Thickening of the stratum corneum of the epidermis is the first factor of seborrheic keratosis. It refers to a dermatological disease that occurs in people after 50 years of age. The most common type of keratosis is seborrheic keratosis. It develops in people who have crossed the 40-year age threshold.

Seborrheic keratosis usually develops after 40 years

Senile keratosis, senile warts and senile keratosis are common names for seborrheic keratosis. Over time, the tumor changes and takes different shape and color. But it doesn't work on its own. This type of skin disease has been progressing for decades.

Causes of the disease

Keratomas are benign neoplasms. Manifested by single or multiple lesions. Doctors say that rarely age-related keratomas degenerate into malignant neoplasms. The main prerequisites for the occurrence of keratomas are not thoroughly established.

Viral etiology and ultraviolet radiation are factors that have not been confirmed. The reasoning that people are prone to the development of the disease, in whose diet there is an insufficient amount of vitamins, vegetable oils or an excess of animal fats, also did not find confirmation.

Seborrheic keratosis occurs in individuals whose relatives have had the disease. Based on this is the assumption of heredity. The disease develops due to age-related aging of the skin and is provoked by various factors:

1. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays.
2. Permanent damage to the skin.
3. Exposure to chemical aerosols.
4. Chronic diseases associated with the endocrine system.
5. Pregnancy.
6. Taking hormones and immunity disorders.
7. Heredity.

Chemical sprays increase the risk of developing keratosis

Why is keratosis dangerous?

Seborrheic keratosis or senile warts is a benign neoplasm. But there is a link with skin cancers:

1. A large amount of seborrheic keratosis may indicate the presence of oncology of the internal organs.
2. A malignant tumor is very similar in appearance to a focus of keratosis. It is quite difficult to recognize it without the analysis of histology.
3. Cancer cells are able to develop between the cells of the keratoma.

Studies have shown that in 10% out of 100% of patients with keratoma, skin cancer of various forms is found.

Symptoms

Seborrheic keratosis or senile warts are localized on:

• back and back over the entire surface of the forearm;
• the front surface of the chest;
• on the head, mainly in the hair part;
• on the neck and face;
• on the genitals.

Seborrheic warts, senile warts) reach a size of 1 mm - 6 cm and have an oval or round shape. The appearance of senile warts is accompanied by itching. Their color changes, and can be yellow, black, pink, brown.

The superficial part resembles a peeling wart, which is covered with a thin layer of film. With minor mechanical damage, it starts bleeding.

After a while, blackheads and a wart are observed, thickening. The size of a senile wart reaches 2 cm. The edges of a keratoma can have a serrated, pointed or convex appearance.

Keratosis is often located on the scalp

Existing forms of seborrheic keratosis

Keratosis is divided into forms:

1. Flat - slightly raised above the surface of the skin.
2. Irritated - The top layer of the dermis and the inside of the tumor contains an accumulation of lymphocytes. This view is determined under a microscope during histological analysis.
3. The reticular form is thin junctions of epithelial pigment cells.
4. A warty form of seborrheic keratosis or clear cell melanoacanthoma is a rather rare form that is characterized by a warty surface round shape... This form affects the lower extremities.
5. Lichenoid keratosis - characterized as a tumor with inflammatory process... Such modifications resemble lichen planus, fungal mycosis, lupus erythematosus.
6. Clonal keratosis. It occurs mainly in old age.
7. Keratotic papilloma. It is small in size, consists of a part of the epidermis and cystic formations from horn cells.
8. Cutaneous horn is a very rare form that can develop into a cancerous tumor. Occurs in people over 60 years old. It has the appearance of a cylindrical shape that protrudes above the surface of the skin.

This type of keratosis occurs in 2 forms - primary and secondary. The nature of the origin of the primary form is unknown thoroughly, it arises for no reason. Secondary form - dangerous degeneration into skin cancer. This can happen due to minor mechanical damage to the skin, a viral infection.

Cutaneous horn is one of the most dangerous formations

Treatment

Patients with seborrheic keratosis rarely seek help from doctors, taking advantage of the fact that the manifestations of the disease can be hidden under clothing. But some growths can itch, bleed, and grow faster. In such a situation, the help of a doctor is simply necessary.

The course of the disease can be complicated by the inflammatory process and other unpleasant sensations that cause discomfort to a person. Also health care it is necessary for people who have senile warts in a conspicuous place or receive mechanical damage from clothing, jewelry.

