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Skin Tag Removal CPT And ICD-10 Codes: Billing Guide

July 31, 2026

Skin tag removal is one of the most routine procedures in dermatology, primary care, and outpatient surgical practices, yet it is also one of the more misunderstood claims to code correctly. Part of the confusion comes from location.

Patients present with skin tags on the neck, eyelids, underarms, groin, and around the anus, and billing teams sometimes assume each location needs its own code. Add in the question of whether insurance covers the removal at all, and it is easy to see why this simple procedure generates so many billing questions.

This guide walks through the correct ICD-10 code for skin tags, the important exceptions that do change the code, the CPT codes used for removal, how lesion count affects billing, and the medical necessity documentation that determines whether a claim is billable at all. Everything here is general billing education only.

What Are Skin Tags?

Skin tags, medically known as acrochordons, are small, soft, benign growths of skin that typically hang off a thin stalk. They commonly appear on the neck, eyelids, axilla (underarms), groin, and torso, and often increase with age, weight changes, and friction from skin folds or clothing. Clinically, they are considered a hypertrophic skin condition rather than a true neoplasm, which matters for how they are coded.

Also Read: ICD-10 Codes For Chronic Pain: Complete Billing Guide

The ICD-10 Code for Skin Tags: L91.8

The standard ICD-10-CM code for skin tags is L91.8, other hypertrophic disorders of the skin. This single code covers ordinary, acquired skin tags regardless of where on the body they appear.

ICD-10 Code	Description	Notes
L91.0	Keloid scar	Not used for skin tags
L91.8	Other hypertrophic disorders of the skin	Standard code for acrochordon/skin tags
L91.9	Hypertrophic disorder of skin, unspecified	Rarely appropriate when skin tag is documented

L91.8 is billable and specific enough for routine use. There is no dedicated “skin tag” code, and L91.9 should generally be avoided once the provider has specifically documented a skin tag rather than a vague hypertrophic condition.

Does Location Change the ICD-10 Code?

This is the single most common point of confusion in skin tag billing, and the keyword searches reflect it: neck, eyelid, axilla, vulvar, labial, preauricular, and perianal skin tags all show up as separate search queries. The answer for the vast majority of these locations is straightforward: no, the code does not change based on location. A skin tag on the eyelid, the neck, the axilla, or the vulva is still coded L91.8, because ICD-10-CM does not break this diagnosis down anatomically.

There are, however, a few genuine exceptions where a different code applies, not because of location alone, but because of what the tissue actually represents.

Important Exceptions to L91.8

Scenario	ICD-10 Code	Why It’s Different
Ordinary acquired skin tag, any location	L91.8	Standard acrochordon code
Residual hemorrhoidal skin tags	K64.4	Specifically tied to resolved external hemorrhoid tissue, not a general skin growth
Congenital preauricular skin tag (newborn)	Q17.0	Classified as an accessory auricle, a congenital ear anomaly, not an acquired skin condition

The perianal and anal skin tag questions are where this distinction matters most. If documentation shows the tag is residual tissue from a resolved external hemorrhoid, K64.4 is the more accurate code rather than L91.8. If the anal or perianal tag is simply an ordinary acrochordon unrelated to hemorrhoidal disease, L91.8 remains correct. The clinical documentation, not the location alone, determines which code applies.

Similarly, a preauricular skin tag in a newborn is typically a congenital finding, classified under Q17.0 (accessory auricle) rather than L91.8, since it represents a developmental anomaly rather than an acquired skin growth later in life.

CPT Codes for Skin Tag Removal: 11200 and 11201

Once the diagnosis code is settled, the procedure code depends on how many skin tags are removed in the encounter.

CPT 11200: Removal of skin tags, multiple fibrocutaneous tags, any area, up to and including 15 lesions.
CPT 11201: Removal of skin tags, each additional 10 lesions or part thereof, beyond the first 15. This is an add-on code and is never billed alone.

The method used to remove the tags, such as scissor excision, electrosurgical destruction, or cryotherapy, does not change which base code applies. CPT 11200 and 11201 apply to skin tag removal regardless of the specific technique.

CPT Coding by Lesion Count

Number of Skin Tags Removed	CPT Codes Billed
1 to 15 lesions	11200 only
16 to 25 lesions	11200 plus 11201 x 1
26 to 35 lesions	11200 plus 11201 x 2
36 to 45 lesions	11200 plus 11201 x 3

Following this logic, a visit where 12 skin tags are removed is billed simply as 11200, with no add-on code needed, since it falls within the first 15. The add-on code only applies once the count exceeds that first threshold, and it increases by one unit for every additional 10 lesions or part thereof.

Accurate lesion counting in the procedure note is essential, since the CPT code chosen depends entirely on the documented number removed, not an estimate.

Is Skin Tag Removal Billable? Medical Necessity Matters

This is where many claims run into trouble. Insurance coverage for skin tag removal depends heavily on medical necessity, not just the presence of a tag.

Skin tag removal is typically considered billable and covered when documentation supports a medical reason, such as:

The tag is inflamed, irritated, bleeding, or infected.
The tag catches on clothing, jewelry, or razors and causes recurrent trauma.
The tag interferes with function, such as vision obstruction near the eyelid.
The tag has changed in appearance in a way that raises clinical concern.

