Skin Tags and Pregnancy: The Hormone Connection

New skin tags very commonly appear during pregnancy, especially in the second and third trimesters. They are benign. They are not a risk to you or your baby. The most important thing to know up front: do not use at-home skin tag removal devices, chemical removers, or any other removal method during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Wait. The right time to address them is after delivery, after breastfeeding finishes, and after your OB-GYN gives the green light.

This page covers why pregnancy is one of the biggest skin tag triggers, what is normal versus what warrants a call to your OB-GYN, and the postpartum plan for the tags that did not resolve on their own.

For the complete background on skin tags themselves, see our full skin tags guide. This page is for pregnancy specifically.

Why pregnancy is one of the biggest skin tag triggers

Pregnancy is one of the largest single hormonal events the human body goes through. The hormonal shifts of pregnancy combine with weight gain and new skin fold patterns, and those three things together produce skin tags at a rate well above the baseline for any other adult life stage outside of perimenopause.

The hormonal piece. Estrogen rises dramatically through pregnancy. Progesterone rises. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) reaches the highest level it will ever hit in a woman's life. Each of these has effects on the skin, and the combination appears to increase the rate at which skin tags form. The exact molecular pathway has not been fully pinned down, but the association is documented across dermatology and obstetric references.

The mechanical piece. Pregnancy weight gain redistributes the body in ways that create new skin folds (around the bra line, the abdomen, the underarms, the inner thighs, sometimes the neck). New folds are new friction zones, and friction is the primary mechanical trigger for skin tags.

The cumulative piece. Most women who develop pregnancy related skin tags first notice them in the second trimester (around weeks 14 to 26) and continue to develop more through the third trimester. By the end of pregnancy, the count is often higher than it has ever been.

This is normal. Common enough that it is part of the standard discussion of pregnancy skin changes in obstetric and dermatology references, including resources from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. It is not a sign that anything is wrong with your pregnancy. If you are noticing other hormonal pattern triggers in your life, our companion guide on sudden onset skin tags walks through them in detail.

Are skin tags during pregnancy a problem?

In almost every case, no. Skin tags are benign growths. They are not contagious. They do not affect the developing baby. They do not interfere with breastfeeding. They are a cosmetic change, not a medical concern.

The situations where a skin tag during pregnancy genuinely warrants a call to your OB-GYN or a dermatologist are the same as for any other life stage:

• A skin tag that bleeds spontaneously, with no trauma you can identify.
• A spot that has been growing rapidly, changing color, or changing shape.
• A pigmented brown or black spot you had assumed was a skin tag (this is not actually a skin tag and earns a dermatologist evaluation).
• A spot with uneven, blurry borders or uneven color within it.
• A spot that itches or hurts persistently.

These signs are not specific to pregnancy. The bar for calling your OB-GYN during pregnancy is appropriately lower than outside of pregnancy. There is no judgment in raising something at a prenatal visit that turns out to be nothing. That is what the visits are for.

For the more detailed look at what makes a skin growth worth a doctor's eye versus a normal pattern skin tag, see our skin tag vs wart vs mole guide. If a tag is bleeding right now, see why is my skin tag bleeding.

Pregnancy is the wait. The postpartum window is the after.

What is normal during pregnancy vs what is not

A short reference, given that pregnancy creates so many skin changes at once that it can be hard to tell what is part of the pregnancy and what is something else.

Normal pregnancy skin changes that are not a problem:

• Several new skin tags developing in the second and third trimesters, especially on the neck, under the arms, along the bra line, on the upper abdomen, and in the inner thigh folds.
• Skin tags that are flesh colored or slightly darker, soft, hanging on a stalk, and stable in size after they appear.
• Skin tags that occasionally get caught and bleed briefly when snagged (the bleeding stops within minutes with light pressure).

Patterns that warrant a call to your OB-GYN or a dermatologist:

• Any skin tag that bleeds on its own without contact.
• Any spot that has been growing or changing in size, shape, or color over the last few weeks.
• Any pigmented brown or black spot. This is not a skin tag and deserves evaluation regardless of pregnancy.
• Skin tags accompanied by other systemic symptoms (significant fatigue beyond normal pregnancy tiredness, unexplained weight changes, increased thirst, very dark patches in skin folds called acanthosis nigricans).

