Skin Tags in Menopause: Why They Appear After 45

You were clasping a necklace and felt something small catch under your fingers. A tiny soft bump on the side of your neck, the size of a grain of rice. A few weeks later, you spot another one near your underarm, then a third on your eyelid. None of them hurt, and all of them are new.

If you are also navigating hot flushes, sleep disruption, weight changes around the middle and a body that keeps producing new small surprises, please know skin tags are part of the same picture. Hormonal change, friction in skin folds and metabolic shifts that accompany menopause all combine to make tags more common after 45. Many women describe noticing "three of them where I never had any" or finding "a grain of rice hanging off my skin" after a bra strap snags one.

Skin tags are harmless but worth understanding. Some can be removed easily, some are best left alone, and no skincare product can remove the ones already there. 

Why Skin Tags Appear More Often in Menopause

Studies in Maturitas indicate menopausal skin loses elasticity, thins and shifts in its connective tissue structure within the first five years after estrogen drops. The same hormonal change also influences how the body manages glucose and stores fat.

Skin tags are small overgrowths of skin cells, blood vessels and connective tissue. They appear most often in skin folds (neck, underarms, under the breasts, eyelids, groin) where two surfaces rub against each other. Friction over years, on skin that is now thinner and less elastic, encourages tag formation.

Research has also linked skin tags to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, both more common in midlife. A sudden cluster of new tags is sometimes worth mentioning at your next health check, not because they are dangerous, but as a quiet signal worth listening to.

DermNet notes that skin tags commonly appear in areas of chafing or skin-on-skin friction, and that insulin resistance may be one contributing factor. This is one reason a sudden increase in multiple skin tags may be worth discussing with a GP, particularly if there are other changes in weight, blood sugar, or metabolic health.

What Skin Tags Actually Are and Why They Are Harmless

A skin tag (sometimes called an acrochordon) is a small, soft, flesh-coloured growth that hangs off the skin by a thin stalk. They are usually 1 to 5 millimetres. They are not contagious, not cancerous, and not a sign of poor skin care.

They are a normal feature of ageing skin, especially in folds and friction zones. Most adults over 50 have at least one. They feel like a midlife event because they often appear in clusters around perimenopause, when several risk factors converge.

How Hormones and Friction Combine on Menopausal Skin After 45

Three things happen at the same time in midlife. Estrogen drops, thinning the skin and reducing collagen support. Body shape often shifts, increasing contact between skin folds. And metabolic changes can make skin slightly more reactive at the cellular level.

Research in Journal of Investigative Dermatology by Pilkington and colleagues describes ageing skin as shifting toward a more inflammatory baseline (sometimes called inflammaging). On skin folds that rub all day, that low-grade inflammatory environment encourages the small overgrowths that become tags. None of this is your fault. It is simply what midlife skin does.

Comparing Skin Tag Removal Options for Women Over 45

If a tag is in an irritating spot, catches on jewellery, or you simply prefer it gone, removal is quick and low-risk when done by a qualified skin specialist. There are several options to compare.

Click to expand

What May Help Support the Skin Around Skin Tag Areas

Skincare cannot remove an existing skin tag. What it can do is keep the skin around tag-prone areas comfortable and well supported, which may help reduce the friction and irritation that encourages new tags. The goal of skincare is not to treat the tag itself. It is to care for the thinner, more friction-prone skin around the neck, jawline and décolletage so the area feels more comfortable day to day.

For the neck, jaw and décolletage, the Genova Firming Cream supports firmness and barrier function in skin folds where tags often appear. Used twice daily, it suits the thinner, less elastic skin of perimenopause and post-menopause. Pair it with the Genova Active Foaming Cleanser, a non-stripping cleanser that does not aggravate skin around existing tags.

Australian-made and formulated for higher UV and dry-air conditions, the range follows a calmer approach that supports skin folds without adding friction.

How to Care for Skin Tag Areas in Menopausal Skin Step by Step

1. Cleanse gently, twice a day. Use a non-stripping cleanser. Do not scrub or pick at tags.
2. Apply a peptide or barrier serum to damp skin. Avoid harsh actives directly on tags.
3. Moisturise the neck and décolletage with Firming Cream. Smooth upward; no aggressive massage over folds.
4. Daily SPF 30 or higher on neck and chest. Sun damage adds to laxity, which can encourage more tags.
5. Mind the friction. Loose collars, soft bra straps, and removing necklaces overnight help.
6. See a qualified skin specialist for removal. Do not snip or freeze tags at home.

Who Should See a Specialist About Skin Tags in Menopause

Book a specialist visit if:

• A tag changes colour, bleeds, or grows quickly
• You suddenly develop several new tags in a short period
• A tag is large, painful, or in a sensitive area like the eyelid
• You are unsure whether a growth is a tag or something else
• You want a tag removed for comfort or appearance

It is usually fine to leave them if:

• The tag has been stable for years and does not bother you
• It is small and in an area without friction
• It does not catch on clothing or jewellery

Common Questions About Skin Tags and Menopausal Skin

Are skin tags a sign of something serious?

Usually no. They are harmless overgrowths of normal skin tissue. A sudden cluster of new tags is sometimes linked to metabolic factors like insulin resistance, worth mentioning at your next health check. Any tag that bleeds, changes colour or grows quickly should be reviewed.

Can skincare remove a skin tag?

No. Topical products cannot remove an existing tag. Skincare may keep the surrounding skin comfortable and reduce friction, but removal is a procedure for a qualified skin specialist.

Why am I getting skin tags now and not earlier?

Three midlife factors converge: estrogen decline thins skin and reduces elasticity, body shape changes increase friction in folds, and metabolic shifts make tag formation more likely. The combination explains why tags often appear in clusters around perimenopause.

Are at-home skin tag removal kits safe?

They carry meaningful risk of infection, scarring and pigment change, especially on mature skin. Removal by a qualified skin specialist is quick, low cost and safer.

Will losing weight make skin tags go away?

Weight change can reduce friction that encourages new tags but does not remove existing ones. Existing tags need physical removal by a specialist.

Can I prevent more skin tags from appearing?

You cannot prevent them entirely; hormones and genetics play the biggest roles. Reducing daily friction, maintaining a healthy weight, and supporting overall skin barrier health may slow how many new tags appear.

References

Lephart ED. Skin aging and oxidative stress: equol's anti-aging effects via biochemical and molecular mechanisms. Maturitas. 2018;117:68-75.

Pilkington SM, Bulfone-Paus S, Griffiths CEM, Watson REB. Inflammaging and the Skin. Journal of Investigative Dermatology. 2021;141(4S):1087-1095.

DermNet NZ. Skin tags. Acrochordons. DermNet. Accessed May 2026. Available at DermNet NZ.

If you have noticed a few new tags lately and felt vaguely thrown, please know it is one of the most common changes of midlife and almost always harmless. A calm daily routine for the neck and décolletage with a barrier-supporting cream like the Genova Firming Cream helps the skin around tag-prone folds stay comfortable. For removal, a quick visit to a qualified skin specialist sorts it out. Skincare will not solve menopause, but a calm everyday routine takes one piece of it off your plate.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute personal advice. Genova products are cosmetics, not medicines. Results vary between individuals. If you have any concern about a skin growth, particularly one that bleeds, changes or grows quickly, please seek personal advice from a qualified skin specialist.