Tuesday, August 17, 2010

What are seborrheic keratoses and how do you get rid of them at home?

Seborrheic keratosis is a benign form of skin tumor. The origin is unknown. It commonly appears after age 40. The tumors appear as wart-like growths in a variety of colors. They may appear in large numbers on the surface of the body. They are usually painless and benign, but may become irritated and itch. They may be cosmetically disfiguring and psychologically distressing as a result.





Your treatment choices are:


(1)Cryotherapy, the use of extreme cold to remove seborrheic keratoses. Cryotherapy is the preferred treatment for most seborrheic keratoses, especially flat or slightly raised growths.





(2)Curettage, in which your health professional uses a spoon-shaped instrument (curette) to remove the growth. Regrowth is common after curettage alone.





(3)Electrocautery (or electrodesiccation), which sends a low-voltage electrical charge through the tip of a needle to burn off a growth. This treatment is sometimes combined with curettage.





(4)Excision, the removal of the growth with a scalpel after your doctor injects a local anesthetic. Excision may cause scarring.





(5)Laser, an intense beam of light that burns and destroys the growth.


No comments:

Post a Comment