Anal skin tags are small, soft flaps of skin around the opening of the anus. They are very common and almost always harmless, and many form after a previous problem in the area, such as haemorrhoids or a healed fissure. Skin tags do not usually need treatment, but they can be removed if they cause irritation, make hygiene difficult, or simply bother you. An assessment confirms that a lump is a skin tag and nothing more.
What causes anal skin tags?
Previous haemorrhoids
swollen piles can leave a tag behind once they settle
A healed fissure
skin can remain after a tear heals
Stretching of the skin
from straining or swelling in the area
Previous inflammation or surgery
occasionally follows these
Not warts
they are not contagious and are not a sexually transmitted infection
When to seek assessment promptly
- A new lump around the anus that you want confirmed
- A tag that is causing irritation or hygiene difficulty
- Any change, bleeding or pain in the area
- A lump alongside a change in bowel habit
- Uncertainty about what the lump is
How it is treated
Skin tags are almost always harmless and can simply be left alone if they are not causing problems. It is still sensible, though, to have any new lump around the anus checked, so that its nature can be confirmed and anything else ruled out. If a tag is troublesome, it can be removed in a straightforward procedure under general anaesthetic as a day case. The area usually heals quickly, with simple pain relief and sensible post-procedure care.
Skin tags themselves are not urgent. See a doctor promptly, though, if a lump changes, bleeds, becomes painful, or is accompanied by other symptoms such as a change in bowel habit, so the cause can be confirmed.