Also known as seborrheic keratosis /warts/age warts/age barnacles, these are benign lesions that increase in size & number with age. They are often pigmented & comprise overgrowths of normal skin cells. 

Seborrheic warts commonly occur on the face, neck, trunk & lower limbs.

By definition, no, however in rare cases, seborrheic warts can contain foci of superficial skin cancers known as IEC or intraepithelial carcinoma. 

The best treatments are most often the simplest, namely a curette. Seborrheic keratosis in cosmetically sensitive areas such as the face, we use ablative lasers. 

In extensive areas we use numbing gel prior to the procedure. If only one or two areas are involved, local anaesthetic is used. 

Ablative CO2 & erbium lasers give the best results. It takes between 20-60 seconds to treat each wart. 

The treated area heals in 4-7 days. You may have some redness over the area for 4-6 weeks. Scarring using this technique is very rare, less than 1% of cases. 

Our nurses at Cutis Dermatology are experienced in all forms of wart removal, including minor surgical procedures & lasers. Book a FREE consultation to discuss treatments. 

T&C applies. 

Topical treatment with tazarotene cream 0.1% can be useful. In the United States a concentrated hydrogen peroxide 40% solution was available for 2 years but was discontinued in 2019.

Compounded keratolytics can prevent or reduce recurrence but will not treat established warts. 

Nitrogen is a good treatment if you are not worried about cosmetic outcomes. They should be used in caution on the face. Aggressive treatments will result in hyperpigmentation or a white scar.  

Nitrogen to the lower limbs can result in ulceration & poor wound healing. 

Google a picture of Morgan Freeman. DPN or dermatosis papulosa nigra are warts seen in dark skin types, namely in Africans, Indians, Sri Lankans & islanders. These seborrheic warts are more challenging to treat because they are smaller & more numerous. Ethnic skin can heal with skin colour changes. 

Treatments include curette, lasers, spot focal chemical peels & pin-point diathermy. DPNs are treated by our senior nurses. 1 treatment will remove 75-85% of spots. 

For a FREE assessment, book a consultation with our nursing team. *T&C apply. 

Dermatologists can prescribe topical retinoids & exfoliating acids including salicylic, lactic, & glycolic acids. 

Creams only reduce recurrence. Inflamed seborrheic warts can be treated with CS creams. 

With caution & precision. Warts including age spots can be tricky in darker skin types as post inflammatory hyperpigmentation can result. On this basis we use special lasers known as picolasers- namely Picosure Pro & Picoway. 

Patients will require between 2-4 sessions for optimal results. 

Some warts can be treated with home liquid nitrogen kits. Another option is with Wart Kill or higher strength salicylic acid preparations. Obviously don’t spill any on normal skin. 

DIY treatments are not recommended if you have warts on the face & or have a darker skin color.