How confident are we about each pregnancy skin tag claim?

Some pregnancy skin tag claims sit on solid evidence. One does not. Here is the honest read on each, in plain rows.

The non-negotiable: do not attempt removal during pregnancy

This is the single most important point on this page. Do not use any of the following during pregnancy or while breastfeeding:

• At-home plasma pen devices (including the OcuraLife Plasma Pen).
• At-home cryotherapy or freeze kits.
• Over the counter chemical wart and skin tag removers (salicylic acid based or otherwise).
• String, thread, dental floss, or any tie off folk remedy.
• Manicure scissors, nail clippers, or any cutting tool.
• Apple cider vinegar, tea tree oil, iodine, or any home remedy topical.

Reasons:

Infection risk is different during pregnancy

The immune system shifts during pregnancy. A small wound that would heal cleanly outside of pregnancy can take longer or develop complications during it. Pregnancy is not the time to introduce open skin wounds you do not have to.

Pain management is restricted

Many of the topical anesthetics used during in-clinic removal are restricted or off label during pregnancy. At-home removal that turns out to be more painful than expected leaves you without the usual options.

Bleeding can be heavier during pregnancy

Blood volume increases and clotting changes. A snipped or partially removed skin tag can bleed more, longer, and more dramatically than it would outside of pregnancy.

Hyperpigmentation is heightened. Pregnancy raises the skin's tendency to leave a dark mark behind any wound. This is why melasma and linea nigra appear. Any wound is more likely to leave a longer lasting dark spot than it would in a non pregnant state.

Most pregnancy skin tags are reasonable to leave alone. A meaningful share shrink or fall off on their own after delivery. Removing them during pregnancy means going through risk for a problem that may resolve itself.

If a skin tag is causing acute discomfort during pregnancy (catching repeatedly, in a chronically painful spot, getting infected because of constant friction), that is the situation where you call your OB-GYN or ask to be referred to a dermatologist who treats pregnant patients. In-clinic removal by a clinician during pregnancy is occasionally appropriate, but the decision goes through your medical team, not through an at-home device.

Personalized situations

If you are in your first trimester

New skin tags in the first trimester are less common than in the second and third but not unusual. The same advice applies: leave them alone, do not attempt removal, and bring up anything that does not look like an ordinary skin tag at your next prenatal visit. First trimester skin changes are particularly worth a careful look from your medical team because they overlap with the window when other pregnancy assessments are happening.

If you are in your second or third trimester

You are in the peak window for new skin tag appearance. A scattering of new tags is normal. The same do not remove rule applies. You are also approaching the postpartum window where many women want to address skin changes that accumulated during pregnancy. Now is the time to bookmark a plan for after delivery, not to act on it. Tags on the neck specifically can multiply during this window; our neck skin tags guide walks through the postpartum plan for that area.

If you are breastfeeding

Skin tags often appear during breastfeeding too, particularly along the bra line where increased breast size and a new feeding routine create new friction patterns. The breastfeeding period extends the do not remove window, for two reasons: hormones are still shifting and not yet stable, and some topical actives absorb through skin and can reach the milk supply. Wait until you have stopped breastfeeding and your menstrual cycle has returned (a reasonable proxy for hormones having stabilized) before pursuing removal. This is typically several months postpartum at minimum, and longer for women who breastfeed for a year or more.

Pregnancy skin changes: the broader picture

Skin tags are one of many skin changes that happen during pregnancy. The fact that several are happening at once does not mean anything is wrong. Other common pregnancy skin changes include:

Linea nigra. The vertical dark line that appears down the middle of the abdomen from the navel toward the pubic bone, caused by hormone driven hyperpigmentation. Typically fades over months postpartum.

Melasma (the "mask of pregnancy"). Darker patches on the face, especially the forehead, cheeks, and upper lip, also driven by hormone related pigmentation. May fade postpartum or persist.

Stretch marks. Pink, red, or purple lines that develop on the abdomen, breasts, hips, and thighs as the skin stretches. Typically fade to silver or white over time but rarely disappear entirely.

