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Seborrheic keratosis
Benign skin tumors - keratosis; Keratosis - seborrheic; Senile keratosis
Seborrheic keratosis is a condition that causes wart-like growths on the skin. The growths are noncancerous ( benign ).
Benign
"Benign" refers to a condition, tumor, or growth that is not cancerous. This means that it does not spread to other parts of the body. It does not ...
Causes
Seborrheic keratosis is a benign form of skin tumor . The cause is unknown.
Tumor
A tumor is an abnormal growth of body tissue. Tumors can be cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign).
The condition commonly appears after age 40. It tends to run in families.
Symptoms
Symptoms of seborrheic keratosis are skin growths that:
- Are located on the face, chest, shoulders, back, or other areas
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Are painless, but may become irritated and
itch
Itch
Itching is a tingling or irritation of the skin that makes you want to scratch the area. Itching may occur all over the body or only in one location...
ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article - Are most often tan, brown, or black
- Have a slightly raised, flat surface
- May have a rough texture (like a wart)
- Often have a waxy surface
- Are round or oval in shape
- May look like a piece of bee's wax that has been "pasted-on" the skin
- Often appear in clusters
Exams and Tests
Your health care provider will look at the growths to determine if you have the condition. You may need a skin biopsy to confirm the diagnosis.
Skin biopsy
A skin lesion biopsy is when a small amount of skin is removed so it can be examined. The skin is tested to look for skin conditions or diseases. A...
Treatment
You usually DO NOT need treatment unless growths get irritated or affect your appearance.
Growths may be removed with surgery or freezing ( cryotherapy ).
Surgery
A skin lesion is an area of the skin that is different than the surrounding skin. This can be a lump, sore, or an area of skin that is not normal. ...
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is a method of superfreezing tissue in order to destroy it. This article discusses cryotherapy of the skin.
Outlook (Prognosis)
Removing the growths is simple and usually does not cause scars. You may have patches of lighter skin where growths on the torso have been removed.
Growths usually DO NOT return after they are removed. You may develop more growths in the future if you are prone to the condition.
Possible Complications
These complications may occur:
- Irritation, bleeding, or discomfort of growths
-
Mistake in diagnosis (growths may look like
skin cancer
tumors)
Skin cancer
Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. It is the leading cause of death from skin disease. Melanoma can also involve the colored part o...
ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article - Distress due to physical appearance
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call your provider if you have symptoms of seborrheic keratosis.
Also call if you have new symptoms, such as:
- A change in the appearance of the skin growth
- New growths
- A growth that looks like a seborrheic keratosis, but occurs by itself or has ragged borders and irregular color. Your provider will need to examine it for skin cancer.
References
Habif TP. Benign skin tumors. In: Habif TP, ed. Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy . 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 20.
Motley RJ. Seborrheic kertosis. In: Lebwohl MG, Heymann WR, Berth-Jones J, Coulson I, eds. Treatment of Skin Disease: Comprehensive Therapeutic Strategies . 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2014:chap 220.
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Irritated Seborrheic Kerotosis - neck - illustration
This irritated seborrheic keratosis may easily be mistaken for a nevus. It is irritated, and erythematous. Treatment with liquid nitrogen is recommended.
Irritated Seborrheic Kerotosis - neck
illustration
Review Date: 10/24/2016
Reviewed By: David L. Swanson, MD, Vice Chair of Medical Dermatology, Associate Professor of Dermatology, Mayo Medical School, Scottsdale, AZ. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
