Seborrheic keratoses... Or what I like call "Wisdom spots"

Written by Dr. Wendy Myers

If you are over the age of 30 and have had a skin check with me, you may have heard me use the term "wisdom spot." What I am actually referring to are common lesions called seborrheic keratoses. Seborrheic keratoses or SKs are common benign skin lesions that often start developing in patients in their thirties, and continue to form as we age. I often like to joke with my patients that these are markers of their wisdom and maturity, as most patients do not want to hear that they are due to aging.

Patients often confuse SKs with "moles", but they are not. SKs are made of keratinocytes and not melanocytes which comprise true moles or nevi. They can develop on any part of the body except the palms and soles and can appear in many different ways: skin toned, pigmented, flat, or even quite raised, often resembling warts. 

The good news I always try to reinforce with my patients is that they are benign and require no treatment. They can be removed for cosmetic reasons or if they become irritated, inflamed, or itchy. There are various ways that this can be done in the office including cryotherapy (freezing lesion with very cold spray that results in the lesions peeling off), curettage (scraping lesion off after local anesthesia), or electrocautery (electric needle to burn lesion off, often with curettage).  Therapies are often determined by the size and location of the lesion. Treatment areas often heal well, but may hyper or hypo- pigmentation as a result.