Seborrheic Keratoses are common skin lesions in persons over 40 years of age.  Do you have skin lesions that:

*Look "pasted on" and are waxy or scaly in appearance

*Are round or oval

*Are brown black or tan coloured

*Range in size from very small to over 2.5 cm

*Appeared slowly over time

*Occasionally itch or get bothered by clothing rubbing

You may have seborrheic keratoses.  These are benign skin lesions of unknown cause.  They occur most often in persons over the age of 40, and often tend to run in families.  The most common location for these lesions is on the face, chest, shoulders or back.  

If you have seborrheic keratoses it is important not to scratch, rub or pick these lesions.  They can become irritated or infected if scratched or picked.  

These are benign non-cancerous skin growths that do not need to be removed.  However, many patients choose to get them removed for cosmetic reasons or because they are in locations which get easily irritated (bra line, shoulders, chest etc).

It is important to see a qualified physician to diagnose your skin lesions.  You should see a physician if your skin lesions appear all at once over a period of weeks.  Also see your physician if you notice rapid growth, and sores that do not heal.  These may be signs of skin cancer.

For benign seborrheic keratoses here are the treatment options:

*Freezing with liquid nitrogen (cryosurgery) is the most common treatment

*Electrocautery

*Scraping the skin surface to remove the lesions with special instruments (curretage)

*Laser

For information please contact us