Seborrheic Keratosis

Most people who experience seborrheic keratosis develop these growths when they are middle-aged or older. Over time, they may get bigger and become more abundant. They may also become thicker and raised with a waxy or rough texture. You can find these harmless growths anywhere on the skin, except on your palms and the soles of your feet.

Seborrheic keratosis is generally harmless, but the possibility of your spots or lesions being cancerous and affecting the surrounding skin can cause a lot of stress and anxiety on your part, especially without a skin biopsy and an official diagnosis. This is the most significant reason why we tell our patients to get their skin growths diagnosed: to make sure that it’s a benign skin condition and nothing that requires immediate removal.

While some people who experience this skin condition generally don’t see any problems with seborrheic keratoses, others may experience a negative effect on their quality of life. At worst, seborrheic keratoses can become inflamed, irritated, and even infected if they’re located in certain areas of the body.

For a patient that wants preventative treatment for these complications, a dermatologist can remove their seborrheic keratoses the moment they get detected, or as soon as a proper diagnosis is made. Medical removal of these growths can leave the surrounding skin intact without affecting your appearance.

Some at-home solutions and products are marketed to help you remove seborrheic keratosis on your own, but we recommend that you always get them removed with a medical professional. Not only is this a better way to get good results, but this also makes sure that you get a proper diagnosis for your growths before you remove them.

Your seborrheic keratosis treatment will largely depend on which method your dermatologist has decided on for your procedure. However, one thing you can expect is a thorough examination and diagnosis of your skin condition, both before and after your treatment. This is to ensure that the right procedure is used and to prevent any adverse complications after your treatment.

Medically-removed seborrheic keratoses are unlikely to leave any noticeable marks on the skin, especially if the right procedure is used for their removal. Your results are also unlikely to affect the surrounding skin around the treated area, but your provider may suggest avoiding skincare products as your skin heals from the treatment.

Most cases of seborrheic keratosis removal are usually considered cosmetic treatments and are not covered by Medicare or most insurance companies. However, if your particular case is causing symptoms like irritation, bleeding, or pain, it’s possible to classify your treatment as a medical condition. However, this requires an official medical diagnosis.