In order to radically eliminate the problem - seborrheic keratosis, cryodestruction can be performed. This therapy is carried out quickly and is available to almost all segments of the population.

The essence of the therapy is to freeze the formations, but not more than 1 mm. This therapy is suitable for the treatment of multiple keratomas. After cryodestruction from a keratoma, incomplete scarring of the skin occurs.

Seborrhea is also treated with a laser. The procedure is carried out without bruising and pain. It is used to remove warts in the neck and face. A chemical method of removal is sometimes used. But it is rarely used, since it is he who can lead to scarring. To prevent the appearance of such formations and slow down the growth of existing ones, the doctor prescribes a complex of vitamins.

With the use of vitamin C up to 4 grams per day, the positive effect will not be long in coming. Therapy lasts up to 3 months, after a break. Take vitamin C only in the dosages indicated by your doctor.

Cryodestruction of keratosis eliminates the problem, but leaves scars

Folk ways

You can carry out treatment using folk and well-known means. They are used not only locally, but also for a general strengthening effect. Treatment with folk remedies is one of the best ways. Let's mark the most effective of them.

1. One of these means of getting rid of keratomas is aloe. It is used as a home method. The aloe leaf is cut lengthwise and the pulp is applied to the affected areas. The surface is fixed with a bandage, on top with polyethylene and left overnight. In the morning, it is necessary to remove the compress, and lubricate the wounds with salicylic alcohol.
2. Propolis is a home remedy. Thin sheets of propolis are placed on the affected areas, bandages are fixed. Such a compress is worn for 5 days. Everything folk ways give a positive effect. But it is worth remembering that keratosis cannot be completely treated.
3. Birch buds can be used in treatment. They are filled with medical alcohol in the proportion: 100 grams of kidneys per 100 grams of 70% alcohol. I lubricate the lesion with the resulting tincture 3 times a day. The duration of the course is 30 days. The main condition when using this method, is complete protection of the skin from the sun's rays.
4. Bay leaf is used only for keratomas that cause pain... It is crushed and combined with homemade butter. The oil should not be salty. The course lasts 21 days, the keratoma is smeared with a mixture 3 times a day.

It should be remembered that not always self-treatment gives positive results. Only a doctor can help diagnose the disease and prescribe therapy. The duration of treatment and the result will depend on the prescribed therapy, but the treatment of keratosis may not always be required. If it does not cause discomfort and there are no inflammatory processes.

Keratoses are non-inflammatory dermatological pathologies in which the stratum corneum of the skin thickens. The reasons for the development of these diseases are different, and depending on them, several types of diseases are distinguished. The most common are - actinic, follicular, seborrheic keratoses.

Seborrheic keratosis is a disease that causes the appearance of special neoplasms on the skin. Given that the disease most often develops in people much older than 40 years of age, these formations are called senile warts (another term is seborrheic keratomas). Their character is almost always benign, they do not pose a strong danger, and no transformation into cancer was recorded. Caution, however, should be exercised - there are malignant skin pathologies that can be confused in appearance with seborrheic keratosis. In this case, the nature of the formation can be accurately established only after the histological analysis.

In addition, a small malignant neoplasm can "hide" in benign senile warts. If it is noticeable that the seborrheic keratoma is increasing in size, it begins to bleed, hurt, itch - urgently contact a dermatologist.

What do senile keratomas look like and where do they occur?

seborrheic keratomas - skin formations (single or multiple), different in color, size, configuration. Their color is yellow, dark cherry, brown-black, pink. The neoplasm is either flat or protrudes above the skin. It can be round, oval, with a diameter of 2 mm to 6 cm, characterized by clear boundaries.

The main places of localization of seborrheic ketar:

• areas of the neck, face;
• on the head in the hair;
• on the hand (back surface);
• on the back of the forearm;
• on the external genitals.

On the soles, palms, senile warts are extremely rare.