Skin tag removal is typically considered cosmetic and not billable to insurance when:

The patient requests removal purely for appearance.
There is no documented irritation, bleeding, or functional impact.
The tag is asymptomatic and stable.

For Medicare patients, when removal is expected to be considered cosmetic, an Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN) should be issued before the procedure so the patient understands they may be responsible for payment. Commercial payers often have similar cosmetic exclusions, and some require documentation of a specific symptom before covering removal at all.

Documentation That Supports a Billable Claim

Strong documentation for skin tag removal claims typically includes:

Location of each skin tag or grouping of tags.
Total number of lesions removed.
Specific symptoms present, such as irritation, bleeding, inflammation, or catching on clothing.
Functional impact, if applicable, such as interference with vision or daily activity.
Method of removal used.
Any relevant history, such as prior hemorrhoidal disease for perianal tags.

A note that reads “multiple skin tags on neck and axilla, several inflamed and bleeding from friction with clothing, 18 tags removed via scissor excision” supports both the diagnosis code and the medical necessity needed for reimbursement, along with the correct CPT combination of 11200 plus one unit of 11201.

Also Read: ICD-10 Code For BPH: Complete Billing Guide

Common Skin Tag Billing Pitfalls

At Zee Medical Billing LLC, we often see the same coding gaps show up on skin tag claims across specialties:

Assuming a different ICD-10 code is needed based on body location, when L91.8 applies in most cases.
Missing K64.4 when the tag is genuinely residual hemorrhoidal tissue rather than an ordinary acrochordon.
Using a benign neoplasm code instead of L91.8, which is a common miscoding error since skin tags are not true neoplasms.
Miscounting lesions, leading to an incorrect number of 11201 units.
Billing 11201 as a standalone code without the required base code 11200.
Submitting claims for cosmetic removal without an ABN on file for Medicare patients.
Failing to document specific symptoms that would support medical necessity for reimbursement.

Most of these come down to two habits: documenting lesion count precisely and capturing the specific clinical reason for removal rather than a general note.

FAQs

What is the ICD-10 code for skin tags?

The standard ICD-10-CM code for skin tags, or acrochordon, is L91.8, other hypertrophic disorders of the skin. This code applies regardless of where on the body the skin tag appears, including the neck, eyelid, axilla, vulva, or groin. Exceptions exist for residual hemorrhoidal skin tags, coded K64.4, and congenital preauricular skin tags in newborns, coded Q17.0, since both represent a different underlying tissue origin rather than an ordinary acquired skin tag.

What CPT code is used for skin tag removal?

Skin tag removal is billed using CPT 11200 for up to 15 lesions removed in a single encounter. When more than 15 lesions are removed, CPT 11201 is added as an add-on code, billed once for each additional 10 lesions or part thereof. CPT 11201 can never be billed without 11200 as the base code. The method used for removal, whether scissor excision, electrosurgical destruction, or cryotherapy, does not change which of these two codes applies.

Is skin tag removal covered by insurance?

Coverage depends on medical necessity rather than simply the presence of a skin tag. Removal is typically billable when documentation shows the tag is inflamed, bleeding, irritated by friction, or otherwise causing a functional problem. Removal performed purely for cosmetic reasons, without documented symptoms, is generally not covered and may be billed directly to the patient. For Medicare patients, an Advance Beneficiary Notice should be issued in advance when cosmetic removal is anticipated, so the patient understands their potential financial responsibility.

Does the location of the skin tag change the ICD-10 code?

In most cases, no. Skin tags on the neck, eyelid, axilla, vulva, labia, or groin are all coded L91.8, since ICD-10-CM does not assign separate codes based on anatomical location for ordinary acquired skin tags. The exceptions are specific to tissue origin rather than location alone: residual hemorrhoidal skin tags are coded K64.4, and congenital preauricular skin tags in newborns are coded Q17.0. Documentation should clarify when one of these exceptions applies rather than defaulting to a location-based assumption.

How many skin tags need to be removed to require the add-on CPT code?

CPT 11200 covers the removal of up to 15 skin tags in a single encounter. Once more than 15 lesions are removed, the add-on code 11201 is reported for each additional 10 lesions or part thereof beyond the first 15. For example, removing 12 tags is billed as 11200 alone, while removing 22 tags is billed as 11200 plus one unit of 11201, since the additional 7 lesions still count as a partial increment of the next 10.

Conclusion

Skin tag removal coding is simpler than the volume of location-based search questions might suggest. L91.8 covers the vast majority of cases regardless of anatomical location, with K64.4 and Q17.0 reserved for the specific exceptions tied to hemorrhoidal tissue and congenital findings. On the procedure side, CPT 11200 and its add-on 11201 are driven entirely by an accurate lesion count, and reimbursement ultimately depends on whether documentation supports medical necessity rather than cosmetic removal.

Key takeaways:

Use L91.8 for ordinary skin tags regardless of body location.
Reserve K64.4 for residual hemorrhoidal skin tags and Q17.0 for congenital preauricular tags in newborns.
Bill CPT 11200 for up to 15 lesions, adding 11201 for each additional 10 lesions or part thereof.
Confirm medical necessity documentation before assuming a claim is billable.
Issue an ABN for Medicare patients when removal is expected to be cosmetic.
Document exact lesion counts and specific symptoms driving the removal.

Accurate diagnosis coding, correct lesion counting, and clear medical necessity documentation are what keep skin tag removal claims clean and defensible.