Pregnancy SmartSiteTM

Skip Navigation Schedule An Appointment

Normal Pregnancy

Staying Healthy

Alcohol and pregnancy Managing your weight gain in pregnancy Steps to take before you get pregnant When you need to gain more weight during pregnancy

What to expect during pregnancy

Aches and pains during pregnancy Choosing the right practitioner Common symptoms during pregnancy Hyperemesis Gravidarum Morning sickness Pregnancy and travel Pregnancy and work Problems sleeping during pregnancy Skin and hair changes during pregnancy Teenage pregnancy

Preparing to go home with your baby

Cribs and crib safety Eat right during pregnancy Preparing your other children

Visits and Tests

Amniocentesis Chorionic villus sampling Genetic counseling before pregnancy Glucose tolerance test-pregnancy Monitoring your baby before labor Nuchal translucency Prenatal care in your first trimester Prenatal care in your second trimester Prenatal care in your third trimester

Seborrheic keratosis

Definition

Seborrheic keratosis is a condition that causes wart-like growths on the skin. The growths are noncancerous ().

Causes

A seborrheic keratosis is a benign form of skin . The cause is unknown.

The condition commonly appears after age 40. It tends to run in families.

Symptoms

Symptoms of seborrheic keratosis are skin growths that:

  • Are located on the face, chest, shoulders, back, or other areas, except the lips, palms, and soles
  • Are painless, but may become irritated and
  • Are most often tan, brown, or black
  • Have a slightly raised, flat surface
  • May have a rough texture (like a wart)
  • Often have a waxy surface
  • Are round or oval
  • May look like a piece of bee's wax that has been "pasted-on" the skin
  • Often appear in clusters

    • Exams and Tests

    Your health care provider will look at the growths to determine if you have the condition. You may need a to confirm the diagnosis.

    Treatment

    You generally do not need treatment unless growths get irritated or affect your appearance.

    Growths may be removed with or freezing ().

    Outlook (Prognosis)

    Removing the growths is simple and generally does not cause scars. You may have patches of lighter skin where growths on the torso have been removed.

    Growths usually do not return after they are removed. You may develop more growths in the future if you are prone to the condition.

    Possible Complications

    These complications may occur:

  • Irritation, bleeding, or discomfort of growths
  • Mistake in diagnosis (growths may look like tumors)
  • Distress due to physical appearance

    • When to Contact a Medical Professional

    Contact your provider if you have symptoms of seborrheic keratosis.

    Also contact if you have new symptoms, such as:

  • A change in the appearance of the skin growth
  • New growths
  • A growth that looks like seborrheic keratosis, but occurs by itself or has ragged borders and irregular color. Your provider will need to examine it for skin cancer.

    • References

    Fitzpatrick JE, High WA, Kyle WL. Papillomatous and verrucous lesions. In: Fitzpatrick JE, High WA, Kyle WL, eds. Urgent Care Dermatology: Symptom-Based Diagnosis. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 28.

    James WD, Elston DM, Treat JR, Rosenbach MA, Neuhaus IM. Epidermal nevi, neoplasms, and cysts. In: James WD, Elston DM, Treat JR, Rosenbach MA, Neuhaus IM, eds. Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology. 13th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 29.

    Marks JG, Miller JJ. Epidermal growths. In: Marks JG, Miller JJ, eds. Lookingbill and Marks' Principles of Dermatology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 5.

    Patterson JW. Tumors of the epidermis. In: Patterson JW, ed. Weedon's Skin Pathology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Limited; 2021:chap 32.

    Requena L, Requena C, Cockerell CJ. Benign epidermal tumors and proliferations. In: Bolognia JL, Schaffer JV, Cerroni L, eds. Dermatology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 109.

    Schedule An Appointment

    Contact Atlanta Obsetrics and Gynaecology at The Womens Center Millennium Hospital - 404-ATL-BABY

    GO

    Review Date: 11/18/2022

    Reviewed By: Elika Hoss, MD, Assistant Professor of Dermatology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.