The structure of the formation is as follows - a keratoma looks like scaly tiny warts fused together, on top of which a thin crust that can be easily removed is noticeable, bleeding even with the smallest damage. Over time, black point inclusions become noticeable on this crust, its thickness can increase to 1–2 cm, and a network of cracks appears. Keratomas can sometimes be pointed, sometimes take a convex, dome-like shape (the surface is smooth, whitish or black blotches are noticeable).

seborrheic keratosis - forms

seborrheic keratosis, in order to facilitate diagnosis, is divided by dermatologists into the following forms:

1. Flat - neoplasms are flat, sharply pigmented, not much raised above the skin.
2. Adenoid - the thinnest cords, woven into a looped network, consisting of pigmented epithelium. This network often contains small cysts of horny cells.
3. Irritated - when carrying out histology under a microscope, it shows that the internal structure of the neoplasm and its superficial layer from the dermis are saturated with accumulated lymphocytes.
4. Benign squamous cell, it is also called keratotic papilloma. Formations are small in size, consist of single keratinized cysts, elements of the epidermis.
5. Clear cell melanoacanthoma is a rather rarely diagnosed form of senile warts, characterized by a rounded surface. It includes horny cysts, keratinocytes, melanocytes. Most often, melanoacanthomas develop on the legs. They resemble moist flat plaques that clearly blend into the surrounding healthy epidermis.
6. - this form of keratosis is rare, mainly in very elderly people. The neoplasm is cylindrical in shape, its basis is horn cells. The horn protrudes sharply above the skin, sometimes it is very large. It occurs in two forms: primary - arises from unexplained reasons; secondary - can develop due to inflammation in other tumor-like formations on the skin. The secondary form is dangerous. With constant microtrauma, frequent heat exposure, viral infection, there is a possibility of its transformation into a malignant tumor.
7. Lichenoid seborrheic wart - keratoma with inflammatory changes. The neoplasm resembles fungal mycosis, lichen planus, discoid erythematosis.

The reasons for the development of pathology

seborrheic keratosis is a poorly understood pathology. The exact reasons for its development have not yet been identified.

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It used to be thought that a keratoma develops if a person is infected with HPV. There were also other versions - excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation, a lack of vitamins, an excess of fats in the body. The conducted research did not confirm these versions.

Studies have established one more or less reliable cause of senile warts - a genetic predisposition. If this disease was observed in the family, then with a high probability seborrheic ketaromas will develop in all close relatives.

Doctors have identified several factors provoking the onset of the development of the disease:

• strong exposure to ultraviolet radiation;
• persistent skin trauma;
• harmful chemical influences;
• immune disorders;
• the use of hormonal drugs (this applies to estrogens most often);
• endocrine diseases of the chronic form.

Seborrheic keratosis - treatment

By themselves, senile ketaromas are not dangerous. If there is no psychological, aesthetic discomfort from a seborrheic wart, it does not increase in size, its shape and color does not change - there is no need to remove the neoplasm.

With the existing risks of complications, or if the person believes that ketaroma spoils him appearance, the dermatologist can prescribe the removal of the formation in one of the following ways:

• Impact on the neoplasm with a laser. Laser removal- highly effective painless, while relatively affordable method. The laser acts exclusively in a targeted manner, destroying only the pathological formation. The healthy tissues surrounding the seborrheic ketaroma are not affected. After the laser, the wounds heal quickly, there are no scars or other visible damage to the skin.
• The method of exposure to radio waves - the principle is similar to the laser procedure. Seborrheic ketaroma is exposed to high frequency radio waves. They act on water molecules in the tissues of the wart. Excess energy from high frequency radio waves causes it to "boil up". As a result, cells and fibers at the site of exposure break, the formation evaporates, a small crust remains in its place, which disappears by itself without any problems after a while.
• Cryotherapy - warts are frozen with liquid nitrogen. The method is used when there is an extensive accumulation of neoplasms in one area. For the removal of keratomas on the face, in the neck area, it is practically not used.
• Electrocoagulation - an electric scalpel is used. The wart is excised with it, then a suture is applied to the wound site. Of all the four listed methods, this one is the most traumatic, it requires a certain period of rehabilitation. Naturally, it is not used for excision of keratomas on the face, neck and other open areas of the body.

Also developed conservative methods therapy:

• If the senile wart is diagnosed at the stage of the spot, special types of peelings and resurfacing are used to remove it.
• The appointment of ascorbic acid in large doses slows down the development of already existing keratomas and prevents the development of new formations. It must be taken exclusively as directed by a doctor. The dosage is selected individually and can be from 0.5 to 1.5 grams 3 times a day. Take the drug after meals for 1-2 months. It is required to complete 2-3 courses, the break between them must be at least 30 days.
• seborrheic keratomas are sometimes treated with ointments, which include 5% fluorouracil, solcoderm, 10% lacto-salicylic collodion. 30% prospidin ointment is often used.

