Seborrheic keratoses

Seborrheic keratoses

Seborrhea is a chronic skin condition of unknown origin, which is characterized with redness and/or scaling. Seborrhea is also known as Seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff. Seborrheic dermatitis is most often seen as a red, scaly, itchy rash commonly on the scalp, sides of nose, eyebrows, skin behind ears and eyelids. This condition is most commonly seen in three age groups: infants, middle age and elderly. There is no cure for Seborrheic dermatitis, but the symptoms can be controlled. For this reason, self-treatment methods such as moisturizing often prove ineffective and may even worsen the condition. For infants, a mild shampoo applied gently is effective, but adult patients may require medicated shampoo or corticosteroid preparation.

Seborrheic keratosis. This non-cancerous growth can grow quite thick and have a warty surface.

Seborrheic keratosis (seb-o-REE-ik care-uh-TOE-sis) is a common skin growth. It may look worrisome, but it is benign (not cancer). These growths often appear in middle-aged and older adults. Some people get just one. It is, however, more common to have many. They are not contagious.

Most often seborrheic keratoses start as small, rough bumps. Then slowly they thicken and get a warty surface. They range in color from white to black. Most are tan or brown.

They can appear almost anywhere on the skin.

Seborrheic keratoses can look like warts, moles, actinic keratoses, and skin cancer. They differ, though, from these other skin growths. 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