What Is It?

Seborrheic keratosis is raised, warty lesions, usually appearing on the face or trunk. They are benign (non-cancerous) skin tumors.

The lesion starts as a stain, spot, or thickening on the skin. They are oval to round and are slightly elevated. Color ranges from skin-color, light tan or brown, and over time becomes darker. The surface is often crumbly and has a "pasted-on" appearance and occurs on the face, trunk, and upper extremities.

What Causes It?

Seborrheic keratosis is a hereditary condition that gradually appears during middle age years and continues to grow slowly over a lifetime.

What Can Be Done?

The best treatment for irritated or changing Seborrheic Keratosis is removal, or scraping, so it may be examined by a pathologist to rule out a more serious problem such as skin cancer. Some may be treated with liquid nitrogen to destroy the lesion. Otherwise, they may be observed without aggressive treatment.

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