How To Remove Barnacles From Skin

Picture of Seborrheic Keratosis

Seborrheic keratosis: A benign skin disorder due to excessive growth of the top layer of skin cells, usually found in persons over 30 years old. They may appear equally just one growth or in clusters. They are nearly oft brown but can differ in color and range anywhere from light tan to black. They come up in different sizes, anywhere from a fraction of an inch (or centimeter) to an inch (2.5 cm) in diameter. The telltale feature of seborrheic keratoses is that they wait like they have been pasted on the skin or just stuck on it. They may look similar a dab of warm brown candle wax that dropped on the skin. Most everybody somewhen develops at least a few seborrheic keratoses since they tend to become more than mutual and more than numerous with historic period. They are sometimes referred to as "barnacles of old age." The development of seborrheic keratoses is sometimes triggered past pregnancy, estrogen therapy or certain medical conditions.

Seborrheic keratoses are most oftentimes found on the breast or back but can be institute on the scalp, face, or neck or almost anywhere on the body. When they first appear, the growths ordinarily begin one at a time as small rough bumps. Somewhen they thicken and develop a rough, warty surface. Although seborrheic keratoses may offset appear in ane spot and seem to spread to another, they are not catching. As people historic period they may only develop a few more. These growths may exist cruddy, especially if they begin to appear on the face. They can get irritated by clothing rubbing against them. Because they may grow larger over the years, removal is sometimes recommended peculiarly if they get irritated and bleed hands. A seborrheic keratosis may turn blackness and may exist difficult to distinguish from a pare cancer. Sometimes such a growth must be removed and studied nether a microscope to determine if information technology is cancerous or not.

Salves, ointments or medication can neither cure nor prevent seborrheic keratoses. Most often seborrheic keratoses are treated by 1 of iii methods:

Freezing -- One method is called cryotherapy, or freezing. A very cold liquid called liquid nitrogen is applied to the growth with a cotton wool swab or spray gun to freeze it. Blisters may grade under the growth that dry out into a scablike crust. The keratosis usually falls off within a few weeks. No marker is unremarkably left, although occasionally in that location may be a small night or light spot. These will fade over time.
Scraping -- Some other method is called curettage. The growths are removed by "curetting" or scraping them from the surface of the skin. An injection or spray is get-go used to numb the surface area before the growth is removed. No stitches are necessary and bleeding is very express. It can exist controlled by applying pressure or by the application of a blood-clotting chemical.
Electrosurgery -- Electrosurgery is another form of treatment. The growth is first numbed, and so burned using an electrical current then scraped off.

Paradigm reprinted with permission from eMedicine.com, 2009

Text: MedTerms™ Medical Dictionary by MedicineNet, Inc.