Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormonal condition that affects women of reproductive age. There are a lot of symptoms of PCOS you’re probably familiar with: irregular periods, acne, excess hair growth on the face/body, and weight gain are a few side effects of PCOS that most people don’t understand we face. However, there are a number of unusual symptoms of PCOS, too!
As Cysters, knowing exactly how PCOS affects your body is super important. It can help reveal what type of PCOS you have, what root issues you might be dealing with, and, more importantly, what you need to do to heal your body and reverse your symptoms.
So, today, I want to talk about skin tags, a lesser-known but common symptom women with PCOS often deal with! Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) can affect the skin in several ways, in fact. Let’s discuss why and how you can improve this symptom!
PCOS And Skin Tags: How They’re Related
Skin tags are still somewhat of a mystery in the medical world—just like PCOS! While their exact root cause isn’t fully understood, we do know that certain factors can increase the likelihood of developing them. Many of these same factors are directly linked to PCOS, which means addressing the root causes of your symptoms can also help improve your skin health!
What Is A Skin Tag?
A skin tag is a small growth that develops on areas of the body where there is friction or skin folds. You’ll probably notice them around your neck, armpits, groin, eyelids, under the breasts, or between stomach folds. They’re narrow, smooth, or slightly wrinkled and don’t cause pain. These “tags” are also non-cancerous and pose no risk to your health. They’re more of a cosmetic issue than a true medical concern.
Are Skin Tags A Sign of PCOS?
If the only symptom of PCOS you have are skin tags, that wouldn’t be enough to get a diagnosis. However, if skin tags are one of many symptoms of this condition you’re experiencing, it is worth bringing up to your doctor for a possible PCOS diagnosis.
As I mentioned, other skin issues could be due to PCOS, too! The same root issues leading to skin tags often lead to dark skin patches and acne as well.
Why Does PCOS Cause Skin Tags?
Two of the core issues with PCOS are insulin resistance and hormonal dysregulation. Both can cause skin tags! Insulin resistance is when your body doesn’t respond correctly to insulin. Instead of turning glucose into energy, the body stores the sugar as fat and absorbs it into the bloodstream. This can lead to weight gain, cravings, fatigue, brain fog, skin darkening, and, of course, skin tags!
Additionally, one of the main hormonal imbalances women with PCOS face is high levels of androgens (male sex hormones). Androgens like testosterone have their place in the female body, but elevated levels can wreak havoc! They can cause some reproductive symptoms like irregular periods, ovarian cysts, and infertility. However, high androgens can also cause skin problems like skin darkening, acne, and skin tags!
This is because high androgens can lead to excess oil production, an overgrowth of skin cells, low collagen output, and less skin elasticity. All this impacts skin health, leading to acne, skin darkening, and skin tags. Plus, high androgens can even worsen insulin resistance!
Therefore, one of the options we have to improving skin health and getting rid of skin tags is naturally regulating hormone levels and reducing insulin resistance.
How To Get Rid Of PCOS Skin Tags
Make lifestyle changes to manage insulin resistance.
One of the first steps in any PCOS treatment plan should be increasing insulin resistance! Not only will it help with skin tags, but it’ll help relieve several other PCOS symptoms and even improve other root issues like hormonal imbalance and inflammation. Here are some of the main ways you can take control of your insulin resistance and metabolic health to ditch skin tags and other PCOS symptoms:
Eat an intentional and balanced diet:
The best way to reduce insulin resistance is by eating a more balanced diet! Find your carb tolerance range, lower foods that have excess sugar, increase fiber and protein in your plates, stay hydrated, and even try substituting foods or ingredients with gluten and dairy with alternatives. On the blog, you can learn more about my recommended PCOS-friendly diet as a PCOS Registered Dietitian (and fellow Cyster) but you can also download The Cysterhood app that’s full of delicious and PCOS-friendly recipes and meal plans to help you reach your goals!
Exercise regularly:
Exercise plays a key role in improving insulin sensitivity, which is crucial for managing PCOS symptoms like skin tags, weight gain, and inflammation. But not all workouts are created equal—especially when it comes to hormone balance.
Slow-weighted workouts are one of the best ways to support insulin resistance and hormonal dysregulation without spiking cortisol levels. Strength training at a controlled pace helps your body use glucose more efficiently, reduces excess insulin in the bloodstream, and prevents it from being stored as fat. The key is progressive overload with proper rest periods—lifting weights with intention while allowing your body to recover. This keeps stress hormones in check while building strength and improving metabolism.
If you’re looking for guided, PCOS-friendly workout routines, you can find plenty inside The Cysterhood app!
Reduce stress:
Stress isn’t just a feeling—it has a direct impact on your hormones and metabolism. When your body is under stress, it produces more cortisol (your stress hormone), which can throw everything out of balance. High cortisol levels put your body in “survival mode”, slowing metabolism, increasing insulin resistance, and making it harder to manage PCOS symptoms—including skin tags.
Managing stress isn’t about eliminating it completely (because, let’s be real, life happens!). It’s about helping your body handle it better. Try incorporating stress-reducing habits like slow-weight workouts, daily walks in nature, deep breathing, prioritizing sleep, or engaging in hobbies that bring you joy. Small, consistent changes can make a huge difference in balancing hormones and improving your skin health!