If you suspect the development of seborrheic keratosis, you should seek qualified dermatological help. Self-medication is categorically not recommended - senile warts are sometimes similar to others dangerous species neoplasms, and sometimes (though very rarely) can degenerate into skin cancer. Therefore, it is not worth the risk - the time spent differential diagnostics will save your nerves and health.

If the diagnosis is accurately established, after consultation with a specialist, effective alternative methods can be used as additional therapy.

Treating keratosis with alternative medicine at home

The arsenal of witch doctors is very rich. Healers know a lot effective recipes for the treatment of skin diseases, including senile warts.

To get rid of keratosis at home, recipes based on propolis, aloe, raw potatoes, and onion peels are most often used:

• Aloe - leaves of plants over 5 years of age are used. They are washed well, kept in the refrigerator for several days. Then, pulling out one at a time, cut into thin plates. They are applied to neoplasms, secured with a bandage, cling film, and left overnight. In the morning, the skin is wiped with a weak salicylic alcohol.
• At home, keratosis is successfully treated with raw potatoes. It is rubbed on a grater to a mushy state, spread on cheesecloth, rolled into two or three layers. Such a compress is bandaged to the senile wart for 60 minutes, then the potato gruel is replaced with a fresh one - repeated three times.
• Keratosis is treated at home using propolis. It is rolled out into a thin leaf, applied to senile warts. Fixing with a bandage, leave for 2-3 days, then replace the bandage with a new one. The procedure is repeated at least three times.
• Infusion of onion peels for senile warts is also quite effective. 4 tablespoons of it are insisted in one glass of vinegar in a dark place for two weeks. After the infusion is filtered, it is used further for 30-minute lotions.

seborrheic keratoma for the most part does not pose a health hazard. But you should not neglect a visit to a dermatologist. Timely diagnostics will protect you from possible complications in future.

seborrheic keratosis, description of the disease (video)

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Which is manifested by excessive thickening of the stratum corneum of the epidermis. There are several types of this ailment, seborrheic keratosis is the most common of them. In this article, we will talk about the causes, symptoms and treatment of such a pathology.

General information

Most often, the disease develops after 40 years, in this regard, the ailment is called senile or hydrocyanic keratosis. The resulting tumors do not disappear on their own. Over the years, their color, shape, shape change. The ailment can last and progress over decades.

Provoking factors

Seborrheic keratosis of the skin is manifested by benign skin formations (keratomas), which can be either single or multiple. To date, the reasons for this phenomenon have not been finally established.

Assumptions that exposure to the sun's rays on the skin may act as a provoking factor for the disease remain unproven. The theory that the pathology occurs in people with oily seborrhea or in those in whose diet there is not enough vegetable oils, vitamins and an excess of animal fat is also unreliable.

Some scientists insist on the genetic nature of the disease. Since studies have shown that most often seborrheic keratosis, the treatment of which will be described below, develops in people in whose families similar cases have been observed in relatives.

Such a pathology can develop as a result of various external and internal factors, namely:

Why is the disease dangerous?

Seborrheic keratosis is a benign tumor, but this pathology and aggressive types of skin cancer are still associated:

Among the cells of a keratoma, cancer cells can develop independently, while remaining unnoticed.

Seborrheic keratosis and cancer are sometimes so similar that they can only be distinguished by histological analysis.

A large accumulation of foci of keratosis may indicate cancer internal organs.

Symptoms of the disease

Seborrheic keratosis is manifested by single or multiple elements, which are localized most often on the anterior surface chest and back, in rare cases - on the face, neck, scalp, back of the forearm, dorsum of the hand, external genitalia. Very rarely, the disease affects the palms and plantar surfaces of the feet.

The shape of the tumor is most often oval or round, the size is from 2 mm to 6 cm. The formations have clear boundaries and are often accompanied by itching.

Tumors are pink, yellow, dark cherry, dark brown, black. The surface of the neoplasms looks like a large number of scaly warts covered with a thin, easily removable crust, which begins to bleed at the slightest mechanical damage. Over time, the crust gradually thickens and can reach 2 cm, black dotted inclusions are formed in it.

