swollen, or traumatized, including after prior cryotherapy or patient-applied removal techniques.

How it is performed:

Local anesthesia is administered
The lesion is excised across its base using a surgical instrument or surgical CO₂ laser
CO₂ laser coagulation may be used for controlled hemostasis with limited procedural bleeding
Removed tissue may be submitted for histopathologic examination when indicated
The wound is closed with sutures when needed for hemostasis and appropriate closure

DIAGNOSTIC CONSIDERATIONS

Most skin tags are readily recognized during clinical examination. However, not every raised or pedunculated growth is a skin tag.

Lesions that are pigmented, unusually large, rapidly changing, recurrently bleeding, atypical in appearance, or uncertain in diagnosis may require biopsy or histopathologic examination rather than cosmetic destruction.

This allows the removal method to be selected according to the actual diagnosis rather than appearance alone.

YOUR ROLE IN PROPER HEALING

Most small skin-tag treatment sites heal relatively quickly. The area should be kept clean and protected from friction, picking, or unnecessary irritation while new skin forms.

Healing varies according to the size and location of the lesion and the removal method used. Specific wound-care instructions are provided after treatment.

IMPORTANT PROCEDURAL CONSIDERATIONS

Treatment planning considers the number, size, location, symptoms, diagnostic certainty, skin characteristics, and expected healing of the lesions being treated.

Skin tags removed solely because of appearance are generally considered cosmetic, while symptomatic or diagnostically uncertain lesions may require medical evaluation and treatment. Insurance coverage depends on the diagnosis, medical necessity, and individual insurance plan.

SCHEDULE A SKIN LESION EVALUATION

An evaluation can help determine whether a growth is a skin tag, fibroepithelial polyp, or another type of skin lesion and the appropriate method of removal.

📞 Call (847) 518-9999 to schedule a skin lesion evaluation

Medical Disclaimer
This information is provided for educational purposes only and does not replace individualized medical evaluation. Treatment recommendations depend on clinical findings, diagnostic requirements, and patient-specific factors. Outcomes may vary, and no specific medical or cosmetic result can be guaranteed.

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