Varicose veins and spider veins. Blue or purple bulging veins on the legs (and occasionally the vulva) caused by increased blood volume and the pressure of the growing uterus on the major blood vessels.

Cherry angiomas. Small red spots driven partly by the same hormonal pattern. Many appear during pregnancy and persist after. See our companion piece on cherry angiomas and hormonal triggers for the parallel pattern.

All of these are normal pregnancy changes. None of them require treatment during pregnancy. Each has a different postpartum trajectory: some resolve, some fade, some persist. The framing that works is that pregnancy is a temporary state and most of the skin changes it causes will look different (better, partially resolved, or persistent and treatable) in the months after delivery. Patience is the underrated tool here.

For the broader ACOG view of pregnancy skin changes, see the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists patient resources. NIH MedlinePlus also has a general overview of pregnancy and skin changes.

What to actually do about skin tags during pregnancy

The practical plan, broken into two windows.

During pregnancy (and while breastfeeding):

• Leave them alone. Do not attempt any form of removal.
• Wear loose, soft fabrics over areas with multiple skin tags to reduce snagging and catch bleed incidents.
• Use gentle, fragrance free cleansing in skin fold areas.
• Continue daily SPF 50 as part of your general pregnancy skin care; hyperpigmentation is heightened and sun exposure compounds it.
• Mention any unusual looking spots, any bleeding without contact, or any rapid changes at your next prenatal visit.
• If a skin tag becomes acutely painful or infected, call your OB-GYN. Any in-clinic removal decision goes through your medical team.

Postpartum (before resuming any removal):

• Wait until you have delivered, recovered, and (if breastfeeding) finished breastfeeding and your menstrual cycle has returned. For most women this is several months to over a year postpartum.
• Re-evaluate which skin tags are still there. Some will have shrunk or disappeared on their own.
• Confirm that what remains is an ordinary skin tag (soft, on a stalk, flesh toned or slightly darker, not changing).
• Get your OB-GYN's green light before doing anything cosmetic.

Postpartum (when ready for removal):

• See our guide on how to remove skin tags at home for the full walkthrough of safe at-home options.
• For the head-to-head comparison of plasma pens, bands, and freeze kits, see plasma pen vs skin tag bands vs patches.
• For the broader buyer guide, see the best at-home way to remove skin tags in 2026.
• For tags that did not resolve on their own, see do skin tags go away on their own.
• Or see a dermatologist for in-clinic removal of multiple tags or any tag you are not confident about.

The healing pattern for at-home plasma pen removal, once you are in the postpartum window and cleared by your OB-GYN, is well established: about 5 minutes per tag, a small protective scab that lifts on its own in 3 to 7 days, and the underlying skin renewed by week 2 to 3. None of that should happen during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

The bottom line

Skin tags during pregnancy are very common, caused by the combination of hormonal shifts and new friction patterns from weight gain. They are benign. They are not a risk to you or your baby. Do not attempt at-home removal during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. A meaningful share will shrink or fall off after delivery as hormones normalize; many will persist. The right time to address the ones that did not resolve is several months postpartum, after breastfeeding has ended, and after your OB-GYN has given the green light.

If anything looks unusual, bleeds without contact, or is changing, bring it up at a prenatal visit. The bar for calling your OB-GYN during pregnancy is appropriately low.

Related guides in this series

• Skin Tags: The Complete Guide (the medical picture)
• How to Get Rid of Skin Tags at Home (postpartum method walkthrough)
• The Best At-Home Way to Remove Skin Tags in 2026 (the broader buyer guide)
• Plasma Pen vs Skin Tag Bands vs Patches (head-to-head)
• Why Am I Suddenly Getting Skin Tags? (the hormonal pattern, beyond pregnancy)
• Do Skin Tags Go Away on Their Own? (the resolution question)
• Skin Tag vs Wart vs Mole (identification)
• Why Is My Skin Tag Bleeding? (if it is bleeding right now)
• Skin Tags on the Neck (the most common location)
• Cherry Angiomas and Hormonal Triggers (the parallel hormone pattern)