Seborrheic keratosis

Not to be confused with seborrheic dermatitis or actinic keratosis.
Seborrheic keratosis
Other namesSeborrheic verruca, basal cell papilloma, senile wart[1][2]: 767 [3]: 637 
Multiple seborrheic keratoses on the back of a patient with Leser–Trélat sign
SpecialtyDermatology
Diagnostic methodBased on clinical examination, skin biopsy
TreatmentElectrodesiccation and curettage, cryotherapy

A seborrheic keratosis is a non-cancerous (benign) skin tumour that originates from cells, namely keratinocytes, in the outer layer of the skin called the epidermis. Like liver spots, seborrheic keratoses are seen more often as people age.[4]

The tumours (also called lesions) appear in various colours, from light tan to black. They are round or oval, feel flat or slightly elevated, like the scab from a healing wound, and range in size from very small to more than 2.5 centimetres (1 in) across.[5] They are often associated with other skin conditions, including basal cell carcinoma.[6] Rarely, seborrheic keratosis and basal cell carcinoma occur at the same location. At clinical examination, a differential diagnosis considers warts and melanomas.[4] Because only the top layers of the epidermis are involved, seborrheic keratoses are often described as having a "pasted on" appearance. Some dermatologists refer to seborrheic keratoses as "seborrheic warts", because they resemble warts, but strictly speaking, the term "warts" refers to lesions that are caused by the human papillomavirus.[7]

  1. ^ Hafner, C; Vogt, T (Aug 2008). "Seborrheic keratosis". Journal der Deutschen Dermatologischen Gesellschaft. 6 (8): 664–77. doi:10.1111/j.1610-0387.2008.06788.x. PMID 18801147. S2CID 205857121.
  2. ^ Fitzpatrick, T.B.; Freedberg, I.M. (2003). Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-138076-0.
  3. ^ James, William D.; Berger, Timothy G. (2006). Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: Clinical Dermatology. Saunders Elsevier. ISBN 978-0-7216-2921-6.
  4. ^ a b "Moles, Freckles, Skin Tags, Benign Lentigines, and Seborrheic Keratoses". Cleveland Clinic. Archived from the original on 2015-05-22.
  5. ^ "Seborrheic keratosis-Seborrheic keratosis - Symptoms & causes". Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  6. ^ Fusco, N.; Lopez, G.; Gianelli, U. (2015). "Basal Cell Carcinoma and Seborrheic Keratosis: When Opposites Attract". International Journal of Surgical Pathology. 23 (6): 464. doi:10.1177/1066896915593802. PMID 26135529. S2CID 206650583.
  7. ^ Reutter, Jason C.; Geisinger, Kim R.; Laudadio, Jennifer (2014). "Vulvar Seborrheic Keratosis". Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease. 18 (2): 190–4. doi:10.1097/LGT.0b013e3182952357. PMID 24556611. S2CID 26756807.