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Highlights & Basics
- Seborrheic keratoses are common, multiple, benign tumors of the skin.
- They usually appear in the fourth and fifth decades of life and their prevalence increases with age and sun exposure.
- They appear as well-circumscribed "stuck-on" plaques or papules and may look like warts.
- Most important differential diagnosis, and of patient concern, is malignant melanoma.
- They are usually asymptomatic but can become irritated and inflamed spontaneously or because of friction from clothing.
Quick Reference
History & Exam
Key Factors
Other Factors
Diagnostics Tests
Treatment Options
Definition
Epidemiology
Etiology
Pathophysiology
Images
Seborrheic keratosis on the chest of an elderly woman
Seborrheic keratosis of the chest: clinical overview image
Seborrheic keratosis of the chest: clinical close-up image
Dermoscopic image of seborrheic keratosis on the chest
Clinical close-up image of seborrheic keratosis on the back of a 40-year-old man
Clinical overview image of seborrheic keratosis on the back of a 40-year-old man
Clinical image of an example of a dark-brown pigmented seborrheic keratosis
Example of a dark-brown pigmented seborrheic keratosis. Dermoscopic image: see yellowish horn pearls and dark brown holes corresponding to so-called "pseudo-follicular openings"
Dermatosis papulosa nigra, a common subtype of seborrhoeic keratosis which is more prevalent in people with brown or black skin (Fitzpatrick skin type IV, V or VI)
Typical dermoscopic appearance of seborrheic keratosis with milia-like cysts (black arrows) and comedo-like openings (blue arrows)
Citations
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Patterson JW. Chapter 32: Tumors of the epidermis. In: Patterson JW. Weedon's skin pathology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025: 877-936.
Barthelmann S, Butsch F, Lang BM, et al. Seborrheic keratosis. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges. 2023 Mar;21(3):265-77.[Abstract][Full Text]
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