Take the right supplements:
Targeting insulin resistance with the right supplements can make a huge difference in managing PCOS symptoms—including skin tags. The Metabolism Plus bundle from Ovafit is designed to fill common nutrient gaps in PCOS and support better insulin sensitivity. It contains key nutrients like:
- Chromium, magnesium, & zinc – Help improve insulin function and blood sugar regulation
- Vitamin D3 & vitamin E – Support hormone balance and inflammation reduction
- B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, folate) – Essential for metabolic health and energy production
- Omega-3s – Reduce inflammation and promote overall hormonal balance
Additionally, probiotics and Ovasitol (a combination of myo & d-chiro inositol) have been shown to support insulin resistance and hormone regulation, making them great additions to your PCOS supplement routine.
When combined with a balanced diet, movement, and stress management, supplements can play a key role in improving metabolic health and reducing PCOS symptoms—including skin tags!
Naturally regulate your high androgen levels.
The next step to getting rid of skin tags and relieving PCOS symptoms is by regulating your androgen levels. Like with insulin resistance, there’s a lot you can do yourself to regulate hormone levels without medical intervention! Here are some things you can do:
Do slow-weighted workouts:
As mentioned earlier, the right exercise for our PCOS bodies can of course help with insulin resistance, but it also has incredible hormone-regulating effects. Doing low-intensity workouts with weights allows you to workout your whole body, without raising your heart rate. As your heart rate increases, so will your adrenaline and cortisol levels.
Those high-stress hormone levels increase insulin resistance and throw off all your other hormone levels, including testosterone. So, exercise regularly, but stick to things like slow-weighted workouts from The Cysterhood app or try pilates, walking, or yoga!
Support your metabolism:
Struggling with PCOS weight loss? You’re not alone—but here’s the good news: when you target the root causes of PCOS, weight loss becomes easier, and hormone balance follows. High insulin levels and chronic inflammation can lead to excess androgen production, which may contribute to symptoms like skin tags, acne, and hair loss. But by improving insulin sensitivity, reducing inflammation, and supporting metabolic health, you can help your body find its natural balance.
Focusing on nourishing, high-protein meals, slow weighted workouts, and stress management can all help regulate insulin and reduce androgen levels—which not only improves symptoms like skin tags but can also help with sustainable weight loss. Instead of fixating on the scale, shift your focus to building habits that make you feel stronger, more energized, and in control of your health. With time, consistency, and the right approach, real change is possible!
Take the right supplements:
There are quite a few supplements that can help lower testosterone levels in women with PCOS, many of which we have already discussed earlier for insulin resistance! Ovasitol is the best one for addressing hormonal dysregulation, but you’ll also find that vitamin D3, omega-3, and zinc from our Metabolism Plus bundle can help regulate hormones and improve skin health, too.
Drink herbal tea:
There are lots of herbal teas out there that have been found to help with hormone balance particularly androgen levels. Instead of trying to fit half a dozen different hormone-balancing teas into your daily routine, try Testosterone Relief Tea! It’s a blend of herbal teas, including spearmint, lemon balm, orange peel, chamomile, rosehip, peppermint, cinnamon, nettle lavender, and calendula, specially formulated to help lower androgen levels! I love to prep a large batch early in the week and leave it cold in my fridge so I can grab it to-go every morning.
Try safe home remedies:
There are a few home remedies that Cysters have tried to get rid of skin tags, with mixed results. Here are a few things you can try:
- Tea Tree Oil: Try diluting tea tree oil in a carrier oil and applying it to your skin tag with a cotton swab and bandage overnight. After a few nights, the skin tags should dry out and fall off.
- Banana Peel or Crushed Garlic: You can try the same thing but with a slice of banana peel or a crushed clove of garlic under a bandage for a few nights. It’s also meant to dry out the skin tag.
- Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV): Apply diluted vinegar to your skin tag and let it sit for 15-30 minutes before washing it off. Repeat daily for a couple of weeks to see if it breaks down the skin tag tissue.
- Vitamin E: Massage vitamin E oil onto the skin tag daily until the appearance reduces over time.
Consider medical intervention:
A lot of the natural methods of reducing skin tags I’ve explained can prevent new skin tags from forming, but they may not take care of skin tags you already have. Luckily, there are a number of treatment options you can discuss with your doctor that aren’t invasive, difficult, or painful.
- Cryotherapy: Dermatologists can freeze the skin tag with liquid nitrogen and it falls off within a few days or weeks.
- Cauterization: A small cauterization tool can be used to burn a skin tag off quickly.
- Surgical Removal: Dermatologists can use a scalpel or scissors to cut the skin tags off.
- Ligation: This is when a string is tied around the base of the skin tag and the loss of blood supply eventually causes the skin tag to fall off.
You can relieve skin tags and other PCOS skin issues naturally!
Skin tags, skin darkening, and acne may not be the most challenging symptoms of PCOS, but these cosmetic struggles can lower our self-esteem and overall sense of self. We hope that with this article, you feel more hope for your health and confidence in what next steps you’d like to take for your PCOS journey.
Start managing all your PCOS symptoms naturally using these tips and other lifestyle changes you’ll find on the PCOS Weight Loss blog and the A Cyster and Her Mister podcast! It’s time to take charge and reverse ALL your PCOS symptoms, including skin tags!
