Skin tags, sebaceous cysts and lipomas are common, benign, and a frequent source of cosmetic concern or physical irritation. NHS removal is rarely available for benign lesions. Private removal is straightforward, done under local anaesthetic in clinic, and you walk out the same day.
Educational information — not a substitute for clinical assessment
This page describes skin tags, sebaceous cysts and lipomas in general terms to help you decide whether assessment may be helpful. It is not a diagnostic tool. If you recognise yourself in what follows, please book a consultation.
Soft, flesh-coloured or slightly darker outgrowths of skin, usually small (a few millimetres). They tend to occur in skin folds — neck, armpits, groin, under the breasts, eyelids. They’re completely benign but can catch on clothing or jewellery, become irritated, or simply be cosmetically unwelcome. Pregnancy, weight gain, diabetes, and family history are common contributing factors.
Soft to firm lumps beneath the skin, often with a small central punctum (visible opening). They form when skin cells get trapped beneath the surface and slowly accumulate keratin (the protein in skin). Common on the scalp, face, neck, back, and behind the ears. Usually painless and slow-growing but can become infected, inflamed, or cosmetically prominent. Discharge of foul-smelling material (sometimes confused with pus) is common when squeezed — not recommended.
Soft, mobile lumps under the skin made of fatty tissue. They feel like a small soft ball that can be moved around freely under the skin. They’re benign tumours of fat cells, slow-growing, and usually painless. Common on the arms, back, shoulders, thighs, and trunk. Most are small but some grow over years to several centimetres.
UK adults have one or more skin tags, cysts or lipomas. They’re benign in the vast majority of cases — removal is usually for cosmetic or symptom relief.
None of these lesions need to be removed for medical reasons in most cases. People typically seek removal for:
Before any removal, we conduct a focused clinical assessment:
Some lesions warrant specialist input rather than in-clinic removal:
• Lesions with any suspicious features (suspected skin cancer) — urgent dermatology referral
• Lipomas larger than ~5cm or in awkward locations (face, hands, near nerves)
• Lesions on the eyelid, lip, or other cosmetically sensitive sites — plastic surgery referral
• Cysts that are actively infected — treat the infection first, then remove later
• Children under a certain age depending on lesion and cooperation
We’ll discuss this with you at consultation.
Most skin tags are removed by:
Multiple skin tags can usually be removed in a single appointment.
Proper removal requires excising the entire cyst including its wall — otherwise it recurs. The procedure:
Time: 20–45 minutes depending on size and location. Stitches (if non-dissolving) are removed at 5–14 days depending on the site.
Most small to moderate lipomas can be removed in clinic:
Larger lipomas, deep lipomas, or those near important structures (nerves, vessels) may need plastic surgery or general surgery referral.
You walk out the same day. General after-care:
For most removals where there’s any possibility of underlying pathology, the tissue is sent for histology (microscopic examination). This is standard for:
For obvious skin tags and uncomplicated lipomas, histology is sometimes not necessary — we discuss this individually. Histology results come back in 7–14 days and we’ll communicate the result to you.
All surgical removal carries some risk, even minor procedures:
Sometimes the better course is not to remove:
Book a consultation if:
Book sooner if a lesion is changing rapidly, bleeding, painful, or has other concerning features — see also our mole / skin lesion concerns page.
Current prices are on our Fees page. Costs depend on size, location, and number of lesions. We quote before any procedure.
For most uncomplicated skin tags, yes. For cysts and lipomas, we usually consult first and book the procedure as a second appointment within a week.
Depends on lesion size and location. Smaller lesions leave smaller scars. Areas with thinner skin or more tension (chest, shoulders) tend to scar more. We discuss this realistically in consultation.
UK PMI policies typically cover removal when there’s clinical suspicion of pathology or when symptoms warrant it (pain, infection, function). Purely cosmetic removals are usually not covered. We provide procedure codes; check directly with your insurer.
Yes. Multiple skin tags are commonly removed in a single appointment.
If completely removed, recurrence is uncommon. Some people are prone to developing new lipomas in other locations — that’s genetic, not failure of the procedure.
Only if the cyst wall wasn’t fully removed. Careful excision technique reduces this risk significantly.
Tell us at booking. Many people can still have minor surgery; sometimes we coordinate with your other clinicians. We don’t generally stop blood thinners without consultation with the prescribing doctor.
Cryotherapy works for many small skin tags. The tag freezes, then falls off over 1–2 weeks. Sometimes needs a second treatment. Discussed individually.
Care at MHW Clinic is delivered by a small clinical team, with Dr Haydar Bolat as Clinical Director. The specific clinicians involved in your care depend on the plan agreed with you at consultation.
UK-registered GP and Clinical Director at MHW. Performs minor skin surgery including removal of skin tags, sebaceous cysts and small lipomas under local anaesthetic. Refers to plastic surgery or dermatology for larger or more complex lesions.
View profileLanguages spoken across the team: English, Turkish, Bulgarian, Bengali, Hindi, Albanian, Azerbaijani, German, Romanian. We can also arrange professional telephone interpreters in most other languages at no extra cost. More on languages and interpreters →
This page was reviewed by Dr Haydar Bolat, Clinical Director at MHW Clinic. Content is based on British Association of Dermatologists guidance, GMC standards for surgical practice, and current UK clinical practice. NICE NG12 informs how suspicious lesions are managed. and current UK clinical practice. It is updated when guidance changes. Educational information only — not a substitute for clinical assessment.
Book a consultation. If suitable for in-clinic removal, the procedure can usually be done at the same visit or within a week.