Request an Appointment

Toggle navigation
  • Facebook
  • blog
  • Twitter
Applegarth Dermatology PC

Serving the areas of Valparaiso and LaPorte, Indiana

  • Home
  • Staff
  • Offices
  • Services
  • New Patients
  • Patient Education

Patient Education

INSURANCES ACCEPTED:

*Please note these are our top companies that we participate with.  This is not a complete list.  Please contact your insurace carrier to verify whether or not we are in your provider network.

Traditional Medicare

Railroad Medicare

Sagamore

Cigna

Encore

United Healthcare

CHA

Coventry

CCN

First Health

Aetna

PHCS

Multi Plan

UMR

Lutheran Preferred

Indiana Health Network

Anthem BCBS PPO

Anthem BCBS PDS

Caresource - Medicare Plan

AARP Medicare Complete

IU Health Plans - Medicare and Commercial

Tricare

Anthem Medicare Advantage HMO

AMBETTER

EFFECTIVE 2/22/19: WE ARE NOW ACCEPTING ALLWELL

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Our team of professionals and staff believe that informed patients are better equipped to make decisions regarding their health and well-being. For your personal use, we have created an extensive patient library covering an array of educational topics, which can be found on the side of each page. Browse through these diagnoses and treatments to learn more about topics of interest to you.

As always, you can contact our office to answer any questions or concerns.

  seborrheic-keratosis_landing.jpg
Seborrheic keratosis: This non-cancerous growth can grow quite thick and have a warty surface.

Seborrheic keratoses: Overview

Seborrheic keratosis (seb-o-REE-ik care-uh-TOE-sis) is a common skin growth. It may look worrisome, but it is benign (not cancer). These growths often appear in middle-aged and older adults. Some people get just one. It is, however, more common to have many. They are not contagious.

Most often seborrheic keratoses start as small, rough bumps. Then slowly they thicken and get a warty surface. They range in color from white to black. Most are tan or brown.

They can appear almost anywhere on the skin.

Seborrheic keratoses can look like warts, moles, actinic keratoses, and skin cancer. They differ, though, from these other skin growths. Seborrheic keratoses have a waxy, “pasted-on-the-skin” look. Some look like a dab of warm, brown candle wax on the skin. Others may resemble a barnacle sticking to a ship.

Image used with permission of the American Academy of Dermatology National Library of Dermatologic Teaching Slides.


  seborrheic-keratosis-symptoms-raised-bumps.jpg
Seborrheic keratoses: Some seborrheic keratoses look like stucco splattered on the skin.

 

Seborrheic keratoses: Signs and symptoms

Seborrheic keratoses tend to:

  • Start as small, rough bumps, then slowly thicken and develop a warty surface.
  • Have a waxy, stuck-on-the-skin look.
  • Be brown, though they range in color from white to black.
  • Range in size from a fraction of an inch to larger than a half-dollar.
  • Form on the chest, back, stomach, scalp, face, neck, or other parts of the body (but not on the palms and soles).
  • Cause no pain — some itch.
 seborrheic-keratosis-_symptoms-skin.jpg
Seborrheic keratoses: Like his father, this man saw many of these growths appear on his skin.

Images used with permission of the American Academy of Dermatology National Library of Dermatologic Teaching Slides.



Seborrheic keratoses: Who gets and causes

Who gets seborrheic keratoses?

In most people, seborrheic keratoses first appear in middle age or later. People who are most likely to get these growths have family members with seborrheic keratoses.

Sometimes the growths appear during pregnancy or after estrogen replacement therapy. Children rarely have these growths.

What causes seborrheic keratoses?

The cause of seborrheic keratoses is unknown. We do know the following:

  • Seborrheic keratoses seem to run in families. Some people seem to inherit a tendency to get many of these growths.
  • Some studies suggest that sun exposure may play a role. But we know that these growths appear on skin that gets sun and skin that is always covered. So more research is needed.
  • Seborrheic keratoses are not contagious. These growths may seem to multiply and spread to other parts of the body. The truth is, this does not happen.


Seborrheic keratoses: Diagnosis and treatment

How do dermatologists diagnose seborrheic keratoses?

In most cases, a dermatologist can tell if your skin growth is a seborrheic keratosis by looking at it. Sometimes a seborrheic keratosis can look like a skin cancer. If it does, the dermatologist will remove the growth so that it can be looked at under a microscope. This is the only way to tell for sure whether a growth is skin cancer.

How do dermatologists treat seborrheic keratoses?

Because seborrheic keratoses are harmless, they most often do not need treatment. A dermatologist may remove a seborrheic keratosis when it is:

  • Hard to distinguish from skin cancer.
  • Large or gets easily irritated when clothes or jewelry rub against it.
  • Unsightly to a patient.

 

If your dermatologist does a biopsy, the doctor will likely shave off the growth with a scalpel or scrape it off.

Treatments for seborrheic keratoses include:

  • Cryosurgery: The dermatologist applies liquid nitrogen, a very cold liquid, to the growth with a cotton swab or spray gun. This freezes the growth. The seborrheic keratosis tends to fall off within days. Sometimes a blister forms under the seborrheic keratosis and dries into a scab-like crust. The crust will fall off.
  • Electrosurgery and curettage: Electrosurgery (electrocautery) involves numbing the growth with an anesthetic and using an electric current to cauterize (burn) the growth. A scoop-shaped surgical instrument, a curette, is used to scrape off the treated growth. This is the curettage. The patient does not need stitches. There may be a small amount of bleeding. Sometimes the patient needs only electrosurgery or just curettage.

