How to Remove a Skin Tag at Home: Step by Step

Reviewed by OcuraLife Skin Experts · Updated June 2026

A typical small skin tag on the side of the neck
A typical skin tag on the neck. Soft, skin-colored, often on a thin stalk.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to remove a skin tag at home

Skin tags are soft, harmless growths that hang from a thin stalk, usually where skin rubs. With the Ocura Plasma Pen you arc the base of the stalk, a small crust forms, and the tag dries up and drops off as the skin heals. Here is exactly how to do it, safely.

The Ocura Plasma Pen
This guide uses the Ocura Plasma Pen.

The Right Settings

Which tip and power for a skin tag

SMALL TAG (ON A STALK)
Tip FinePower 4 to 6Sessions 1Heals 5 to 10 days

Arc the base of the stalk where it meets the skin. The tag dries up and falls off. One pass is usually enough.

LARGER OR FLESHY TAG
Tip CoarsePower 5 to 7Sessions 1 to 2Heals 10 to 14 days

Cover the full base in a closely spaced dotted pattern. A bigger tag may need a second session after it heals.

On the neck, underarms, or other tender spots, smooth on your kit's Numbing Cream first and let it set for twenty minutes before you begin.

Your Treatment

Step by step

1

Patch test first. Lowest power, fine tip, inside of your forearm. Wait 48 hours and check for any reaction before treating the tag.

2

Confirm it is a skin tag. Soft, skin-colored, hanging from a thin stalk. If it is flat, dark, changing, bleeding, or you are unsure, see a doctor before treating.

3

Cleanse and dry. Wash the area with a gentle cleanser and pat fully dry. The skin must be oil-free.

4

Numb, then re-dry. Apply numbing cream for twenty to thirty minutes, wipe it off completely, and confirm the skin is dry.

5

Set up the pen. Fine tip for a small tag, coarse for a fleshy one. Fully charged. Start at the lowest reasonable power.

6

Arc the base of the stalk. Hold the tip 1 to 2 mm above the skin at 90 degrees and tap at the base where the tag meets the skin. For a fleshy tag, stipple across the whole base.

7

Tap, see the spark, move on. The tag dries and darkens. Lift the pen between taps. Do not dig or hold the arc in one place.

8

Stop when the base is crusted. Once the base is uniformly dry, stop. Do not overlap dots or re-treat the same tag in the same session.

9

Apply aftercare cream over the treated tag, then cover it with a healing patch for the first 24 hours.

10

Let it fall off on its own. The dried tag lifts away with the scab. Follow the aftercare timeline below and never pull it off early.

What success looks like. A faint spark and a small tan or grey crust at the base of the tag. No charred black mark, no deep wound. If you cannot see a crust forming, step up one power level on your next tap.

Do not cut, tie, or freeze it yourself

Cutting a tag off or tying it with thread risks bleeding and infection. Let the pen dry it at the base instead. Take extra care near the eyelid margin, and never treat a tag on the eyelid rim at home.

The Ocura Plasma Pen Ultimate Bundle with numbing cream, aftercare and SPF
Everything you need in one box. The Ultimate Bundle: pen, numbing cream, aftercare and SPF.

Aftercare

What to expect while it heals

Day 0
Right after.The tag dries and a small crust forms at the base. Mild redness is normal. Apply aftercare cream and a healing patch.
Day 1 to 3
The scab sets in.Keep the area clean and dry. Replace the patch as needed. No long showers or pools.
Day 4 to 7
The tag darkens and lifts.It looks its worst right before it goes. Do not pick, scratch, or pull it.
Day 5 to 10
It falls off on its own.The dried tag drops away with the scab, leaving pink, fresh skin. Keep applying aftercare cream.
Week 2 to 6
Color evens out.Apply SPF over the spot every day, even indoors near windows. This is the most important step for a clean result.

Before You Start

When to see a doctor instead

It is changing Any growth that changes color, shape, or size, or that bleeds or itches, must be seen by a dermatologist before treatment.
You are not sure If you cannot tell whether it is a skin tag, a mole, or a wart, get it checked first. The plasma pen does not diagnose skin conditions.
It is on the eyelid rim Tags on the lid margin or very close to the eye should be treated by a professional, not at home.
Do not use the pen if You are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a pacemaker or implant, are prone to keloid scarring, or have taken isotretinoin in the last 6 months.

Remove them at home, at the source

The OcuraLife Plasma Pen targets the tag directly. A scab forms, falls off on its own, and the skin renews. Adjustable settings, single-use tips, 90-day money-back guarantee.

See the Plasma Pen

Back to all Step-by-Step Guides · New to the device? Read the full Plasma Pen guide · More on skin tags.