Skin Tag vs Seborrheic Keratosis

How to tell the difference — key features compared side by side.

Feature
Skin Tag
Seborrheic Keratosis
Category
Benign
Benign
Key feature
Small, soft, hanging pieces of skin. Extremely common in skin folds - completely harmless.
Waxy, stuck-on growths - the most common benign tumor in adults over 50. Harmless but frequently mistaken for melanoma.
Risk factors
Obesity and overweight; Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes; Pregnancy
Age over 50 (prevalence approaches 100% in elderly); Genetic predisposition (strong familial tendency); Sun exposure may play a role in some cases
Action needed
Only if skin tags are irritated, painful, or cosmetically bothersome
Only if you are unsure whether a growth is SK or melanoma

Skin Tag

Skin tags are small, soft, flesh-colored or slightly darker growths that hang from the skin by a thin stalk (peduncle). They are one of the most common skin growths, affecting an estimated 25% of adults at some point.

Read full guide →

Seborrheic Keratosis

Seborrheic keratosis (SK) is the single most common benign skin tumor, affecting nearly all adults over 60. They appear as waxy, raised, brown or tan growths that look as though they have been pasted or stuck onto the skin surface.

Read full guide →

Does yours look more like skin tag?

Quick self-check

Does this look like skin tag? Answer 2 questions.

Is it a small, soft growth hanging from the skin by a thin stalk?

Is it in an area of skin friction (neck, armpit, groin)?

Still not sure?

Our full ABCDE checker evaluates 5 clinical criteria dermatologists use.

Full ABCDE check →