Outcome

After removal of a seborrheic keratosis, the skin may be lighter than the surrounding skin. This usually fades with time. Sometimes it is permanent. Most removed seborrheic keratoses do not return. But a new one may occur elsewhere.
 



Seborrheic keratoses: Tips for managing

Most seborrheic keratoses do not require care. You should see a dermatologist if:

  • The growth grows quickly, turns black, itches, or bleeds (possible signs of skin cancer).
  • Many new skin growths suddenly appear. This can be a sign of cancer inside the body.
  • Your skin growth does not look like a typical seborrheic keratosis.
  • Your growth is dry, flat, rough, and scaly. It could be an actinic keratosis, which can progress to a type of skin cancer.
  • The growth is easily irritated, such as from shaving or clothes rubbing against it.
  • You want the growth taken off because you do not like how it looks.

 

Do not try to remove a seborrheic keratosis yourself. There is a risk of infection.



© American Academy of Dermatology. All rights reserved. Reproduction or republication strictly prohibited without prior written permission. Use of these materials is subject to the legal notice and terms of use located at https://www.aad.org/about/legal


Learn More

  • Acne
  • Rashes
  • Skin Cancers
  • Warts

Patient Education

Patient Education
  • Acne and rosacea
    • Acne
    • Acne scars
    • Acne products: How to avoid allergic reaction
    • Acne: Tips to help you see clearer skin
    • Adult acne
    • Isotretinoin: Treatment for severe acne
    • Rosacea
    • Rosacea: Skin Care Do's and Don'ts
  • Bumps and growths
    • Keratosis pilaris
    • Moles
    • Seborrheic keratosis
  • Color problems
    • Acanthosis nigricans
    • Melasma
    • Melasma:Tips to Make It Less Noticeable
    • Tinea versicolor
    • Vitiligo
  • Contagious skin diseases
    • Genital warts
    • Head Lice
    • Herpes simplex
    • Impetigo
    • Molluscum contagiosum
    • Nail fungus
    • Ringworm
    • Scabies
    • Shingles
    • Warts
  • Dry / sweaty skin
    • Dry skin
    • Hyperhidrosis
  • Eczema / dermatitis
    • Atopic dermatitis
    • Contact dermatitis
    • Dyshidrotic eczema
    • Neurodermatitis
    • Nummular dermatitis
    • Stasis dermatitis
    • Eczema: Tips to help children feel better
    • Eczema Bleach bath therapy
  • Hair and scalp problems
    • Alopecia areata
    • Hair loss
    • Scalp psoriasis
  • Itchy skin
    • Bedbugs
    • Hives
    • Poison ivy, oak, and sumac
  • Painful skin / joints
    • Hidradenitis suppurativa
    • Psoriatic arthritis
    • Scleroderma
  • Rashes
    • Lichen planus
    • Lupus and your skin
    • Pityriasis rosea
  • Scaly skin
    • Actinic keratosis
    • Psoriasis
    • Psoriasis Skin Care Guide
    • Psoriatic arthritis
    • Seborrheic dermatitis
  • Skin cancer
    • Basal cell carcinoma
    • Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP)
    • Imiquimod: A treatment for some skin cancers, genital warts
    • Melanoma
      • Next steps after a melanoma diagnosis
    • Merkel cell carcinoma
    • Sebaceous carcinoma
    • Squamous cell carcinoma
    • Skin cancer in people of color
    • Skin Cancer Prevention
    • Who's got your back
    • Can you spot skin cancer?
  • Skin, hair, and nail care
    • Skin care
      • How to Apply Sunscreen
      • How to Shave
      • Skin Self-Exam: How to Do
      • Face Washing 101
      • How to Apply Self-Tanner
      • Get the most from your skin care products
      • Dry skin relief
      • Preventing skin conditions in athletes
      • How to care for tattooed skin
      • How to care for pierced ears
      • How to Treat Diaper Rash
      • Skin Care on a Budget
      • How to Treat Boils and Styes
      • How to Treat Dandruff
      • How to Treat Shingles
      • How to Treat Cold Sores
      • How to Treat Hives in Children
      • Wrinkle Remedies
    • Hair care / hair loss
      • How to Style Hair Without Damage
      • Tips for Healthy Hair
      • How to remove gum without cutting hair
      • Coloring and perming tips
    • Injured skin
      • Tips for treating poison ivy
      • How to treat sunburn
      • Proper Wound Care: How to Minimize a Scar
      • How to Prevent and Treat Frostbite
    • Nail care
      • Manicure and pedicure safety
      • Tips for Healthy Nails
  • Other conditions
    • Diabetes warning signs
  • Videos

Our Location

1861 S. Sturdy Rd
Valparaiso, IN 46383
(219) 548-0360
 
3444 Monroe
La Porte, IN 46350
(219) 362-0161

Map & directions

Appointment Request

Valparaiso, IN Dermatologist Applegarth Dermatology PC 1861 S. Sturdy Rd. Valparaiso, IN46383 (219) 548-0360 Dermatologist in Valparaiso, IN Call For Pricing
La Porte, IN Dermatologist Applegarth Dermatology PC 3444 Monroe St. La Porte, IN46350 (219) 362-0161 Dermatologist in La Porte, IN Call For Pricing
  • Home
  • Staff
  • Offices
  • Services
  • New Patients
  • Patient Education
  • Copyright © MH Sub I, LLC dba Officite
  • Disclaimer
  • Patient Privacy
  • Site Map