Removal of benign epidermal hyperplasia

A skin tag (not cancer) is an overgrowth (hyperplasia) of the epidermis (the outermost layer of skin). Skin tags are common on areas that experience friction, such as the underarm and neck. Because they are epidermal, they are totally bloodless and (lacking melanocytes) appear white in color. Skin tags also have very few nerve endings - again, because they are an overgrowth of epidermis.

After the treatment, there should be no bleeding at all. There should be little skin tag material left. You may have a small "cut out" depression in the skin, where the tag was removed. The epidermis will quickly bridge this wound gap (epithelization) and, in most cases, the skin tag will not grow back. In predisposed patients, new skin tags will form in time.