Varieties of seborrheic keratosis

There are several types of this ailment:

Flat. With this form of the disease, flat, slightly raised above the surface of the skin, highly pigmented plaques are formed.

Reticular. Symptoms of this form of pathology, along with highly pigmented plaques, are horny cysts on the skin surface.

Irritated. In this case, lymph infiltration is diagnosed on the surface of the plaques. Plaques with such an ailment are usually flat in shape.

Inflammatory. With this form of the disease, inflammatory processes are present in the neoplasms.

When should I see a doctor?

If seborrheic keratosis is diagnosed, treatment is optional - as a rule, neoplasms do not cause any particular inconvenience. However, you must consult a doctor in the following cases:

The tumor begins to grow rapidly.

The neoplasm causes inconvenience, as it constantly clings to clothing and is damaged.

The growth has become inflamed, began to bleed, there are symptoms of suppuration.

The neoplasm is localized on the face or other visible parts of the body and thereby causes moral suffering.

Diagnostics

First of all, the doctor conducts an external examination of the patient. In some cases, additional examination and biopsy of the neoplasm may be required.

Histological examination makes it possible to exclude the development of diseases with similar symptoms, these include:




Seborrheic keratosis of the skin: treatment

Neoplasms with seborrheic keratosis do not affect the deep layers of the skin, so they are relatively easy to remove. An almost invisible scar may remain at the site of the growth after the removal procedure.

Removal of seborrheic keratosis is carried out by the following methods:




Seborrheic keratosis: treatment with folk remedies

If the neoplasms do not cause inconvenience, but there is still a desire to get rid of them, you can use the recipes of alternative medicine.

So, if there is seborrheic keratosis, how to treat it with folk remedies? First of all, you need to be patient, since the treatment in this case will be quite long (several months).

Most effective methods:

On the face or hands - keratomas. It looks unpleasant and ugly. But many people forget that this is a disease that must be treated and must not be started.

What is a keratoma

Is a benign formation on human skin. It looks like a large convex light yellow mole. The tumor is multiple and single. If left untreated, it can become cancerous or develop into squamous cell carcinoma.

There are several types of this education. Senile (senile) and seborrheic keratomas are most common in humans.

Senile (senile) keratoma manifests itself after 30 years. Most often, senile keratomas appear on the face, neck, on the back of the arms, much less often on the chest, abdomen, back, forearms and legs. They look like moles of white or gray-yellow color. They increase in size gradually, sometimes inflammation can begin. These are some of the most benign skin formations.

Seborrheic keratoma of the skin- the most dangerous of all. Seborrheic keratoma is localized on the scalp, arms, legs, neck and face, most often on the nose. In most cases, this type of keratoma is multiple. At first, it appears as a brown or yellow speck, then grows rapidly, becomes rough, darkens, and noticeable cracks appear. Quite often, its appearance and growth is accompanied by pain, itching and bleeding.

There are also types of keratomas called senile (senile) wart(also sometimes called age-related keratoma), and seborrheic wart.

The first appears after 50 years and exclusively in the eye area. It looks like a flat or slightly protruding formation with clear contours. Color - from gray-yellow to brown. Mischief is extremely rare. The wart grows very slowly and interferes, usually, only by its appearance.

Seborrheic wart Is another name for seborrheic keratoma.

Reasons for the appearance

At the moment, it is already known that keratomas are non-infectious formations. There are several reasons for the appearance of seborrheic keratomas:

• The most important - excessive sun exposure when the skin simply does not have time to cope with the incoming ultraviolet light. Because of this, the processes in the formation of cells are disrupted, the epidermis grows very quickly and becomes covered with the cornea.
• Heredity.
• Predisposition skin disease or long-term skin disease (eg, seborrhea, oily seborrhea).
• Age. Most people over 30-40 develop keratomas. This is due to the diminishing protective function of the skin when it is difficult for skin cells to resist the sun's rays or frost.
• Flaw useful substances in the body (vitamins, vegetable oils) and an excess of animal fats.

Symptoms

Wherever the keratoma is located (seemingly, on the scalp, on the nose, in the ears, etc.), initial symptoms the manifestations are the same:

1. The appearance of a light yellow spot that does not protrude on the surface of the skin.
2. The speck darkens, grows.
3. The bulge enlarges and grows to a wart that rises several millimeters above the skin.
4. The wart grows and flakes.

