Those little fleshy bumps on your neck, underarms, or eyelids can drive you crazy—they catch on jewelry, rub against clothing, and make you feel self-conscious every time you catch them in the mirror. You’ve probably scrolled past dozens of posts swearing that a single clove of garlic will make them disappear overnight, but then you hesitate… because what if it burns or leaves a worse mark? Keep reading, because by the end of this guide you’ll know exactly what’s fact, what’s myth, and the one surprising thing most articles never tell you.
What Exactly Are Skin Tags?
Skin tags, also called acrochordons, are small, soft, benign growths that hang off the skin by a thin stalk. They love warm, moist areas where skin rubs together:
- Neck
- Armpits
- Groin
- Under the breasts
- Eyelids
They’re completely harmless—most are smaller than a grain of rice—but they can get irritated or simply bother people cosmetically.
Research shows they become more common with age, during pregnancy, and in people with overweight or insulin resistance. The good news? They’re not cancerous and rarely turn into anything serious.
Why Is Garlic Suddenly Everywhere for Skin Tags?
Garlic contains allicin—a sulfur compound released when a clove is crushed. This compound has natural antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, which is why it’s been used in folk medicine for centuries.
On TikTok and Pinterest, people claim that allicin “dries out” the skin tag until it falls off on its own. The idea sounds simple and cheap, so it spreads like wildfire.
But here’s the truth: while allicin is powerful, there are no high-quality clinical studies proving garlic removes skin tags. Most success stories are anecdotal.
How People Usually Apply Garlic at Home
If someone decides to try it anyway, the method you’ll see repeated online is pretty consistent:
- Wash the area gently with mild soap and water.
- Take one fresh garlic clove and crush it into a paste.
- Apply a tiny amount directly onto the skin tag (avoid healthy skin).
- Cover with a bandage or medical tape.
- Leave it on for 2–8 hours (some say overnight).
- Rinse thoroughly and repeat daily until the tag darkens and drops off.
Sounds straightforward, right?
But that’s where things get tricky…
