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.
- They are usually asymptomatic but can become irritated and inflamed spontaneously or because of friction from clothing.
- Treatment is not necessary because of their benign nature, but if irritated, itching, and displeasing, can be initially treated with cryotherapy and curettage.
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"
Typical dermoscopic appearance of seborrheic keratosis with milia-like cysts (black arrows) and comedo-like openings (blue arrows)
Citations
Pierson D, Bandel C, Ehrig T, et al. Benign epidermal tumors and proliferations. In: Bolognia JL, Jorizzo JL, Rapini RP, eds. Dermatology. London: Mosby; 2003:597-602.
MacKie RM, Quinn AG. Non-melanoma skin cancer and other epidermal skin tumors. In: Burns T, Breathnach SM, Cox N, et al, eds. Rook's textbook of dermatology. 7th ed. Oxford, UK: Blackwell; 2004:36-45.
Weedon D. Chapter 31: Tumors of the epidermis. In: Weedon D. Skin pathology. 2nd ed. London: Churchill Livingstone; 2002:765-771.
Altmeyer P, Bacharach-Buhles M, eds. Enzyklopadie dermatologie, allergologie, umweltmedizin. Berlin: Springer; 2002.
Ortonne JP, Pandya AG, Lui H, et al. Treatment of solar lentigines. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2006;54(suppl 2):S262-S271.[Abstract]
Krupashankar DS; IADVL Dermatosurgery Task Force. Standard guidelines of care: CO2 laser for removal of benign skin lesions and resurfacing. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2008;74(suppl):S61-S67.[Abstract][Full Text]
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3. Weedon D. Chapter 31: Tumors of the epidermis. In: Weedon D. Skin pathology. 2nd ed. London: Churchill Livingstone; 2002:765-771.
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30. Ortonne JP, Pandya AG, Lui H, et al. Treatment of solar lentigines. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2006;54(suppl 2):S262-S271.[Abstract]
31. Krupashankar DS; IADVL Dermatosurgery Task Force. Standard guidelines of care: CO2 laser for removal of benign skin lesions and resurfacing. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2008;74(suppl):S61-S67.[Abstract][Full Text]
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