What about the overnight method?
A common home remedy suggests:
- Wash and dry the area.
- Apply petroleum jelly over the skin tag.
- Cover it overnight.
- Repeat until the skin tag supposedly dries up and falls off.
There is no good medical evidence that this will remove a skin tag. More importantly, trying to make a skin tag dry out, tying it off, cutting it, burning it, or applying strong chemicals can cause bleeding, infection, scarring, and skin discoloration. The American Academy of Dermatology and NHS specifically advise against removing skin tags yourself. (American Academy of Dermatology)
The safer way to remove one
A dermatologist can usually remove a confirmed skin tag quickly using:
- Cryotherapy (freezing)
- Electrodesiccation (using heat/electricity)
- Sterile snipping/removal
These methods are much safer because the doctor can first make sure the growth really is a skin tag rather than a wart, mole, or another skin lesion. (American Academy of Dermatology)
Do not try a home-removal method if the growth is growing, changing color/shape, painful, or bleeding. Those features should be checked by a doctor. (nhs.uk)
If you want, I can also give you a safe overnight skincare routine for making the area around a skin tag less irritated/dark, without trying to remove the tag itself.