What are seborrhoei c kerat oses?

Seborrhoeic keratoses are harmless brown

growths that are one of the most common
skin blemishes. They give the appearance of
sitting loosely on the skin.
Some people refer to them as delayed
birthmarks, while others unkindly call them
barnacles of old age. The cause is unknown.
They are more common with advancing age
and in those with a family history of these
lumps.
Where are t hey l ocat ed?
Although they can occur anywhere, they
are usually found on the face and trunk
(chest and back).
What are t he feat ures of seborrhoei c
kerat oses?
The raised lumps have the following char-
acteristics:
Aflat top with a well-defined border.
Apitted surface.
Sometimes a waxy or greasy crusty sur-
face.
The appearance of sitting on the skin.
Usually round or oval, but can be any
shape.
Colour varies from yellow to dark brown,
occasionally black.
Size varies from a few millimetres up to
five centimetres (two inches) or larger.
Seborrhoeic keratoses may look as if a
dried sultana has been pressed onto the skin.
Others may have a surface resembling a cur-
rant bun. They may be solitary or, more com-
monly, multiple. The lumps are asympto-
matic, causing no itch or pain.
Who get s t hem?
Any adult may be affected and they are
equally common in both sexes.
Seborrhoeic keratoses are age related,
increasing in number and degree of darkness
with advancing age. They are rare in people
younger than 40 and usually start to appear
after the age of 50, when they are flat, light-
coloured and inconspicuous. By age 60,
almost everyone has a few seborrhoeic ker-
atoses.
What happens t o t hem?
Usually, they gradually get larger, darker
and increase in number. Sometimes they
are rejected by the body and fall off, leav-
ing a pale area on the skin. However, most
remain permanently.
Do t hey pose any ri sk?
There is no risk. They are not contagious
or infectious and do not become malignant
(cancerous). If they are very dark they may
cause concern because they resemble a
melanoma, but your doctor can reassure you
about this problem.
Many people are inclined to scrape them
with their fingernails. This habit is not rec-
ommended because they can become
infected. They also invariably grow back.
What i s t he t reat ment ?
There are no tablets or ointments to cure or
prevent these growths.
Their removal is not recommended
because they are harmless and can be safely
left untreated. However, ugly seborrhoeic
keratoses affecting a persons appearance
and those that keep catching on clothing can
be removed by various methods, including
surgical excision.
Others, especially thin ones, can be shrunk
or decoloured by carefully applying liquid
nitrogen or other strong chemicals to the sur-
face.
PATIENT INFORMATION
Seborrhoeic keratoses
AUTHOR: PROFESSOR JOHN MURTAGH
Copyright of Professor John Murtagh and Australian Doctor. This patient handout may be photocopied or printed out by a doctor free of charge for patient information purposes.
Typical sit es of seborrhoeic kerat oses
Pit t ed waxy
appearance of
seborrhoeic
kerat oses