Skin tags on the hands, and pre-auricular (in front of the ears, or on the cheek) skin tags are very common. Sometimes the tags are purely skin only, but sometimes the tag contains a long tail of cartilage extending into the surrounding tissues.

 

It is not be possible to tell whether the procedure could be done simply or whether it would require a general anaesthetic until Mr Gault examines your baby.  If a general anaesthetic is required, then it would usually be recommended that the procedure is left until your child is older. 

 

If the "stalk" of the tag is relatively narrow, and the cartilage component relatively minor, tags can be removed soon after birth using an elegant clip device which requires no anaesthetic.  The clip cuts off the blood supply to the tag, and after a few days, the additional tissues shrivel and separate.  

 

The sooner after birth the clip is applied, the better, and parents considering the removal of their new baby's pre-auricular deformity are recommended to make an early appointment.

 

Mr Gault's consultation fee is £240.  The cost of removal of the tag using the clip procedure is £625, including the cost of the clip.  The cost of removal of two tags at the same visit is £895 including the cost of the clips. Follow-up appointments, if required, are £240 per visit. Mr Gault would not generally consider clip application after the age of 6 months.

 

Tags with a substantial cartilage core are best treated by excision of the skin tag and cartilage spindle under general anaesthetic preferably when baby is over the age of 2 or 3 years.

 

The code is D0132 and most insurers now classify this as a cosmetic procedure which they will not cover.  For this reason, we only accept direct payment.

 

For a young child, the cost of formal excisional surgery under general anaesthesia for one tag is from £3900, including a hospital fee of around £2550 for a day case stay. 

 

In an older (9 years+) child who can tolerate local anaesthesia, the cost of formal excision surgery starts at around £2285, including surgical, anaesthetic and hospital fees.