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Seborrheic Keratosis
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What are they? A seborrheic keratosis (seb-o-REE-ik ker-uh-TOE-sis) is a common noncancerous (benign) skin growth. People tend to get more of them as they get older. Seborrheic keratoses are usually brown, black or light tan. The growths (lesions) look waxy or scaly and slightly raised. They appear gradually, usually on the face, neck, chest or back. Seborrheic keratoses are harmless and not contagious. They don't need treatment, but you may decide to have them removed if they become irritated by clothing or you don't like how they look.
Why do they occur? Experts don't completely understand what causes a seborrheic keratosis. This type of skin growth does tend to run in families, so there is likely an inherited tendency. If you've had one seborrheic keratosis, you're at risk of developing others. A seborrheic keratosis isn't contagious or cancerous. It has been suggested that sunlight is a risk factor.
What can I expect following treatment? If you chose to have Cryotherapy, after treatment, your lesions may blister or turn darker in colour. Over the next week or two the lesion should reduce in size and the hard skin fall off leaving flat new skin. If you choose to have removal through Diathermy the lesion is shaved/scraped off during the treatment and you will be left with a small scab which will fall off in 2-7days leaving new flat skin. This may leave new skin which is a slightly difference colour to the skin around it (hyper/hypo pigmentation) over the 6-12 months this skin will return to normal colour. (on very rare occasions the pigmentation changes may be permanent).
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