Skin tags are small, soft, skin-coloured growths that hang off the skin and look a bit like warts.

They’re very common, harmless, and can vary in colour and size – from a few millimetres up to 5cm (about 2 inches) wide.

Skin tags are usually found on the neck, armpits, around the groin, or under the breasts. They can also grow on the eyelids or under the folds of the buttocks.

Skin tags are made of loose collagen fibres and blood vessels surrounded by skin. Collagen is a type of protein found throughout the body.

Both men and women can develop skin tags. They tend to occur in older people and people who are obese or have type 2 diabetes.

Pregnant women may also be more likely to develop skin tags as a result of changes in their hormone levels. Some people develop them for no apparent reason.