What is Seborrheic Keratosis?
It is likely that you have seen them before, or maybe experience them yourselves but have just not known the correct name for the skin conditiona and even when known, there is still that question what is Seborrheic Keratosis?
A seborrheic keratosis is a type of noncancerous skin growth which can become very common as we get older. They are harmless and not contagious.
The most common type of skin cell in the epidermis (the outer layer of the skin), is a ‘keratinocyte’ and the term ‘keratosis’ refers to a bumpy overgrowth of keratinocytes, this is where its name partly comes from.
What does Seborrheic Keratosis look like?
They are usually round or oval shaped brown, black or light tan in colour will have a wart-like surface, feel rough and scaly they can be raised can be either a single growth or they may sit with multiple growths.
Common areas for these to be found are on the head (scalp), face, neck, chest, back, shoulders and abdomen.
This skin condition does not need treatment as it usually causes no symptoms (although for some people they may occasionally become itchy), but you may decide to have them removed if they become irritated or catch against clothing or if you simply do not like the way they look.
What is the cause?
Primarily ageing is the main cause of Seborrhoeic Keratosis. However, they can often be heredity and also caused by sun exposure.
Can we help?
Following a consultation and skin patch test, this skin condition can be removed sometimes in a single treatment, but sometimes a few treatments may be necessary.
See below some examples of clients that Amy has treated here in the skin clinic.
In the first underarm pictures, Amy treated this client in 6 sessions. As you can see from the before and after pictures, the seborrheic keratosis has been hugely reduced. The second pictures showcase a before and immediately after treatment shot.