Remember that you cannot pick up a keratoma, as you can infect an infection or start the formation process malignant tumor... Sometimes self-amputation occurs - the wart falls off in the absence of external influence.

Surgery

At the moment, you can remove seborrheic keratoma in the following ways:

Cryodestruction- removal of keratomas with liquid nitrogen. Anesthesia is not required. The appearance of scars is possible, the method for removing formations on the face is not recommended. The price is reasonable.

Laser- he has no contraindications and side effects... They can remove keratomas on any part of the body, relapse is excluded. The method is painless, the scars heal in two weeks. The method is not cheap.

Electrocoagulation- removal of keratomas by high-frequency current. Small scars remain, which heal completely after a while.

There are contraindications:

• can not be used by people suffering from arrhythmia;
• hypertension;
• fever;
• angina pectoris;
• intolerance to the current.

Radiosurgery- use of the "Surgitron" radio knife. Thanks to the non-contact (thermal effect) removal, the wound heals very quickly. There are no contraindications.

You can also get rid of senile keratomas using surgery- a cut of a keratoma with a scalpel under the influence of a local anesthetic: lidocaine or novocaine. The cheapest, but also the most time-consuming method. The wound also heals for a long time. Scars remain as stitches are applied after the operation.

How is seborrheic keratoma treated?

In some cases it is practiced drug treatment seborrheic keratomas and warts.

• To increase immunity in senile keratoma, are used vitamins of group C. Doctors prescribe ascorbic acid 3 times a day, 5-6 pieces at a time.
• A complex of vitamins has a positive effect on keratomas: vitamin B12 intramuscularly (2 times a week injection with 1 million mcg) and wobenzym tablets(2 pieces 3 times a day).
• Small keratomas are lubricated hormonal ointments: flucinar, fluorocort, elocom. However, it is worth remembering the "withdrawal syndrome".
• Long-term use of antioxidants can lead to a reduction in warts and even involution: they help tocopherol, dibunol liniment.

Preparations for the treatment of senile (age-related) keratomas and warts. If you regularly lubricate the affected area with them, you can achieve a reduction in keratoma in size:

• Castor oil
• aekol
• retinol oil solution
• fir oil
• beta-carotene ointments
• hydrogen peroxide ointment

Treatment of senile keratomas with folk remedies

It is noted that some folk remedies also help in the treatment of seborrheic keratomas, senile warts and age-related keratomas.

Balm from walnut ... Pour slightly unripe fruits vegetable oil, heated to a temperature of 45 degrees Celsius in a ratio of 1: 6. Insist in a thermos for 1 day, then cool and strain. Rub the balm into keratomas for 2 weeks.

Ointment from celandine... Chop the dried leaves of celandine, mix with melted pork fat. The consistency of the ointment should resemble thick sour cream. If possible, add 10 drops of carbolic acid (for long-term storage).

Ointment from bay leaves... Stir 6 bay leaves, 1 juniper leaf, and 12 parts butter, into a powder. Finally, add 15 drops (per 100 ml) of lavender or fir oil. Apply a small amount to formations. Use as needed - until keratomas decrease or disappear.

Remember that if a keratoma develops, you should immediately see a doctor to rule out cancer and other illnesses. It is not recommended to treat it yourself. And even folk remedies need to be used in consultation with a doctor!

Seborrheic keratosis is a benign neoplasm that occurs on the skin; manifests itself as dark brownish spots, as a rule, the spots are slightly convex, embossed (see photo below). The surface of areas affected by seborrheic keratosis tends to become scaly and form oily crusts that tend to flake off.

Unlike, with which it should not be confused, seborrheic keratosis does not develop into a malignant pathology.

Epidemiology

Seborrheic keratoses are very common on the face and trunk of people who have reached old middle age, without gender preference (i.e., both men and women are the same). The dermatological disorder manifests itself primarily in the Caucasian race, while the eastern and black races are rarely affected.

Causes

Etiopathological studies are still the basis for the study of this disease. The only connection that scientists were able to prove was familiarity: Seborrheic keratosis appears to be genetically transmitted in an autosomal dominant manner.

There is no doubt, however, that the growth, therefore, the development of seborrheic keratoses is enhanced by hormonal changes or irritation, although it is not a triggering reason: for this reason menopause, the time of high hormonal modulation, coincides with an increase in seborrheic keratosis.

