Seborrheic Keratosis (Senile warts)

Medically reviewed by The Dermatologists and written by Dr. Alexander Börve

Seborrheic keratosis, also called senile warts, is a very common skin condition marked by light brown, tan brown, dark brown, black and variably pigmented spots. The warts are slightly raised with a clear edge and waxy. They are often found in large numbers.

It has a slow growth rate, and is more commonly found with increasing age. Some may have senile warts in their thirties, but the chance of having senile warts increases with age. They can be large and easily visible but are harmless and not contagious.

Try our FREE dermatology search engine and get peace of mind within a second

Symptoms of Seborrhoeic Keratoses

The warts can become inflamed, which makes it difficult to distinguish from melanoma. Reassuringly, they often share similar features to the other seborrhoeic keratoses on the body. Any lesion presumed to be seborrhoeic keratosis that looks different from every other seborrhoeic keratosis on your body should be checked by your doctor or dermatologist. Seborrheic keratoses have a waxy, “pasted-on-the-skin” look. Some look like a dab of warm, brown candle wax on the skin. Others may resemble a barnacle sticking to a ship.

They are mostly hereditary and not caused by sun exposure. Sometimes they may erupt during pregnancy, following hormone replacement therapy or as a result of other medical problems.

Try our FREE dermatology search engine and get peace of mind within a second

Clinical features of Seborrhoeic Keratoses

• Location: Seborrheic keratoses can develop on nearly any part of the skin, except for the palms and soles. They are not found on mucous membranes.
• Size and Shape: These lesions vary in size from as small as 1 mm to several centimeters across. They can present as either flat or slightly elevated papules or plaques.
• Color: The color spectrum of seborrheic keratoses ranges from skin-toned and yellow to grey, various shades of brown, and even black. Some may display a combination of colors.
• Texture: The surface texture of seborrheic keratoses can be smooth, waxy, or resemble a wart.
• Distribution: They may appear alone or in clusters, commonly found on the scalp, under the breasts, along the spine, or in the groin area.
• Overall Appearance: Seborrheic keratoses typically look as though they are superficially attached to the skin, resembling barnacles.

What can I do?

Since these warts are harmless, they most often do not need treatment or care.

Should I seek medical care?

Since the senile warts do not develop into cancer, treatment is not necessary. However, if the wart changes, bleeds or becomes infected, you should seek help from a healthcare provider. Sometimes a seborrheic keratosis can look like a skin cancer. A dermatologist can remove the wart and examine it with microscope. This is the only way to tell for sure whether a growth is skin cancer. If you are not sure if the affected area is suffering from senile warts, you should let a doctor assess what it is by looking at the skin lesion or a skin sample.

Try our FREE dermatology search engine and get peace of mind within a second

Treatment for Seborrhoeic Keratoses

If you suffer from spots and think that they are unsightly, a doctor can easily remove them by scraping or freezing treatment. Curettage and cryotherapy have been successful in removing seborrheic keratosis.

Seborrheic keratoses are benign skin growths that may be removed for cosmetic reasons or if they cause discomfort. Several treatment methods are available:

• Cryotherapy: This involves applying liquid nitrogen to freeze and destroy thinner lesions. The procedure may need to be repeated for optimal results.

• Curettage and Electrocautery: These techniques involve scraping off the growth and using electricity to burn the tissue, helping to stop bleeding and destroy any remaining abnormal cells.

• Ablative Laser Surgery: Laser treatment can vaporize the growth with high precision, minimizing damage to surrounding skin.

• Shave Biopsy: This method uses a scalpel to shave the growth off, which can also serve as a biopsy to rule out cancer.

• Chemical Peel: Applying trichloroacetic acid can peel off the outer layers of the skin, which helps to remove the growth.

Considerations and Disadvantages:

• All treatment methods can have side effects. One significant concern, especially for darker-skinned individuals, is the loss of pigmentation at the treatment site.
• Removing multiple lesions at once can be challenging, requiring careful planning and possibly multiple treatment sessions.

Source:

American Academy of Dermatology. Available at: https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/bumps-and-growths/seborrheic-keratoses

American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. Available at: http://www.aocd.org/?page=SeborrheicKeratoses