Seborrheic keratoses

Seborrheic keratoses (sometimes referred to as “barnacles”) are extremely common, harmless warty spots that appear during adult life as a common sign of skin damage.

They can develop on any part of the skin and can number in the hundreds. Their exact cause and how to prevent them is not known. Because they usually appear in the same areas as skin cancers and can sometimes look similar, it is very important to have them examined regularly to be sure that a more serious lesion is not hiding amongst them.

 An annual skin check is very important in patients who have seborrheic keratoses even if they have never had a skin cancer.