They are benign, which means they aren't a type of cancer. The way they look may bother you, but they aren't harmful. These skin growths often appear on the back or chest, but they can occur on any part of the body. They grow slowly and seldom go away on their own. These skin growths are common in middle-aged and older people, but they can appear as early as the teenage years.
Some women get them during pregnancy or after taking estrogen. Children seldom have them. Experts don't know what causes seborrheic keratoses. But research has found that:. Seborrheic keratoses can itch, bleed easily, or become red and irritated when clothing rubs them. How the growths look can vary widely. These growths may be mistaken for warts , moles , skin tags , or melanoma skin cancer.
Your doctor will look at the skin growth. He or she may need to take a sample biopsy of the growth if it's not clear what the growth is or if it:. Seborrheic keratoses don't need to be treated. But if one bothers you or you don't like how it looks, your doctor can remove it. Your doctor may:. If you are unsure what type of skin growth you have, see your doctor.
It may be hard to tell whether the growth is a keratosis, a mole, a wart, or skin cancer. If your doctor says your skin growth is a seborrheic keratosis, you usually don't need to worry about it. However, some people prefer to have them removed because they find the growths unattractive. Doctors can remove a seborrheic keratosis using one of a range of minor surgical procedures. The most popular method is to freeze the growth off.
A doctor may choose to cut the growth out of the skin or use a process called electrodesiccation, which involves using an electrical current to remove the growth. Treatment for melanoma depends on a range of factors, including the stage of the cancer and whether it has spread to other areas of the body.
However, treatment almost always requires removing the cancer, as well as any lymph nodes to which it has spread. Early-stage melanomas may be successfully treated by removal alone. More advanced melanomas sometimes require other treatments, including:. Both seborrheic keratosis and melanoma can appear in many forms. People concerned about skin growths should not try to self-diagnose their condition and should not assume that a new skin growth is benign. People should see a doctor if they develop any new skin growths, particularly if the growth changes over time or there is a family history of skin cancer.
People with seborrheic keratosis should get regular skin checks. This reduces the likelihood of mistaking melanoma for just another seborrheic keratosis growth. Seeing the doctor annually for a skin and mole check should help reduce the risk of having advanced cancer. Dozens of conditions can affect this skin.
This article helps show how common conditions present in different skin tones and age groups, including…. Is it seborrheic keratosis or skin cancer? Seborrheic keratosis vs. Share on Pinterest Seborrheic keratosis can look like melanoma but are noncancerous skin growths.
Causes of seborrheic keratosis. After the growth falls off, a small dark or light spot may appear on the skin. This usually fades over time. A permanent white spot is a possible side effect of this treatment. A scoop-shaped surgical instrument, a curette is used to scrape off the treated lesion. This is the curettage. Stitches are not necessary. There may be minimal bleeding, which is controlled by applying pressure or a blood-clotting chemical.
Sometimes only electrosurgery or curettage is necessary. While SKs can resemble these lesions, there are differences that help dermatologists distinguish seborrheic keratoses from other lesions. Warts tend to develop more quickly than SKs and cluster in small areas. Warts also do not get as dark, and they do not have that pasted-on-the-skin appearance.
Moles normally appear during childhood and adolescence. By the age of 30, a person usually has all the moles that will develop. SKs generally do not appear until middle age or later. SKs also tend to have that pasted-on- the-skin look, which moles do not have. Actinic keratoses AKs are flatter and rougher than SKs. Since years of sun exposure cause AKs, these lesions form on skin that has received lots of sun such as the face, neck, hands, and forearms.
A dermatologist should examine all growths and patches of skin that feel dry, scaly, and rough-textured. Melanoma, a type of skin cancer that can be lethal, may look just like a SK.
0コメント