Getting a lot of skin tags usually comes down to a combination of friction, metabolic health, hormones, genetics, and age. They form when your body produces extra cells in the top layers of skin, creating small pouches of collagen fibers and blood vessels wrapped in a layer of epidermis. Most people who notice a growing number of skin tags can trace the cause to more than one factor working together.
Friction Is the Most Direct Trigger
Skin tags tend to grow exactly where skin rubs against itself or against clothing. That’s why the most common locations are the armpits, neck, eyelids, groin, inner thighs, under the breasts, and around the genitals. These are all areas with folds, creases, or constant movement throughout the day. Jewelry, bra straps, and tight collars can add to the irritation.
If you’ve gained weight, changed your wardrobe, or started a new exercise routine that creates more chafing, you may notice new skin tags appearing in those friction zones. Reducing contact in those areas (looser clothing, softer fabrics, removing necklaces that rub) can slow the formation of new ones.
Insulin Resistance and Blood Sugar
A high number of skin tags is one of the more visible markers of insulin resistance, the metabolic state where your cells stop responding efficiently to insulin. When insulin levels stay elevated, it can stimulate skin cell growth in ways that lead to tags. One study found that skin tags were present in about 33% of people with diabetes, making them the most common skin condition in that group after infections.
This doesn’t mean skin tags automatically signal diabetes. But if you’re noticing a sudden increase in skin tags, especially alongside other signs like increased thirst, fatigue, darkened skin patches on the neck or armpits, or a family history of Type 2 diabetes, it’s worth having your blood sugar and insulin levels checked. For some people, skin tags are an early, visible clue that metabolic changes are underway before a formal diabetes diagnosis.
Body Weight Plays a Role, but Not the Whole Story
Higher body weight increases both friction (more skin folds) and the likelihood of insulin resistance, so it contributes to skin tags through two pathways at once. Research confirms that the number of skin tags tends to be higher in people with obesity compared to those without. However, one clinical evaluation found the split was closer to even: about 48% of skin tag carriers were obese, while 52% were not. So while a higher BMI raises your risk, plenty of people at a healthy weight get skin tags too. Weight is a contributing factor, not a requirement.
Hormonal Changes, Especially During Pregnancy
Hormonal shifts can trigger a wave of new skin tags. This is especially common during pregnancy, when estrogen levels surge. Research has identified a link between elevated estrogen and increased skin tag formation, which helps explain why many pregnant women notice tags appearing on the neck, chest, and under the breasts during their second and third trimesters.
Other hormonal transitions, including puberty and perimenopause, can also coincide with new skin tags. Growth hormone imbalances, such as those seen in conditions like acromegaly, are another less common hormonal driver. In many cases, skin tags that appear during pregnancy shrink or stop growing after delivery, though they don’t always fall off on their own.
Age Makes Them More Common
Skin tags become significantly more frequent as you get older. A study tracking skin tag carriers across age groups found that by age 50 to 59, roughly 59% of people examined had at least one skin tag. That frequency held steady in people over 70 as well. The combination of decades of accumulated skin friction, gradual metabolic changes, and slower skin cell turnover all contribute. If you’re over 40 and noticing more skin tags than you had in your twenties, that’s a normal part of aging for most people.
Genetics and Family History
Some people are simply more prone to skin tags because of their genes. If your parents or siblings have a lot of skin tags, you’re more likely to develop them yourself. Researchers have identified specific genetic variants in the CDH1 gene, which controls a protein involved in how skin cells stick together, that appear more frequently in people with skin tags. These variants may make the skin more susceptible to forming tags in response to the usual triggers like friction and hormonal changes.
You can’t change your genetic predisposition, but knowing that your family tends toward skin tags can help you focus on the modifiable factors, like managing your weight, reducing friction, and monitoring your blood sugar.
A Possible Viral Connection
There’s growing evidence that certain strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) may play a role in skin tag formation. One study tested tissue from 30 patients with skin tags and found HPV DNA (specifically the low-risk strains HPV 6 and 11) in about 71% of the skin tag samples. By comparison, only 13% of normal skin samples taken from the same patients tested positive. This was a statistically significant difference.
These are the same low-risk HPV strains associated with common warts, not the high-risk strains linked to cancer. The study found no evidence of HPV 16 or 18 in any skin tag sample. This viral connection doesn’t mean skin tags are contagious or dangerous, but it suggests that in some people, a low-grade HPV infection in the skin may make tag formation more likely.
When Multiple Skin Tags Deserve Attention
Most skin tags are completely harmless. But certain patterns are worth paying attention to. A sudden appearance of many skin tags, especially if you’re under 40 and don’t have an obvious explanation like pregnancy, may warrant a blood sugar screening. As noted earlier, skin tags can be an early external sign of insulin resistance.
In rare cases, numerous skin-colored bumps on the face, neck, and upper chest that appear in your twenties or thirties and grow over time can indicate Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome, a genetic condition that also affects the lungs and kidneys. These growths look similar to skin tags but are technically benign skin tumors. If you have a strong family history of both skin growths and kidney problems, that’s a pattern worth mentioning to a doctor.
What Not to Do About Them
The temptation to remove skin tags at home is understandable, but it carries real risks. The FDA has not approved any over-the-counter product for removing skin tags. Products sold as skin tag removers, including ointments, gels, and liquids, often contain high concentrations of acids that can severely damage surrounding skin. The FDA has received reports of permanent skin injuries and serious infections from these products, including ones labeled as “natural” or “organic.”
Tying off a skin tag with string or cutting it with scissors also risks infection and scarring, particularly in areas like the eyelids or groin where the skin is delicate. If skin tags are bothering you cosmetically or catching on clothing, a dermatologist can remove them quickly using freezing, minor cutting, or heat, with minimal scarring. But removal doesn’t prevent new ones from forming. Addressing the underlying drivers, whether that’s friction, weight, or blood sugar, is what actually slows the rate of new growth.