Skin
Medicines for Seborrhoeic keratosis
A very common, harmless, warty skin growth that appears with age — often looking "stuck on" — needing no treatment unless bothersome.
Education and reference only. This explains which medicines are used and why, in plain language — it deliberately contains no doses and is not a substitute for advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Always discuss your own treatment with a qualified clinician, and check the BNF and the product labelling for prescribing detail.
Quick answer
What is Seborrhoeic keratosis?
Seborrhoeic keratoses are very common, harmless (non-cancerous) skin growths that become more frequent with age. They typically look like raised, rough or warty patches that can be skin-coloured, brown or almost black, and often have a distinctive "stuck-on" appearance, as if they could be peeled off.
- How it is treated: Seborrhoeic keratoses need no treatment, as they are harmless, and reassurance is usually all that is required.
- Self-care: No treatment is needed for these harmless growths.
- When to seek help: See a GP if a growth is new, changing, growing, itching, bleeding, or looks unusual, so it can be checked and distinguished from a mole or skin cancer.
What it is
Seborrhoeic keratoses are very common, harmless (non-cancerous) skin growths that become more frequent with age. They typically look like raised, rough or warty patches that can be skin-coloured, brown or almost black, and often have a distinctive "stuck-on" appearance, as if they could be peeled off. They can appear anywhere except the palms and soles, and people often develop several over time. They are not caused by the sun in the way some other growths are, and they are not contagious. Most cause no symptoms, though they can occasionally itch or catch on clothing. Because they can be darkly pigmented, they are sometimes confused with moles or, rarely, skin cancers, so a new or changing pigmented growth is worth having checked to confirm what it is.
How it is treated
Seborrhoeic keratoses need no treatment, as they are harmless, and reassurance is usually all that is required. They are not generally removed on the NHS for cosmetic reasons alone. If one is repeatedly irritated, catches and bleeds, or is bothersome, it can be removed — for example by freezing (cryotherapy), scraping (curettage), or other methods. It is best not to pick at or try to remove them yourself. The main clinical role is confirming the diagnosis: because they can look dark or unusual, and to make sure a pigmented growth is not a mole with concerning features or a skin cancer, any new, changing, or atypical growth should be examined. A sudden appearance of many at once is occasionally worth mentioning to a doctor.
For this condition, these medicines
Medicine classes used for Seborrhoeic keratosis
Each links to a full, dose-free guide — what it is, how it works, who can and cannot use it, side effects, interactions and FAQs.
Beyond medication
Lifestyle and self-care
No treatment is needed for these harmless growths. Avoiding picking at them, and having any new, changing or unusual pigmented growth checked, are the main practical points.
When to get help
When to see a doctor
See a GP if a growth is new, changing, growing, itching, bleeding, or looks unusual, so it can be checked and distinguished from a mole or skin cancer. Removal is otherwise only needed if a lesion is bothersome or repeatedly irritated.
Not sure how urgent it is? It is always OK to call NHS 111 for advice, day or night.
Answers
Seborrhoeic keratosis: frequently asked questions
Are seborrhoeic keratoses cancerous?
No — they are harmless, non-cancerous growths that become common with age. However, because they can look dark or unusual, any new or changing pigmented growth should be checked to be sure it is not something else.
Do seborrhoeic keratoses need removing?
Not usually, as they are harmless. Removal (by freezing or scraping) is only needed if one is repeatedly irritated, bleeds, or is bothersome. It is best not to pick at them.
Sources
Where this is drawn from
- NHS — Seborrhoeic keratoses
- British Association of Dermatologists guidance
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