Skin tag on the eyelid: is it safe to remove, and how is it done?

Skin tags (acrochordons) are soft, skin-coloured growths on a narrow stalk. They are common on the eyelids, especially with age, and are harmless — but they can catch on lashes, rub, interfere with make-up or simply bother you.

Why not remove it at home?

Tying off, cutting, freezing kits and removal creams are designed for body skin. Near the eye they risk chemical injury to the eye surface, infection, bleeding, scarring that pulls on the lid, and damage to lash follicles. Some lesions that look like skin tags are actually papillomas or, rarely, skin cancers that should be tested.

How it is removed

After local anaesthetic, the tag is removed at its base with fine instruments and any bleeding is sealed. Larger lesions may need a stitch or two. It takes a few minutes, and anything uncertain is sent for histology.

Recovery

A small scab forms and falls off within one to two weeks; eyelid skin heals quickly and usually leaves little trace. Use the ointment prescribed and avoid make-up on the area until healed.

See a doctor promptly if an eyelid lump bleeds, crusts or ulcerates, causes eyelashes to fall out, keeps growing, distorts the lid, or comes back in the same place. Spreading redness and swelling of the whole lid, especially with fever or pain on moving the eye, needs urgent same-day care.

See eyelid lump and lesion removal, eyelid papilloma and lump on the eyelid — when to worry.

Seeing Ms Tahmina Pearsall

Ms Pearsall removes eyelid skin tags and lesions under local anaesthetic.

Ms Tahmina Pearsall is a consultant ophthalmic surgeon who qualified in 1993 and has more than 30 years of experience and over 50,000 procedures performed. She trained at Moorfields Eye Hospital, St Thomas' Hospital and Addenbrooke's Hospital, and sees private patients at multiple clinic locations, including Harley Street in London. Read her full credentials.

Ms Pearsall sees patients at Harley Street, London and other clinic locations. Patients travel from across the UK, including Brighton & Hove and Liverpool, and from Jersey and Guernsey and the Isle of Man.

The first telephone enquiry is free — arrange a free initial call to explain what happened and check whether a review is likely to help. A full clinical consultation with Ms Pearsall costs £250. Treatment prices are listed on the pricing page and confirmed in writing after examination.

This article is general information written for patients and does not replace an individual examination.