Finally, some studies also suggest possible involvement ultraviolet radiation in the etiology of the disease, since it has been noted that seborrheic keratosis occurs in people who have exposed their skin for a long time sun exposure... However, since the disorder occurs even in people who have not been excessively exposed to ultraviolet radiation, the debate about the effect of sunlight in the etiology of seborrheic keratosis is still open. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct further and deeper research in this area.

Clinical manifestations

Typically, seborrheic keratoses begin as yellowish papules that turn brown and flake off over time. In truth, the color of the lesions can range from hazel to brown or blue, depending on the subtype of seborrheic keratosis that affects the patient. In addition, while lesions are more common on the face and trunk, depending on the subtype of seborrheic keratosis a person suffers from, they can also occur in other parts of the body. (see paragraph "classification").

Papules can be different sizes, depending on the object and depending on the area affected by keratosis: in general, there are spots with a diameter of 1 millimeter to 1 centimeter, but there have been cases where the papules were even larger.

Often, seborrhoeic keratoses barely adhere to the skin and give the impression of being easily detached. It is because of the barely adjacent feature with which seborrheic keratoses form on the skin that they are often, partially or completely, destroyed after injuries.

Given the similarity with, seborrheic keratosis is called seborrheic warts, senile warts: seborrheic formations are not contagious and not transmitted and, as already mentioned, cannot develop into malignant tumors.

Symptoms

The lesions typical of this skin condition are usually asymptomatic and do not cause any discomfort. However, in some cases, the lesions may become irritated or cause itching and / or bleeding.

Classification

There are various subtypes of seborrheic keratosis:

• Seborrheic acanthotic keratosis: This is the most common form of the disease and is a diffuse light brown to dark brown pigmentation with pseudo-corneal cysts that tend to take on a yellowish color.
• Acropostic seborrheic keratosis: Affects mainly legs, lesions are multiple.
• Hyperkeratotic seborrheic keratosis: keratotic manifestation that tends to flake off continuously.
• Pigmented seborrheic keratosis or melanoacanthem: This form is manifested by multiple pigmentation, melanocytes are present in large numbers.
• Painful (irritated) seborrheic keratosis: the manifestation of seborrheic keratosis is accompanied by irritation and other possible skin changes. Bleeding and redness of the damaged areas occurs. Usually infiltration of melanophages in the aforementioned areas gives the spots a bluish color, sometimes raising diagnostic doubts (difficult to distinguish from).
• Black papular dermatosis ( seborrheic keratosis on dark skin): Regarding this, it is not yet clear whether it can be considered as a variant of seborrheic keratosis. It manifests itself in small, multiple hyperpigmented spots.

Diagnostics

The dermatologist must correctly diagnose the disorder by analyzing each individual seborrheic wart in order to avoid misunderstandings: the signs left by seborrheic keratosis actually resemble signals of much more serious illnesses skin (flat, spinocellular carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma).

If the diagnosis of seborrheic keratosis is correct, removal of the wart will be useless (unless the disorder is a serious aesthetic problem in the affected subject's eyes). Through dermatoscopy, the specialist can make the correct diagnosis and differentiate seborrheic keratosis from others skin diseases... Of course, the physician will also have to determine what type of seborrheic keratosis the patient has.

Treatment

As already mentioned, treatment by removing seborrheic warts is not necessary, except for aesthetic reasons. In fact, the lesions are usually asymptomatic and do not cause discomfort in patients. However, if seborrheic keratoses show unregulated and overgrowth, the disorder can have significant aesthetic consequences.

In this case, diathermocoagulation, cryotherapy, laser therapy, curettage or electrocoagulation are possible solutions for eliminating seborrheic keratosis. At the same time, these therapeutic approaches can be used if the lesions become irritating, itchy, pain and / or bleeding.

After removal, it usually appears lighter than the surrounding skin. This hypopigmented area can remain so throughout the patient's life. However, treatment results in permanent removal of the lesion, as it will no longer occur in the area where it was removed. However, this does not prevent the appearance of new seborrheic keratoses in other untreated areas of the body.

Prophylaxis

To date, there are no specific methods for the prevention of this pathology. It is recommended to limit exposure to the sun, avoid heavy tanning, follow the rules healthy way life, stop drinking alcoholic beverages and cigarettes, observe the rules of hygiene.

To summarize

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