Gone in 1 to 2 treatments
Safe & effective treatment for skin tags
Fast recovery
Prices from £100 per treatment
Skin tags are small growths that hang off your skin. They're harmless, but can be removed if they're bothering you.
They 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 very common and many people have one or two. If you have lots of them it might be a sign of insulin resistance or Type II Diabetes, so they might be a sign to review your lifestyle choices and get a checkup from your GP.
They are treated in many different ways, but we like to use a laser. This non-invasive approach uses a thermal pulse of infrared energy to destroy the skin tag’s blood supply. It will then shrivel up and drop off a week or two later.
There is a little bit of discomfort during treatment, and the area may feel a bit sensitive for a week or so or so, but generally this treatment is well tolerated.
Please note that we are unable to provide treatment to lesions on your eyelid for eye safety reasons.
How long will my skin tag removal take and how much will it cost?
Skin tags normally respond in 1 to 2 treatments. Please see Prices for a guide to costs.
Why is the Highland Laser Clinic approach better than other methods?
We use our pulsed Nd:YAG laser to deliver a thermal pulse of infrared energy that destroys the skin tag’s blood supply. The skin tag will then shrivel up and drop off a week or two later.
Other common approaches includes using liquid nitrogen to freeze the area to the same effect. We’ve tried these cryo treatments and weren’t particularly impressed by the results. We found it takes repeated treatments to achieve full removal because the thermal effect tends not to penetrate very deeply. We also found that the risk of causing collateral damage to surounding skin was higher due to the messiness of the process.
Skin tags can be simply snipped off with sterile scissors or shaved off with a small blade by a skilled practitioner. This is essentially a minor surgery. Bleeding is likely and some degree of an open wound will be left. Electrosurgical approaches uses an arc of electricity to the same effect.
Home remedies usually involve ligation of the base of the tag using a strong thread or dental floss and might be a solution if you’re very price sensitive.
We are skilled in laser procedures, so of course we think our way is the best. We believe our approach gives the best result while minimising discomfort and risk factors.
Will my skin tags come back again?
Probably not. If you have issues with being overweight or have insulin resistance you may well see new skin tags develop in similar areas, but in the majority of cases removal will be the end of the matter.
Does it hurt?
There is a little discomfort during the procedure. A focal hot pinging sensation may be felt, a little like being snapped with an elastic band. There might be a slight sunburn type of sensation for the rest of the day and some minor discomfort in the area for about a week after treatment.
How long does it take to heal after treatment?
Recovery generally takes 1 to 3 weeks. The treated area will be red and might be a little swollen.
The skin tag will go dark, eventually black, dry and shrivel up, and then eventually drop off. The time scale for this varies and can be anything from the next day to 2 weeks.
There might be some residual pinkness or very slight textural changes where the skin tag used to attach.
What is a laser?
Laser is light, clean sterile light amplified to a very high energy. It is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. We have a number of different lasers at our disposal to perform a number of aesthetic procedures. See Technology.
What do I do when I get there?
Detailed directions to the Highland Laser Clinic can be found on the Find Us page.
There are 2 designated parking places, one right in front on the clinic, and one up the side of Birchwood house. Please take care not to obstruct access to our neighbour. Please note that our neighbour has a collie dog, who might shout at you a bit (it’s her job), but she's a sweetie really.
The clinic entrance is round to the left hand side of the house near the wooden fence.
We do not have a waiting room facility, so if you’re early or in the rare instance that we have an appointment over running, you may have to wait in your car.
If the blinds are closed in the clinic room, we are probably busy with another customer.
What happens at my consultation?
We sit down and discuss the procedure and how it all works. We talk about outcomes, side effects, risk factors and how to achieve the results you want. We aim to be completely transparent and open in these discussions and advise you to the best of or abilities, even if that is to recommend that you do not proceed with treatment with us.
Consultation is free. Once all your questions have been answered you can then choose to proceed with patch testing, or you can go away and think about it, or decide then and there that treatment is not for you. It’s up to you. There is no hard sell.
Do I have to have a Patch Test before treatment?
YES. Patch testing is part of the terms of our insurance and is compulsory before any treatment without exception. Patch testing is normally charged at £30 per site.
Can I bring someone with me?
Normally we would say yes, but in these pandemic times we are trying to minimise the number of people visiting the clinic. You can bring someone with you if you have a good reason to but please discuss this with us first. For safety reasons, children can not be in the clinic during laser treatment under any circumstances.
How do I pay for my treatment?
Highland Laser Clinic has the facility to take payment from a wide range of debit and credit cards, by using your phone, or using direct transfer to our bank using Bacs. We no longer accept American Express. You can pay as you go for each treatment individually. For some courses of treatment you can pay in advance for a block of 6 sessions for a 10% discount. We do not offer credit terms.
What do I do after treatment?
Detailed aftercare instructions are provided after your first treatment and an aftercare document is provided for reference. This is also emailed to you after treatment.
We are always available for post-treatment advice. If you have any issues we may ask you to come in for review. We never charge for any follow up appointments, only for treatment sessions.
Can I reschedule my appointment?
Yes. Our clients are really busy people and we fully respect that. We make it it easy to reschedule appointments at short notice so that if something unexpected comes up folk can change their booking. There is a personalised RESCHEDULE link on your confirmation email that is unique to your booking and will take you to an online diary to choose another time and date. If you no longer have the confirmation email for that booking you will need to contact us so that we can arrange it for you.
However, we are really busy people as well and do demand a certain degree of reliability. If you reschedule with less than 48 hours notice, it is our policy to ask for a deposit or payment up front to confirm your new booking date.
Can I cancel my appointment?
Yes. If you need to cancel your appointment because you no longer require treatment with us, or if you do not yet know the date you are able to reschedule to, you can use the personalised CANCEL link on your confirmation email that is unique to your booking. If you no longer have the confirmation email for that booking you will need to contact us so that we can arrange it for you.
If customers cancel with less than 48 hours notice, it is our policy to ask for a deposit or payment up front to confirm future bookings.
I have another question not listed here?
Please contact us with any additional questions you might have.
Pre Treatment Advice
For 4 weeks prior to treatment
Do not apply fake tan / self tanning products to the area. We can not treat you if these products are on or next to your skin tags
On the day of treatment
• Wash area well
• Avoid swimming in chlorinated water immediately before treatment
• Don’t be hungry, or thirsty, don't be hung-over or have just worked a nightshift
• You may choose to take paracetamol an hour before treatment to help mitigate treatment associated pain if that’s a safe drug for you to use, but please do not consume aspirin, ibuprofen or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAID’s)
• Please do not have any kind of product on the area to be treated on the day of treatment, including fake tan
Post Treatment Advice
During the 48 hours post treatment
• We will apply aloe vera gel liberally to the treated area immediately after treatment
• Treated areas will be red and swollen and the skin tags themselves may be grey or black
• Some scabbing to the area is possible
• Avoid strenuous activity such as gym sessions and sports following laser treatment
• Do not pick scratch or otherwise irritate the treated area
• Wash the area gently at least daily and apply Savlon
• Avoid all heat treatments including hot baths, saunas, steam rooms and hot showers directly on the treated area
For 1 week post treatment
• No swimming in chlorinated water
In the 2 weeks post treatment
• Some tenderness may be felt for the first 2 weeks
• Skin tags will dry, shrivel up, and grow darker in colour before dropping off
In the 4 weeks post treatment
• Repeat treatment should be made 4 weeks after previous treatment if required